In 1952, this baseball card sold for pennies; one later fetched $12.6 million after others sank.

In 1952, a Mickey Mantle baseball card could be bought as part of a wax-wrapped packet for only a penny or a nickel. Seventy years later, one of those cards sold for $12.6 million at auction, setting a new record for sports memorabilia. The 1952 Topps card had already attracted collectors before the record sale. In 1991, Anthony Giordano bought one for $50,000 at a baseball card show at Madison Square Garden. According to The New York Times, the card was eventually graded Mint+ 9.5 out of 10, with its condition described as exceptional. Its value then rose far beyond its original price.1952 Baseball card becomes most expensive ever soldThe 2022 auction marked a major milestone for the card. The $12.6 million result made it the first sports item to sell at auction for eight figures. It also surpassed the previous record of $9.3 million, which had been set earlier in 2022 by the jersey worn by Diego Maradona when he scored the goal known as the “Hand of God” during the 1986 World Cup.Chris Ivy said, “We always knew this card would shatter records and expectations,” while adding that the achievement remained a thrill. The sale also came as the sports collectable market was experiencin...