I was working in and around Manhattan at the time of the Copeland Auction and made certain to attend the auction. It was a real treat to examine the lots before bidding began, see the scope of the collection and pay particular attention to those items I collected and yearned for.
The most electric moment was when the Honus Wagner card was being auctioned off. There were a few different bidders at the outset and each time a new milestone was crossed you could here the oohs and aahs. Finally it was down to one bidder in the back of the room and an anonymous bidder in the front. Heads were whipping back and forth to see if another bid would be placed. When it reached $400,000 by the bidder in the room many thought that might be it but then, all heads turning to the front, we heard a $410,000 bid from the person on the phone ... and that was it! With the 10% commission that came to $451,000 and we all later learned the winners were Gretsky & McNail.
For me, several other highlights stood out. When a 1952 Topps mint Mantle went for $49,500 (with BP), it was a shocker. Then a 520 card T206 set in nm/mt sold for $99,000 (with BP). A nmt Magie went for $29,700, even more than a nm/mt Plank at $26,400 - go figure!
I was sitting next to Richard Gelman, son of Woody, Topps' art director and owner of Card Collector's Co. and he had his eye on a collection of 604 different Old Judge cards including a representation for every HOF player (83 of them) all in approximately excellent condition. He thought it was too high at the winning price of $77,000 and did not bid (the estimate was $150-200K).
But the card I focused on most was the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth in ex- ex/mt that sold for $18,700.
Two and a half years earlier that was was featured in an Alan Rosen, Mr. Mint Auction, lot number 3, so you know it was important. I never heard of that card before that action closing October 24, 1988 at 10pm. Rookie cards were going crazy those days and in my mind, the penultimate rookie (actually his first minor league card) just had to be this card of Babe Ruth. There were no price guides, no prior auctions of this card that I was aware of, so I was bidding blind.
Just before the 10pm deadline I called the auction and had one of Rosen's bid takers on the phone. I was told the next bid was $5000 and with great trepidation I placed the bid. I was still on the phone at 10pm, closing time, and asked if I was the high bid. I was told that I was. Wow! What a moment.
The next day I called back to get the details about payment and was told that I was outbid at $5500 ... by James Copeland, who placed a top all bid on the card (and likely many others). There was no way I was going to win that card no matter how much I bid. I tried tracking down other examples and spoke to a number of people in the hobby to no avail.
By the way, I was not the high bidder at $18700.
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