Tom Brady Rookie Tops $1.1 Million, 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Hits $1.5 Million in Heritage’s Sports Card Auction

A Tom Brady rookie autograph and a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle helped drive Heritage’s Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction to more than $18.3 million.

Heritage Auctions said its July 10-11, 2026, auction realized $18,335,172, with several record-setting results across football, baseball and basketball cards. The sale was led by a 2000 Playoff Contender Championship Ticket Autograph Tom Brady Rookie #144, graded PSA NM-MT 8 with a PSA/DNA Auto 10, which sold for $1,113,250. The card is numbered 83 out of 100 and carries MBA Silver certification.

The other seven-figure result came from one of the most famous postwar baseball cards in the hobby. A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 graded PSA NM-MT 8 sold for $1,555,500 after drawing 37 bids. Heritage noted that of nearly 2,100 examples submitted to PSA, only 14 have received higher grades than the Mantle card sold in this auction.

Mantle was a major presence across the sale. A 1954 Bowman Mickey Mantle #65 graded PSA Mint 9 realized $402,600, setting an auction record for that card. Heritage said no PSA-graded copy ranks higher. In total, Mantle appeared on 92 lots in the auction.

Another major record came from a 1933 Sport Kings Jim Thorpe #6 graded PSA Mint 9, which sold for $777,750. Heritage said the result established an auction record for any Jim Thorpe memorabilia. Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions, said the card realized nearly six times the previous auction record and far exceeded its pre-auction estimate.

The auction also included a strong result for Jackie Robinson. A 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson #312 graded PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 sold for $622,200, setting an auction record for the grade. Heritage described the card as Robinson’s first Topps appearance.

Rookie cards continued to draw major prices throughout the event. A 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax Rookie #123 graded PSA Mint 9 realized $390,400. Heritage said just 25 examples have reached PSA Mint 9 from more than 12,000 submissions, with only three graded higher. A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 graded PSA Gem Mint 10 brought $347,700.

Jordan collectors also chased one of the early premium autograph patch cards from the hobby. A 1999 Upper Deck Game Jerseys Autograph Patch #GJ10A graded BGS Mint 9, numbered 19 out of 23, sold for $231,800. Heritage said the sale set an auction record for the card and exceeded its pre-auction estimate by more than three times.

Complete sets and prewar rarities also had strong showings. A 1963 Topps Baseball Complete Set, ranked No. 4 Current Finest on the PSA Set Registry with a GPA of 8.656, realized $317,200. A 1909-11 T206 Sweet Caporal Eddie Plank graded PSA VG-EX 4 sold for $280,600.

Other standout results included a 1961 Fleer Wilt Chamberlain Rookie #8 graded PSA Mint 9 at $189,100, a 1957 Topps Baseball PSA NM-MT 8 Complete Set at $183,000, and a 1986 Fleer Basketball Wax Box with 36 unopened packs at $183,000.

The results show continued demand for elite sports cards across eras. Modern football was led by Brady, postwar baseball by Mantle and Robinson, basketball by Jordan and Chamberlain, and prewar collecting by Thorpe and Eddie Plank. For Heritage, the $18.3 million total made the Summer Sports Card Catalog Auction another major showing for the high-end card market.