The greatest living ballplayer turns 93 on Monday.
To celebrate Willie Mays' birthday, cllct lists the top items in his collectible portfolio.
Here's to the "Say Hey Kid."
Bat
PSA has authenticated a total of 150 game-used Willie Mays bats. One of his most unique, as well as most valuable, is the lumber Mays used during the 1961 All-Star Game. Graded PSA/DNA GU 9.5, the bat sold for $264,000 at Heritage in February 2023.
During the 1961 Midsummer Classic, Mays scored the winning run on a Roberto Clemente walk-off after driving in the tying run himself in the bottom of the 10th inning.
In the more attainable department, a JSA-authenticated Mays-signed bat is available on eBay for $600 (or best offer)
Card
The record price paid for any Willie Mays card came at Heritage in May 2016 when a bidder spent $478,000 for his 1952 Topps PSA 9.
Much like the legendary Mickey Mantle card from the same set, this card has routinely beaten out Mays’ true rookie card at auction, especially in high grades. Only nine PSA 9s exist, with one graded higher.
Since the record-setting sale, just three subsequent public comps have appeared, two more in 2016 and the most recent in April 2017 for $240,000.
Moreover, it’s remarkable that this sale occurred years prior to the pandemic boom, which is when we typically see the record-setting transactions.
CardLadder has a current value of $823,554.38 placed on a Willie Mays 1952 Topps PSA 9.
The card remains expensive in every grade, with a PSA 1 example available on eBay for under $2,000.
Ball
An official National League ball signed by 11 members of the 3,000-hit club (including Mays) sold for $16,801 at Goldin in April 2022. Other signers include Tris Speaker, Clemente and Hank Aaron.
Mays is a generous signer, so collectors can find a single-signed ball from the Hall of Famer for $300 on eBay.
Ticket
In arguably the most famous play in baseball history, Mays made “The Catch” in the first game of the 1954 World Series, nabbing a deep fly ball on the warning track with an over-the-shoulder catch and managing to throw a dart back to the infield to keep the runners from advancing.
Considering the event occurred in a World Series game, a distinction which always drives higher populations for graded ticket stubs due to added significance, the addition of Mays’ signature brings a relatively common ticket (total population of 86) to a new level.
Just eight signed examples of the ticket for the legendary game have been authenticated by PSA, with one copy selling for $29,280 in December 2023 at Goldin.
There’s currently a PSA Authentic stub from the game (sans autograph) sitting on eBay for $2,999.99 (or best offer).
Jersey
The most expensive Mays jersey ever sold was a 1966 game-worn road jersey for $456,000 at Heritage in November 2022. The jersey is photo-matched to multiple games from the fall of 1966.
Vintage gamers from this period are notable for their incredible use, with players often receiving just two road and two home jerseys per season. Examples such as this are likely to have been used for dozens of games.
Though game-worn examples are not only prohibitively expensive for most collectors, but also incredibly scarce, signed jerseys sit at a considerably lower price-point. Authenticated autographed jerseys can be found on eBay for a few thousand bucks.
Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct.