Rare item alert. As mentioned yesterday Kobe Bryant's Staples Center locker is being sold on Sothebys with an estimated $1M-$1.5M value. There is already one bid that hit the reserve for the item at $700K. As mentioned on the Sothebys description of the item:

"The locker was discarded following the renovation of the Staples Center in 2018, and an individual involved with the project had the foresight to keep and store it. It was later obtained by a private American collector, and has been in the same collection since. The locker has been photo-matched by MeiGray to a stunning amount of time, spanning from the 2003-2004 NBA season, all the way until the 2015-2016 NBA season."

I could see this passing the estimated value with the auction ending August 2nd.

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/hang-time-sports-memorabilia/kobe-bryants-staples-center-locker-photomatched

Previous Post from @EliBabst:  https://www.onmantel.com/post/819a248c-5ddd-480a-8704-79ea2887c09e

A maintenance worker at Staples Center saw they were going to throw out Kobe's old locker during a renovation, so he grabbed it and now it's up for auction at Sothebys.

Surprised he was able to take it out and the Lakers/Bryant's family didn't try and fight it!

Estimates are north of $1M. I'd wager it sails past that amount, given how many games Kobe sat in that locker, and how many photos probably exist with him at it after important moments.

https://www.sportscollectorsdaily.com/kobe-bryant-staples-center-locker/

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/hang-time-sports-memorabilia/kobe-bryants-staples-center-locker-photomatched?locale=en

Was following this auction after reading about it in cllct yesterday- estimates had it selling for as high as $5M. Final sale price was $3.36M, which is a big jump from the last time a version like this sold ($2.895 last year), but still well below the high estimate.

The crown jewel of Declaration of Independence copies is Thomas Jefferson's, and nobody knows where that one is, if it still exists. Rick Harrison told us on Mantel Quality Stories it could sell for $50M if it ever surfaces. Crazy.

https://www.instagram.com/p/C8c6z9-JXk0/

https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/founding-documents-of-the-united-states/the-declaration-of-independence-we-hold-these

https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/auctions/declaration-of-independence-to-sell-wednesday-in-sotheby-s-auction

Found this interesting- Gretzky's stick from the '88 Cup- signed, game-used, matched to the clinching game- is up for auction at Sotheby's and currently sitting at $42K after 64 bids.

Given the Oilers are back in the Cup Finals, haven't won in 30ish years, and this stick was used by the greatest to ever play... is anybody else surprised by the current bid price?

Sotheby's has a Shai Gilgeous Alexander jersey from a relatively meaningless game where he scored 12pts up on their site for $20,000... You mean to tell me a stick Gretzky used when he won a Cup is only worth 2x that?

NBA definitely has more hype and collecting power than hockey, but I'm surprised. What am I missing?



https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2024/edmonton-oilers-wayne-gretzky-a-championship-legacy/wayne-gretzky-1988-stanley-cup-finals-edmonton?locale=en

Fanatics is rebranding PWCC (no surprise) and now announces a partnership with Sotheby’s for high end auction items…que the Darth Vader Imperial March music. Fanatics is looking to take over every aspect of the Collectibles space and squash the competition.

Thoughts?

https://www.cllct.com/sports-collectibles/memorabilia/sothebys-fanatics-to-partner-on-auctions-for-high-end-sports-cards?fbclid=PAZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAaYhD_vHIL3YGEoCVhPpAvuUY0Lh5TD0isk9N7cxze-vEFys_PpQrTMCGFo_aem_Ab3iLHaTQsqSj-sL3-hgx3EqRG1C_XOBZ9ahQzUbpi0okMd9E_Gb99x6Cgc0uIlqIOyhSFnay1actpsZkASA0YK7