Honus Wagner card brings $220,000 for nuns at auction
Honus Wagner came through in the clutch for the School Sisters of Notre Dame.
A rare baseball card that had been bequeathed to the order of Roman Catholic nuns in Baltimore has sold at auction for $262,900, with the nuns receiving $220,000 from the sale (after subtracting the 19.5 percent buyer's premium). Sister Virginia Muller said the money will be used to support the order's global ministries.
Because of the scarcity of Wagner cards and the publicity the sale of this one generated, the card exceeded the $200,000 top price the card, which is creased, trimmed and (gasp) laminated), was expected to bring at Heritage Auction Galleries in Dallas. Only about 60 of the Honus Wagner cards, from the T206 set produced between 1909 and 1911, are known to exist. Doug Walton, a collector and card-shop owner, purchased the card.
"It just boggles your mind," Muller said when the card went up for sale last month. "I can't remember a time when we have received anything like this."
By
Cindy Boren
| November 5, 2010; 10:36 AM ET
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This terrific feel-good AP News story was picked up by over 1000 other media outlets including The Washington Post. When we spoke with AP after the auction we did leave out one important fact we're proud of, though: Heritage waived its entire 15% Seller's Commission, resulting in $33K extra to Diocese charities. More info at www.ha.com or at www.ha.com/facebook.
Jim Halperin, Co-Chairman, Heritage Auction Galleries (HA.com)
Posted by: JimHalperin | November 6, 2010 5:07 PM | Report abuse
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