Auction Ends: Nuns fetch $220K plus $42K premium for Honus Wagner card
It was last month that an astonishing story was uncovered regarding a Honus Wagner card auction. The School Sisters of Notre Dame received a heartfelt donation from a working man who passed away, back in 1999. Sister Virginia Muller was the person to arrange
the card sale after her brother turned in all of his belongings to the order, following his death. She, being a member of the order of Roman Catholic Nuns and the school, followed a trail on a safe lockbox that contained the ball card and an attached note
from her deceased brother.
The note speculated on the value of the item and as seen in 2007, the Wagner card, similar to this one, sold for around $2.8 million dollars. Due to its weak condition, the antique was not expected to fetch a big amount in the auction but fortunately, net
proceeds of $220,000 came through when the bidding ended, recently. With a premium of $42,000 included, the total amount will be committed to ministries scattered around 35 countries.
Walton of Knoxville, who owns 7 baseball card stores, is the man to come on top with the master bid. He made a few comments on his purchase by saying, “To be honest with you, we probably paid a little bit more than we should have. But with the back story,
and the fact that it's going to a really good charity, to us it just seemed worth it.”
Going back to the card, there have been accounted to be just 60 in all, existing today. The lot were produced between 1909 and 1911, as part of the T206 series. Honus was known as ‘The Flying Dutchman’, back in his time. He played in 21 seasons and spent
18 years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He became one of the five inductees in the Hall of Fame. His batting average over the long years had amassed to .328.
Walton further explained his reasons for buying the antique. He talked about his uncle who had lost a similar card and vowed to procure one just like it. His uncle was a card collector and unfortunately, never got to fulfil his wish as he passed away. He
further said, “He doesn't know what happened to it, and it was his dream to get another one of those cards back -- in any condition. I feel like me acquiring this card is continuing his legacy. He referred to it as the Mona Lisa. He was so sad about it.”
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