Roll up your sleeves, dust off your keyboards, and prepare for an exhilarating round of virtual bidding as Miller & Miller Auctions unfurls a dazzling spread of pre-1980 sports cards and memorabilia on June 22nd. This is no ordinary auction—it’s a digital playground for sports aficionados and card collectors vying for timeless treasures from baseball and hockey legends. With a lineup that sings nostalgia and promises history, this online-only event has no brick-and-mortar frills, but instead offers a pulsating internet bidding showdown.
Leading the parade is a jewel that could make any collector’s heartbeat skip—a 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card. Revered as the holy grail of baseball cards, this Mantle card, graded PSA 2 Good, is expected to command a princely sum, with estimates ranging from $40,000 to $50,000 CAD. Though its corners whisper tales of its past through their wear, the card’s overall enduring charm is poised to spark a fierce bidding jamboree.
Yet Mantle doesn’t stride alone across this hallowed gallery of sports immortality. The auction features a splendid array of 40 cards from the Topps’ 1952 Sixth Series, known as the elusive “High Numbers.” Spanning from Mantle’s hallowed #311 to the less-celebrated, yet still highly revered #407, these cards represent the zenith of that set. Despite showing signs of age—dings, mars, and mischievous corners—they hold an inestimable value in the hearts of collectors. Valued between $3,000 and $5,000 CAD, this cluster offers a classic slice of hobby heritage.
The narrative is no less thrilling across the icy expanse of hockey’s history. Enter the scene, a veritable superstar of the sport—Gordie Howe. His 1951 Parkhurst #66 rookie card, graded PSA 3 Very Good, stands as a beacon for hockey collectors, carrying expectations of gathering between $8,000 and $10,000 CAD. Though it may not grace a museum, it’s the unmistakable crown jewel of the 1951-52 Parkhurst set, brandishing a legacy as solid ice and clear-eyed grace.
Bobby Orr joins the cavalcade of legends with his 1966 Topps #35 rookie card, which radiates excellence at a KSA 6 Excellent-Near Mint grade. This card attracts admirers while assuring the watchful gazes of serious investors are justified, with expectations perched between $8,000 to $9,000 CAD.
In an enchanting side note, consider the sentimentally stirring Bill Barilko hockey stick, a team-signed spectacle from the Toronto Maple Leafs’ 1951 Stanley Cup-winning season. Bedecked with Barilko’s iconic number 5 and adorned with teammates’ autographs, this historic stick is pegged at an inviting $3,000 to $5,000 CAD.
For more dramatic flair, a shadow box spotlighting Parkhurst rookie cards from Maurice and Henri Richard is a collector’s dream, dressed in KSA 4 and 3 grades. The ensemble—a gathering of a Louisville Pro Flex stick signed by both Richards, a Canadiens puck, and a captivating bronze plaque—all housed within a 24×72 inch display, is set to attract aficionados at an estimate of $4,000 to $6,000 CAD.
The hockey pantheon sparkles further with an entire set of 110 1964-65 Topps “Tall Boys”—cards whose extended size echo the grandness of the legends they portray like Gordie Howe, Bobby Hull, and Tim Horton. This extensive set, graded from good to very good, promises a nostalgic ride with estimates between $4,000 and $6,000 CAD.
Completing this catalog of legends is an uncut 1979-80 O-Pee-Chee sheet of 226 hockey cards graced by a pristine #18 Wayne Gretzky rookie card. This rare survival, flaunting minor edge quirks, is slated to summon a price between $3,500 to $4,500 CAD.
Ben Pernfuss, Consignment Director at Miller & Miller, waxes poetic about the event: “Collectors will find key cards from the groundbreaking 1951 Parkhurst hockey and 1952 Topps baseball sets featuring some of the most iconic names in sports.” His words capture the auction’s essence—a who’s who of athletic grandeur played out in card and memorabilia form.
Eager bidders can preview the treasure trove via Miller & Miller’s website and participate through LiveAuctioneers, diving into this premier showcase. As Canada’s trusted dealer in high-value collections, Miller & Miller continues to steward sports cards, watches, jewelry, and more with affection rivaling a rookie’s commitment to his debut mitt.
