A Breakdown Of The Best June 2023 Sports Card Auctions

June is upon us, and brings with it the official start of summer. The world of sports is heating up to match the weather, as well. Baseball season is in full swing, and the finals for the NBA and NHL are upon us. Football season is one far too short summer season away.

But what about the sports auctions this month? Do they bring the heat and excitement like the weather and the finals? Let’s dive in and see what the month holds for auction action!

Lelands Spring Focus 2023

With only 40 lots, this is certainly a smaller auction than many, but what it lacks in quantity, it makes up for with some impressive quality.

Auction basics

Items of Note

There’s a lot to like here. Lelands leads off with a nice Babe Ruth signed ball. There is a PSA 8.5 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle. There are rookie cards of Mantle, “Shoeless” Joe Jackson, Ted Williams, and Rod Carew.

Fans of vintage unopened materials will want to check out the unopened wax boxes, including 1973 and 1975 Topps Mini.   

Check out our Vintage Spotlights on 1973 Topps and 1975 Topps.

There are impressive lots featuring Michael Jordan, LeBron James, and Bill Russell. There are bats, jerseys, and checks.

The Collector Connection Pre War Sports Cards & Memorabilia VIII

As the title suggests, this auction skews towards pre-war vintage, which means it’s heavy on baseball. There is a spattering of other sports and items, but if you’re a fan of old cardboard, this is well worth a look.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

The Collector Connection auction contains all the classic pre-war sets you would expect. This includes T205, T206, and T207, just to name a few.

The lots include some lesser-known names, but also plenty of household names. For example, there are a number of Babe Ruth items, including a 1933 World Wide Gum in an SGC 7 slab. Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, Honus Wagner, and Cy Young are all represented. 

There’s an 1887 Allen & Ginter card of Hall of Famer Tim Keefe, and some nice 1933 Goudey examples. There are also enough oddball rarities in the auction that a scroll through is well worth your time. You’ll very likely see something you’ve never seen before from the rich history of the hobby.

Clean Sweep Auctions June Auction

The Clean Sweep auction this month skews towards baseball and vintage, but there’s a lot to like beyond that. There is a nice mix of sports and non-sport items.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

As expected, the big names you expect to see in any auction are well-represented here. Willie Mays? There’s a signed Mays RC. Or there’s unsigned copies of the 1951 Bowman Mays RC in PSA 5 and PSA 5(OC). 1952 Berk Ross (PSA 7). 1952 Topps, in PSA 3.5 and PSA 4.  There’s a pretty PSA 7 1953 Topps as well.

Mickey Mantle? Check out the graded autographed copies of his 1953 Bowman and 1953 Topps. There’s not one, but two 1951 Bowman Mantle rookie cards. And there’s a PSA 7 1952 Berk Ross that’s a rare treat.

Babe Ruth? There’s a variety of 1933 Goudey examples (1, 2, 3, 4) in various grades.

There are lots of other great sports cards and memorabilia, but also don’t miss the historical and entertainment autographs.

Grey Flannel Auctions Summer Games Auction #60

Grey Flannel brings us an interesting auction with month, with a couple of great headliners, and lots more to like. This auction is memorabilia-heavy.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

This auction features headliner collections of all-time greats Wayne Gretzky and Pete Maravich, but those are just the start to a strong offering. There is great memorabilia across baseball, basketball, football, hockey, and more.

There are some interesting Americana items available that are well worth a look, as well. Don’t miss the Bo Jackson Auburn Tigers Game-Used and Autographed jersey.

The Memorabilia Network Greats of the Game

With close to 400 items, this isn’t the biggest auction, but it packs a punch, especially for Dodgers fans.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

This auction has some really cool artifacts and autographs from Dodgers great Sandy Koufax. The Dodgers fun doesn’t stop there, with autographs and memorabilia of Jackie Robinson, Vin Scully, and Clayton Kershaw. Oh, and don’t miss the original Ebbets Field seats.

There’s a lot more to like here, including custom-signed artwork, signed checks, and more.

Goldin Auctions Goldin 100: Part 1

Part 1 of Goldin Auctions Goldin 100 brings some super high-end items to the auction block. With a number of items that should cross $1 million, and many others destined to land hundreds of thousands of dollars, this is for high-budget collectors.

The rest of us are welcome to window shop, however, and marvel at the items in the auction and the prices realized.

Can’t get enough Goldin? Don’t forget to check them out on Goldin’s new Netflix show King of Collectibles: The Goldin Touch.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

Despite only having 50 items, this auction covers a lot of ground in terms of sports, cards vs. memorabilia, and the like. The headline item is the Michael Jordan 1997 NBA Finals “Flu Game” Used, Signed Air Jordan Sneakers, which at $1 million before June had even started.

From the perspective of cards, the range from a 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente in a PSA 9 slab. A rookie patch LeBron James graded by Beckett. And don’t miss the low-pop 2009 Bowman Chrome parallel of Mike Trout. And that’s just scratching the surface…there’s a lot of high-end cardboard here.

Bats? There’s a Ty Cobb model and Jackie Robinson one too. Jerseys? There are examples featuring Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Connor McDavid, and Aaron Judge.

Comic book fans will find some really impressive specimens available. These include Superman #1,  Action Comics #1, Pep Comics #22, and Amazing Fantasy #15.

Some of the most interesting items in this auction definitely fall into the “oddball” category. A Triceratops skull? A Nobel Prize? BB King’s first guitar? JFK’s rosary beads? They’re all here, along with a full Van Halen drum kit and a Mozart cut signature autograph.

Heritage Auctions June 2023 Sports Showcase Auction

This auction features over 1,200 items, including many impressive lots that are sure to attract a lot of bidder attention. While the auction skews heavily towards baseball and vintage, there’s a little something for just about all tastes here.

Auction Basics

Items of Note

The headline item here is the 2003 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection LeBron James path autograph. Estimates place the final sale price somewhere north of $400,000.

That card is but the tip of the iceberg, however. There are over 1,000 impressive collectibles in this auction. This includes many of the big names auction shoppers are looking for. Mickey Mantle? He’s well-represented. Michael Jordan? Babe Ruth? LeBron James? Tom Brady? They’re all here, plus many more.

There are some impressive unopened materials available. Uncut sheets too. There’s much more that’s worth a look, from a copy of the first-ever Sports Illustrated magazine to a button commemorating George Washington’s inauguration as president.

Other June Auction News

Robert Edwards Auctions (REA) is running their June Encore Auction from June 8-18^th. No details on the lots included are yet available.

Final thoughts on June 2023 sports card auctions

As you can see, there’s a lot going on this month on the auction front. Whether you’re a big spender or strictly a window shopper, there’s a lot to like and a lot of auctions to peruse.

What are your favorite auction items this month? Tell us about it at card_lines on Twitter.

Love auction actions? Check out our reviews of notable auction house providers in the industry:

• Memory Lane Auctions
• REA Auctions
• Fanatics Auctions
• Heritage Auctions
• Goldin Auctions
• Wheatland Auctions

Other month’s sports card auctions

• August sports card auctions