TUSTIN, CA - As the 2013 World Series creates a new chapter in baseball history, great names from the game's past are being showcased in Memory Lane Inc's newly-launched I Own It Now catalog sale. Over 1,400 lots of vintage sports and non-sports cards, sets, autographs and more will be available for outright sale beginning November 7. The unique event featuring only high quality or rare memorabilia also offers collectors the opportunity to take a chance that an item won't be sold during a designated time frame, after which they can make an offer less than the sale price. All prices quoted below are exclusive of a 15% buyer's premium.
Leading off the catalog is a 1948 Babe Ruth single-signed baseball. The pure white official ball has been graded 8.5 and will be offered at a price of $90,000. It carries a full letter of authenticity from PSA/DNA.
The ball isn't the only Ruth signed item in the catalog, however. Memory Lane has a Yankees payroll check signed by Ruth during what was an historic year of 1927. The Babe's signature adorns the back while Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert and traveling secretary Ed Barrow have signed the front in vintage black ink. The check was made out to Ruth for $5,995.53 and also lists deductions from personal expenses incurred on road trips in Detroit and Philadelphia along with his September salary of $6,190.76. The PSA/DNA encapsulated check is offered at $45,000.
A 1930 Lou Gehrig signed payroll check is also available. Bearing additional endorsements from Ruppert and Barrow, the check was originally made out to the Iron Horse for $2,298.12. Eighty-three years later, it's available to a collector or investor for $42,500.
The quality and quantity of checks in the sale is testimony to their growing interest. Baseball fans will find several including those inked by Ty Cobb, Hank Greenberg and Roberto Clemente and amazingly, the catalog also reveals two checks carrying signatures from music icon John Lennon, one of which carries two Lennon signatures as well as his own hand-written notes on the back.
Hundreds of high grade and/or rare trading cards from various eras are being offered, headlined by a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth graded PSA 8 ($25,500), a 1932 U.S. Caramel Bobby Jones graded 8.5 ($24,995) as well as 1948 Leaf cards of Ruth (PSA 8) and the hard to find Satchel Paige.
Collectors and investors looking for top shelf Mickey Mantle cards will have plenty to choose from including a PSA 10 1961 Topps #578 (high number) and a PSA 9 1958 Topps #150.
Among an array of vintage sets being offered are completely graded offerings from 1953 and 1957 Topps and 1959 Fleer Ted Williams, several sets of 1960's Kahn's Wieners cards including a near set from 1968 that ranks #1 on the PSA Set Registry, a rare 1935 Mickey Mouse near set, all in high grade priced at $29,995, a 1938 Horrors of War set of 288 cards that rates #2 on the PSA Registry and more.
Memory Lane is also breaking up three high grade Topps baseball sets: 1954, 1955 and 1956 at varying price levels.
Other single cards available include several 1887 N28 Allen & Ginter baseball players, an 1889 Mayo's Cap Anson (EX), a PSA 9 1954 Topps Al Kaline rookie card and a PSA 9 1963 Topps Pete Rose rookie.
Following the set price period which opens November 7, The I Own it Now event will conclude with four days of offers on unsold lots before reaching its final close. Buyers can make offers on any items that are still available for sale.
Catalogs have been shipped to those on the company's mailing list and a full preview is live on their website (http://www.memorylaneinc.com).
To receive a catalog or register to buy, contact Memory Lane via their website or by phone at 877-606-5263. Consignments for their 2013 Winter Auction are currently being accepted.