Items From A Galaxy Far Away

May the Fourth Be With You (on Saturday), Collectors,

In honor of the “holiday”, Billie Lourd, daughter of Carrie Fisher, dropped a treasure trove of Star Wars collectibles on eBay. Many of the items have starting bids of $0.54, and cover both the light and dark sides, with highlights including a Mark Hamill-signed lightsaber hilt and a David Prowse-signed Vader helmet. 

Now strap yourselves in and let’s get into it… in less than twelve parsecs.

Topps Making Moves

Topps and Fanatics made waves this week from their yearly Industry Conference, as they grow their expansive hold on the sports card market. The most talked-about announcements included an overhaul of their card redemption program, a new (unlicensed) basketball product, and a Green Day x Garbage Pail Kids collab we didn’t know we needed. We broke down all the major news over on Mantel.

Mantle Uniform Altering Game-Worn Market

Collectors on Mantel have been buzzing about, well, Mantle. A 1957 Mickey Mantle game-worn jersey was listed last week by Goldin, with a current high bid of $375,000. The jersey was altered from its original state, since back in Mantle’s playing days, used uniforms were often passed down to the minor leagues and restitched (read about the full process here). In this case, the interlocking “NY” was removed, and only recently restored. The rest of the jersey remains unchanged… how about those Bronx dirt stains? 

Caitlin Clark Continues Her World Takeover

On Tuesday an autographed 1/1 Caitlin Clark Panini card sold for $10,000 just seconds after hitting the market, and more than $150,000 in Clark cards were scooped up in just an hour. Rabid collector interest extended beyond just the #1 pick in the WNBA draft, as names like Angel Reese and Kamilla Cardoso, also saw their low-numbered series sell out, further illustrating historic excitement around women’s basketball.

Want 100-Year-Old Wine? Now’s Your Chance

Christie’s has announced a collection of rare wines belonging to the Avery family (AKA, wine royalty), and certain bottles are expected to garner five figures. The alleged “world’s greatest collection” also includes a bottle that’s over 100-years old. Who knew that “century-old” and “appetizing” could be used in the same sentence?

Surprising Princess Di Document Nets $10K

Princess Diana’s first work contract sold for $10,000 this week. The document provides a fascinating look into her life before royalty – her birthdate was fudged so she would appear 18 and be eligible for employment. The document also features an endorsement from an elite British nanny service, calling her a “lovely girl” who could work anywhere. If only they knew what her future roles would hold.

Al Capone’s “Sweetheart” Back on the Block

One of Al Capone’s most prized possessions — his 1911 .45 Colt that he called his ‘sweetheart’ and is believed to have saved his life on multiple occasions — is back on the market, three years after selling for over $1M. The gun had been in the Capone family until 2021 when his granddaughters sold it to a private collector. Given Capone’s violent history, the sale has drawn controversy — but his mark on American history is hard to deny, and estimates for the sale price the gun at around $2M.

Crystal-Studded Nintendo DS Hits Market

A one-of-five Nintendo DS, encrusted with 2,000 Swarovski crystals, will be auctioned off today, and bids are expected to exceed $18,000. The widespread appeal of the flourishing collectible gaming world makes this a must-watch sale. Per auctioneer Tim Weeks, “The purchaser is as likely to be a Hollywood celebrity as it is a high-end Japanese Nintendo collector – and that is the beauty of the auction.”

And finally, we’ve hit what the Arizona D-Backs have dubbed “the peak of society as we know it”. Topps is selling autograph cards for Matt Hilton, the Bee Specialist who shut down a Chase Field bee colony that caused Tuesday’s game against the Dodgers to be delayed 2-hours.

This card may not “bee” a lucrative investment (sorry, not sorry), but it’s certainly a fun one.

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.