Hackers Can’t Derail Eight-Figure Collectible Sale

Have you checked out Mantel lately, Collectors?

This week we shipped updates that make hanging out on the site even more fun, including a big one: a personalized feed, giving members access to a curated feed full of topics (and coming soon, users) they follow. We also added embeddable YouTube links, so you can now watch videos directly on Mantel, as well as the ability to tailor your notification settings.

These features were born from the valued feedback of our users. Have a suggestion? We’re all ears – always feel free to hit our line. 

Now let’s get into it.

Keep Calm & Auction On

In the lead-up to a slate of major auctions, Christie’s confirmed late last week that their website had been hacked, and they had yet to regain full control. Guillaume Cerutti, Christie’s CEO, attempted to downplay the issue, calling the hack “a technology security incident” in a mass email. But by Tuesday night, business was back and, well, booming. A rare art auction, featuring prized works by Jean-Michel Basquiat, brought in $94.6M. Meanwhile, in Geneva, Christie’s netted $4M for watches owned by F1 legend Michael Schumacher, but another watch ultimately stole headlines in Switzerland…

Only Watch, Only $17M!

A unique Patek Philippe, which carried a pre-sale estimate of $1.5M, hammered for $17.3M late last week at the Only Watch auction. Part of the allure was the watch’s metal: stainless steel, instead of the precious golds and platinum Patek generally encases their highest-end pieces in. The humble, durable stainless steel case packed with priceless complications, like a grande and petite sonnerie with minute repeater, make this watch truly one-of-a-kind, and helped the auction generate more than $31M, with proceeds going to support research for Duchenne muscular dystrophy. 

GameStop to GameStart Buying Cards

Soon, games won’t be the only tradeable items at GameStop. The struggling chain was back in the news this week and not just because Roaring Kitty tweeted again. The company announced that it will begin to accept PSA-graded cards for cash or trade-in value, particularly focusing on Pokemon. The chain has historically gotten a bad rap from Gen-Z for allegedly lowballing offers for used games, and time will tell if this move brings them goodwill from card collectors and pulls them out of meme stock territory.

Coins Bought with Butter Bucks Heading to Auction

Before Danish butter magnate L.E. Bruun died in 1923, he demanded that his 20,000-piece coin collection be protected for 100 years before a sale (reeling from WWI, he wanted the trove to serve as an emergency fund for Denmark in the event of another catastrophe). Well, a century passed, and the collection has been pulled from its vault in preparation for a sale, with coins ranging in value from around $50 up to $1M+. According to the auction house, Stack’s Bowers (which gave Mantel members a heads up about the sale back in March), several descendants of Bruun attempted to violate the will over the years to push for an earlier sale, but its ironclad nature kept the collection intact. The coins are slated to be auctioned off this fall.

MJ Still Breaking (His Own) Records

A 1 of 1 signed Michael Jordan card from 2003 could sell for a record-breaking price. The current best-selling Jordan card garnered a $2.7M price tag in 2021, but if Ken Goldin’s prediction is accurate, this signed ‘03 gem featuring a game-worn NBA logo could sell for between $3M - $5M. Speaking of Goldin Auctions, the trailer for Season Two of Netflix’s King of Collectibles (produced by Mantel partners, Wheelhouse Entertainment) just dropped.

Six Wheels, $700K

A rare six-wheel racecar is heading to auction, more than 40 years after it was banned from competition. The Tyrrell P34 shocked audiences upon its unveiling in 1975, with many believing it to be a prank. But its radical, six-wheel design allowed for more grip and less drag on the track (no kidding). The model went on to win the 1976 Swedish Grand Prix, among 14 other podium finishes before its ban in 1982. The Tyrrell for sale is one of five in existence, and experts predict the final price tag could hit $700,000. Its quirky place in history makes it a fascinating relic for racing fans – but where would you drive it?

Finally this week, we're playing games over on Mantel, and we’re curious how many sports fans and card collectors can get our Guess the Player question right. Would you play a game like this (only better, of course) if a new one hit the site every day? Let us know in the comments!

And as always, If you love diving deeper into the endless world of collectibles, let your friends know about Mantel and share this newsletter. Readers can sign up here: Above the Mantel.