A hockey puck used in the final Stanley Cup game in 1928, won by the New York Rangers, 2-1, over the Montreal Maroons, sold for 66,000 in an online-only Sports, Non-Sports, Pulps, Comics & Comic Art auction held April 14th by Weiss Auctions. The puck, seen as the ultimate New York Ranger collectible, came with a silver circular engraved plaque.
With this puck, New York Ranger Frank Boucher scored two goals on April 14, 1928 – 93 years to the day before the Weiss Auctions sale – winning the game and bringing the Stanley Cup to the U.S. The puck came directly from the family of Col. J. S. Hammond, former Chairman of the Board of Madison Square Garden and the man who helped make hockey a huge sport in the U.S.
The puck was the top achiever in a 500-lot auction that grossed more than $1.1 million. “The sale’s lot price averaged over two thousand dollars, and graded comic books saw record prices,” said Philip Weiss, the owner of Weiss Auctions. “The market for sports memorabilia, comics and comic art continues to be strong, as prices continue to rise. Collectors can’t seem to get enough.”
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a 20 percent buyer’s premium. Internet bidding was facilitated by LiveAuctioneers.com, Proxibid.com and Invaluable.com. Phone and absentee bids were also accepted.
A near-complete set of Bowman baseball cards from 1949 – 238 cards in all, missing only cards #197 and #217 – with most of the cards in the mid-to-higher grades, in the 5-7 range or better – brought $22,200. Also, an incredible collection of 1950s and early ‘60s Dodger baseball cards (Brooklyn and Los Angeles), featuring Koufax, Robinson, Campanella and others, hit $16,200.
A complete international set of Magic: The Gathering cards, 362 cards in all, in the original box, with one card graded (Black Lotus R, a 1993 Collector’s Edition card, graded near-mint at 7.5), gaveled for $20,400. Magic: The Gathering was released in 1993 by Wizards of the Coast and was the first trading card game. It had approximately 35 million players as of December 2018.
Several examples of original comic art from the estate of the legendary illustrator Joe Kubert (1926-2012) were led by toy package art for Hasbro’s Sgt. Savage, including a script and ten originals ($19,200). Also, original cover art for Marvel Comics’ Hulk #252 by Buckler and Springer, one of only two Hulk covers done by Rich Buckler, changed hands for $18,400.
Original artwork for Defenders #85 by Rich Buckler, boasting a great cover with Hulk and Dr. Strange, realized $16,200 despite having survived Hurricane Sandy with some rippling due to dampness. Also, eleven original pages from Brave and Bold #72, with artwork by Carmine Infantino, a Spectre-Flash story, came from the Joe Kubert estate and sold as one lot for $13,200.
For more information about Weiss Auctions and the firm’s calendar of upcoming auctions, visit www.WeissAuctions.com.