There is as much money in sports as there is passion. From the staggering wages some athletes are paid to the money wagered at sportsbooks like the Novibet casino. Sports is certainly big business. Sporting memorabilia is another area of sports where we see some crazy money being exchanged.
Big Sums
Sports memorabilia is a popular collectible item, and the most expensive pieces can be worth millions of dollars. Many of these items have been bought and sold at auctions, with one sale fetching more than $4 million.
The Most Expensive Item Ever Purchased
One of the most expensive pieces of sporting memorabilia ever sold is a baseball jersey worn by Babe Ruth. The jersey, from Ruth’s 1922 season with the New York Yankees, was sold at auction in 2012 for $4.4 million. That sale set a new world record for the most expensive piece of sports memorabilia that has ever been sold. The jersey was part of a collection of rare sports memorabilia owned by the family of the late sportscaster Marty Appel.
New York Yankees Dominate
Another highly prized piece of memorabilia was a baseball hand-signed by the 1927 New York Yankees. The ball was sold in an online auction in 2006 for $1.265 million. The ball was signed by 27 players, including Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, and the rest of the legendary “Murderers’ Row.” The ball was originally purchased at a garage sale in 1989 for just $10.
Air Jordan Making Moves
The third most expensive piece of sports memorabilia is a basketball signed by Michael Jordan. The ball was sold at a charity auction in 2012 for $173,240. It was one of the first balls Jordan ever signed and was autographed in 1984, during his rookie season with the Chicago Bulls.
Stanley Cup Miracle
In at number four is a hockey stick used by Bobby Orr to score his famous flying goal in the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs. An anonymous collector bought the stick at auction for $139,000. The stick is believed to be the only one in existence and was used by Orr to score the winning goal in the deciding game of the 1970 Stanley Cup playoffs against the St. Louis Blues.
Signed Wiliams Bat
Another expensive piece of sports memorabilia is an autographed baseball bat used by Ted Williams. The bat was sold at auction in 2004 for $114,500. The bat was signed by Williams in 1942, during his rookie season with the Boston Red Sox. The bat is believed to be the only one of its kind in existence, hence the eye-watering amount for which it was sold.
These five pieces of sporting memorabilia are the most expensive ever sold. While they are worth millions of dollars, they are also important pieces of history, and they serve as a reminder of the athletes and teams that have made sports so popular. Rare items and hand-signed goods are almost always the most expensive items that go under the gavel.
