With just 72 hours remaining in the initial bidding phase of SCP Auctions’ 2016 Spring Premier – just before the frenzied extended bidding begins – a rare, impeccably preserved 1956 Sandy Koufax Brooklyn Dodgers game-worn jersey is leading the way with a high bid of $285,316 at SCP Auctions. One of the most historically significant Brooklyn Dodger jerseys ever offered for sale, the home flannel was worn by the Hall of Fame Dodger great at the dawn of his epic career. This remarkable, museum-quality treasure is the hobby’s only fully authenticated, original, unaltered home jersey worn by Koufax in the hallowed confines of Ebbets Field.
Currently sitting in second place with a high bid of $259,378 is the groundbreaking 1857 “Laws of Base Ball” documents whose author has been identified as Daniel Lucius “Doc” Adams, who was then serving as President of the New York Knickerbockers Base Ball Club. Adams drafted the manuscript for presentation at the historic Base Ball Convention of 1857 in New York City. Adams’ “Laws of Base Ball” were the focal point of the convention and among dozens of newly proposed rules and guidelines established for the first time including setting the base paths at 90 feet, the number of men to a side at nine, and the duration of the game at nine innings. This lot is expected to fetch much more before the auction closes on Saturday night.
Other top bids are coming in from graded cards and sets including a 1952 Topps baseball complete set, $78,469; a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card (#164), $55,612; an extremely rare collection of unused, graded tickets representing all 50 Super Bowls, $51,880; and a 1936 R327 Diamond Stars baseball one-of-a-kind uncut sheet, $32,211.
The prestigious Don Drysdale Estate Collection, the largest personal assortment of Dodgers memorabilia ever offered publicly, is also recording its fair share of noteworthy high bids led by the late Hall of Famer’s 1962 Cy Young Award, $38,911, his Dodgers World Series championship rings from 1963, $29,233, and 1965, $26,575; and his 1956 Brooklyn Dodgers game-worn rookie season uniform, $19,965.
Bidding is open to registered bidders only at SCP Auctions through Sat., April 23. Initial bidding closes at 5 p.m. PDT on Saturday. For more information on how to participate and take part in the bidding, please call 949-831-3700 or visit SCP Auctions. -Terry Melia