Sports: 15 Most Valuable Sports Memorabilia Sold in the Last Decade (2023)

Sports memorabilia are some of the most iconic and treasured collectibles in the sports world. These are unique items previously used by world-renowned athletes, making them highly sentimental and valuable to sports fanatics. The last decade has seen significant growth in the auctioning of sports memorabilia. Some of these are iconic and timeless treasures of our time. How about we look at some of the most valuable ones yet?

Table of Contents

15 Valuable Sports Memorabilia Sold in the Last Decade

Muhammad Ali’s Rumble in the Jungle Championship Belt: Muhammad Ali was one of the greatest in the world of heavyweight boxing, suffering only five losses in his career. At the end of his run, Ali had 56 wins and 37 knockouts. His iconic championship belt was sold for $6.18 million in July 2022, making it a record price sale for a sports memorabilia item.

Babe Ruth 1928-30 Jersey: Babe Ruth is one of the most prominent athletes in baseball history, with a career record of home runs for almost 40 years. His iconic jersey, worn from 1928-1930, was sold at $5.64 million, among 400 other collectibles of the athlete.

Diego Maradona Hand of God Jersey: Diego Maradona is one of the most iconic soccer players who brought their name to the Argentinian football team. One of his most notable moments is when he fist-punched a goal during the quarter-finals against England. Since the referee never saw it, the point was awarded to Argentina. He gave his jersey from the game to English midfielder Steve Hodge, who auctioned it at $9.28 million.

Michael Jordan 1998 Game-Worn Jersey: Michael Jordan is one of the most prominent athletes in Basketball in recent times. His jersey from Game 1 in the 1998 finals featured in “The Last Dance,” broke the sports memorabilia for sale record and was sold for $10.09 million.

Barry Bond’s 762nd Home Run Ball: The ball was originally sold in 2008 at $376,612, but at the time, it was unsure if Bonds had ended his career. Eleven years later, when it was understood that Bonds had retired, the ball was auctioned again at $282,900.

Babe Ruth’s 1927 World Series Ring: The iconic ring was first bought by actor Charlie Sheen in 1994 for $225,000, who later auctioned it in 2017 for $2.09 million.

Muhammad Ali and Sonny Liston Gloves: These gloves were at the forefront of Ali’s famous “phantom punch” in 1965. They were sold at an auction in 2015 for $965,000.

Paul Henderson’s Team Canada Jersey: The sweater was worn by Paul Henderson during a series-winning contest in 1972. It is one of the most valuable jerseys ever, sold at a price of $1.2 million.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner Card: The Wagner card has a significant history, but its most valuable sale was seen in 2016 when it was auctioned for $3.12 million.

Kirk Gibson Home Run Bat: The bat allowed Gibson to win Game 1 in the 1988 World Series and was auctioned in 2010 for a whopping $576,000.

Laws of Baseball: The document was thoroughly drafted by a Knickerbocker baseball club member in 1856. An anonymous buyer bought it during an auction for $3.26 million.

Michael Jordan debut ticket stub: This was the first ticket sold for Michael Jordan’s first regular season tournament in 1984. It was later auctioned in 2018 for $33,000.

Tiger Woods’ putter: It was gifted to Tiger Woods before his 1997 season. The putter was later auctioned for$23000 in 2019.

Curt Schilling’s bloody sock: Schilling wore this sock during the 2004 World Series and auctioned it in 201 for $92,613.

1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card: It is considered one of the most prestigious cards in post-war history. This 1952 card was auctioned for $2.88 million, with three more yet to be sold.

Endnote

Sports memorabilia are treasured, especially items of athletes who have grown to become prominent figures in sports history. These valuable sports memorabilia are not only treasures but also some of the most iconic collectibles of current sports history. Hence, they are highly sentimental for those who are avid fans of the sports world. Getting to own a memorabilia item is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and many sports enthusiasts try to work towards owning at least one.

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Adam Regan

Deputy Editor

Features and account management. 3 years media experience. Previously covered features for online and print editions.

Email Adam@MarkMeets.com