PWCC MARCH PREMIER AUCTION PREVIEW

MARCH PREMIER AUCTION

NEARLY 200 ITEMS CLOSE MARCH 19 PREMIER AUCTION

The Premier Auction is a high-end auction event, exclusively presenting the most sought after, marquee trading cards and collectibles on the market. PWCC hosts this event on its website for approved bidders only.

1993 MAGIC THE GATHERING MTG

ALPHA BLACK LOTUS AUTO PSA 10 GEM MINT

PSA POPULATION 1 OF 6

SIGNED ON CASE BY CHRISTOPHER RUSH

When collectors think of iconic cards from the various trading card games (TCGs) released over the last few decades, the Base Set Charizard springs to mind. They need to realize, however, that the Pokemon Company only created the Pokemon TCG due to the success of Magic: The Gathering (MTG). The Black Lotus, illustrated by the late Christopher Rush--the undisputed king of early MTG—laid the groundwork for their success. While other TCGs may venerate utility, rarity, or breathtaking beauty, Rush’s magnum opus, the Black Lotus, offers all three in spades. The first collectible card game ever made, Magic creator Richard Garfield had yet to learn of the game’s potential. Thus, the company shortprinted the initial Alpha, resulting in a pittance compared to some print runs of modern-day MTG. According to the original Wizards of the Coast CEO Peter Adkinson, the Alpha print run consisted of 295 unique collectible playing cards, including 116 different rare cards, limited to 2.61 million cards, with only approximately 1,008 of each rare card, such as the Black Lotus released.

Illustrated by Christopher Rush, the same artist who designed the symbols for mana, the Black Lotus ranks as easily the most recognizable and coveted Magic card. The rays of sunlight breaking through the forest’s canopy and illuminating the Black Lotus remains popular with collectors for its beauty, simplicity, and recognizable design. Game Creator Richard Garfield, who found it amusing to empower a flower, created the concept of the Black Lotus. It contrasted nicely with traditional fantasy archetypes such as rings or other physical equipment, and he found it funny to endow a flower with such overwhelming power. The card’s utility comes

from its ability to add three of any mana color to its’ user’s mana pool, meaning that it was the lynchpin of any competitive deck and could be used in any of them interchangeably. As a result of its necessity for competitive play, Wizards of the Coast added the Black Lotus to the Magic: The Gathering cards reserved list, a list of older cards that the company promises not to reprint in a legal competition format. Thus, the Black Lotus will likely never see a playable re-release, making any of the few official copies left even more desirable.

PSA has graded only six examples of this card in PSA 10 out of 105 they reviewed, making this example an immediate showpiece in any collector’s portfolio. Further adding to this aura of exclusivity, the case sports the signature of artist Christopher Rush; however, PSA did not authenticate the signature. The popularity and playability of the Black Lotus became a detriment to the card itself, causing players to use many of the original 1,008 Alpha Black Lotuses in competitive play. These were the days when card sleeves were an afterthought, and many carried around their decks with rubber bands. The featured example boasts impeccable centering and edges nearly devoid of the paint chipping or whitening characteristic of many cards from this issue. The progenitor of the trading card game Magic: The Gathering’s Alpha Black Lotus has no equal and stands atop the pinnacle of the industry.

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2009 NATIONAL TREASURES GOLD STEPHEN CURRY

ROOKIE PATCH AUTO /25 #206 BGS 9 MINT

“YOU ROOT FOR GUYS LIKE STEPH BECAUSE HE DOESN’T TAKE ANY SHORTCUTS.”

Stephen Curry’s brilliance owes something to his backcourt brother, Klay Thompson, whose shooting prowess and friendship have inspired and pushed Curry to historic heights. As the adage goes, iron sharpens iron, or in this case, Splash Brother sharpens Splash Brother. While Curry came into the Association three years before Klay, the two have forged a competitive bond that has pushed them to greatness. While teammates consider Curry their leader, “Game 6 Klay” has significantly contributed to Curry’s MVPs and statistical accomplishments. The Splash Brothers hit the NBA like a tidal wave in 2012 when Klay and Steph got hot in the first half of a game in Charlotte. A Warriors beat writer tweeted out the hashtag #SplashBrothers after the two combined for seven 3s, birthing a nickname for the ages. Partially due to ankle injuries, Curry had not immediately risen to greatness--his first 20+ PPG season coincided with Klay’s arrival. Since then, their long-distance marksmanship has been critical to the spacing that allows the Warriors’ offense to flow. Before the waves started

to crest, former coach Mark Jackson touted the duo as the best shooting backcourt in the game.

Their bond deepened when they played on Team USA in 2014 and prepared for the FIBA World Cup in Spain. Curry helped refine Klay’s golf game, while Klay got the normally family-centered Curry to hit the clubs. That summer also allowed them to share their mutual experiences of growing up as NBA players’ sons. Team USA trounced Serbia, and the Splash Brothers notched 43 3-pointers for the tournament, a success that led to their first NBA title in 2015. As Steph won back-to-back MVPs and accomplished otherworldly statistical feats, his Splash Brother also pushed him with after-practice shooting contests. These bouts became public in the All-Star Game three-point contests, with Steph taking home the trophy in ‘15 and Klay returning the favor in ‘16.

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1951 BOWMAN MICKEY MANTLE ROOKIE #253

SGC 7.5 NRMT+ (PWCC-A)

PWCC CERTIFIED - EYE APPEAL RATING: TOP 30%

In today’s landscape filled with social media, videos, and global interconnectivity, young athletes with talent cannot easily escape the limelight. But three quarters of a century ago, top prospects could go completely unnoticed— though every so often, scouts rolled out a red carpet of attention for an unproven player. In 1950, Mickey Mantle spent some time with the Joplin Miners of the Western Association, and with 26 home runs and a .383 batting average, he became the envy of baseball scouts everywhere. White Sox scout Paul Schoendienst attended a game once and became enamored with the 19-year-old. “Look at that guy go,” he said. “He must be part jack rabbit.” Schoendienst predicted the “one-in-a-million” prospect would soon make his mark on the majors, and Mantle arrived right on schedule in 1951 for a little more than half the season.

On Opening Day, Mantle stroked an RBI single for his first hit, but he also spent some time back in the minors after mid-season struggles. Down the stretch, he hit .290 with four home runs to help the Yankees win the American

League pennant and meet the New York Giants in the World Series. After Mantle injured his knee in Game 2, no one knew whether he would recover to live up to the lofty projections thrown upon him. While tracking a flyball hit to right-center, Mantle’s cleat got stuck on a sprinkler or drain in the outfield, causing the 19-year-old’s knee to buckle and throwing his future into doubt. A famous photo of Mantle pictures him watching Game 3 of the World Series on a television from his hospital room— the beginnings of the “what-ifs” attached to his illustrious career. He recovered in time to start the 1952 season as New York’s right fielder (he shifted to center by June), and Mantle returned to his prodigal form, becoming an All-Star for the first time and finishing third in MVP voting.

Mantle’s start in the trading card industry also came in 1951, with a beautiful lithograph gracing the front of his Bowman rookie card. As the only issue from his rookie season, collectors

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2003 EXQUISITE COLLECTION LIMITED LOGOS

LEBRON JAMES RC PATCH AUTO /75 BGS 9.5

BGS POPULATION 1 OF 16 - NONE GRADED HIGHER

KING JAMES

The crowd stood on its feet before LeBron even touched the ball. He took it at the top of the key, Thunder forward Kenrich Williams draped all over him. LeBron positioned himself. One dribble. Two dribbles. A third, and a shoulder to create space. With every eye and cell phone in the Crypto.com Arena trained on the court, LeBron faded back, weightless, tens of millions of fans worldwide holding their collective breath. Williams lunged, but the ball had already left LeBron’s hands. In the air for less than a second, lifetimes seemed to pass as it floated toward the basket. Nobody could have doubted what came next. Swish. Thousands of voices cried out as LeBron ran down the court, arms outstretched. History made. “The NBA’s all-time scoring record now belongs to LeBron James,” proclaimed commentator Brian Anderson.

The court blurred as players, media members, and VIPs scrambled to make way for the scoring king. As chants of “MVP! MVP!” filled the arena, LeBron embraced his mother, Gloria, the woman who had sacrificed everything to set her son on an unchartered path. Next came embraces from his family, his core, his reason for striving to extend his legacy to every corner of the basketball world. But the man LeBron

met at half-court cemented the significance of every point scored on his 20-year journey. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, the six-time NBA champion, six-time MVP, and top-five greatest player in NBA history, stood alongside Adam Silver as the NBA commissioner recognized LeBron’s historic achievement. “A record that has stood for nearly 40 years, which, Kareem, many people thought would never be broken. LeBron, you are the NBA’s all-time scoring leader.” The crowd erupted in applause, and Kareem lifted a basketball overhead, the object to which he and LeBron had devoted their lives. With the swooping grace of his legendary Skyhook, Kareem lowered the ball and presented it to LeBron, a passing of the torch two decades and 38,388 points in the making. As LeBron fought back the tears, he addressed the crowd and the millions more watching at home. “I would never, ever, in a million years, dreamt this even better than what it is tonight.”

Now the holder of the NBA’s most celebrated record, LeBron has nothing left to prove, though his playing days are far from over.

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Imitation is the highest form of flattery, and the mark of Michael Jordan’s brilliance is how other greats have appreciated and emulated his play. Most everyone knows that Kobe Bryant not only modeled his game after Michael, but also some of his mannerisms, including how he walked, talked, and stuck out his tongue in moments of intense competition. But while Kobe always respected Michael Jordan, he was never awestruck. That may partially account for the exciting play that ensued when the two fierce competitors squared off against each other. In high school, Kobe worked out with the 76ers and asked them what it was like to guard Mike. The response young Mamba received surprised him: “You mean Black Jesus?” The older players cautioned Kobe’s initial protest of referring to Michael in holy terms, explaining that it would not go well for him if he did not defer to Michael’s greatness. Kobe, however, pushed back: “I’m going to call him Mike— that’s his name!” While Michael inspired fear in most players, Kobe’s self-confidence was ample enough never to put Michael on a pedestal. That attitude was noticed by Michael

and made for some exciting battles, such as Michael’s final All-Star game in 2003. Kobe— ever the competitor--memorably engaged MJ defensively, giving him no little amount of verbal and physical pushback down the stretch. To the fans’ delight, MJ hit what appeared to be a game-winning shot with 4.8 seconds to play in overtime. Not to be deterred, Kobe managed to tie the game in crafty fashion by drawing a foul and hitting his free throws, which pushed the game into a second overtime. Eventually, the West pulled away. Kobe had notched 22 points to Jordan’s 20, and the basketball world had been treated to a memory for the ages.

This 2003 UD Glass brings the two legends together on a card for the ages. This highly limited PSA 10 /10 features two compelling patches. With a subtle pinstripe on the Jordan swatch and the purple of a Lakers jersey, this issue may leave some collectors awestruck.

2009 BOWMAN CHROME XFRACTOR MIKE TROUT RC

AUTO /225 #BDPP89 BGS 10 BLACK LABEL

BGS POPULATION 1 OF 1

MLB Network hosted its first MLB Draft in 2009. But despite the fanfare surrounding the network’s inaugural draft, only one high school prospect showed up to the studio. As teams selected player after player ahead of the lone attendee, the MLB Network crew could not help but sweat a little. “I remember sitting there, and we’d go, ‘There’s pick No. 10, there’s pick No. 15, pick No. 20,’ and looking over and going, ‘Oh man. Please, somebody draft this kid,’” recalled analyst Harold Reynolds. What if this player, believing he would be selected in the first round, came all this way only not to have his name called? Fortunately, those fears were alleviated by pick 25. “The room erupted,” Reynolds revealed. “And it turned out to be the greatest player of the generation.”

Today, the 21 teams that drafted before the Angels must live with the generational mistake of passing on Mike Trout. Since the all-world outfielder entered the league fulltime in 2012, his WAR is nearly double that of the five outfielders selected ahead of him combined. With three AL MVPs and ten AllStar appearances, the Millville Meteor should not have slipped past the No. 1 pick. Still only 31 years old, Trout is hungry for his first World Series win—and so are collectors. A Pop 1 of 1 Black Label BGS 10, this 2009 Bowman Chrome X-Fractor Rookie Auto could satisfy even the biggest appetite, as its limited print run and pristine hard-signed autograph make it a card worthy of Trout’s Hall-of-Fame pedigree. Collectors might regret making the same mistake those 21 teams did in 2009. The opportunity to own this Black Label Mike Trout rookie auto may come around only once in a generation.

BGS POPULATION 1 OF 1

2017 NATIONAL TREASURES GREEN

PATRICK MAHOMES II ROOKIE PATCH AUTO /15 BGS 9.5

THIS GREEN PARALLEL FEATURES A PRINT RUN OF ONLY 15, MATCHING MAHOMES JERSEY NUMBER.

Patrick Mahomes is money—and not only on the football field. On July 6, 2020, Mahomes signed a ten-year extension worth $503 million between base salary and incentives. This deal made the Chiefs superstar the highest-paid player in NFL history and the highest-paid player in American sports history, surpassing Mike Trout’s 12-year, $426.5 million deal with the Los Angeles Angels signed a year earlier. Only Lionel Messi, who inked a 4-year, $674 million contract with FC Barcelona in 2017, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who signed for 2.5 years, $536 million with Al-Nassr in 2023, have signed a deal for more, making Mahomes’ contract the third-largest in history across all of sports worldwide. To put his deal into perspective, Mahomes’ contract is bigger than the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) of Madagascar, Mozambique, Somalia, South Sudan, and Burundi—he is out-earning entire countries. Until the 2031-32 season, Mahomes will earn an average of $41.9 million per year, which breaks down to about $2.4 million per game. That

figure works out to $600k a quarter, or $40k per minute. Add in the millions of dollars he brings in through endorsement deals with brands like Adidas, State Farm, Oakley, and EA, and it is only a matter of time before Mahomes finds himself a member of the fabled athlete billionaires club.

Fortunately, it will not take Mahomes-like wealth to win this 2017 National Treasures RPA, though based on looks alone, no one would bat an eye if they learned this card cost as much as the quarterback’s record-breaking contract. Beyond its stunning three-color patch and hard-signed autograph, this Green parallel features a print run of only 15, matching Mahomes jersey number. Factor in its high grade and low BGS population, and this card might be worth locking up on a long-term deal. While the winning bidder may never sign a $503 million contract, owning this stunning Mahomes rookie auto might make them feel like a million bucks.

1/1 MASTERPIECE - ONLY COPY EVER MADE

In 2021, Max Verstappen narrowly edged out Lewis Hamilton to win his first Formula One World Championship, beating his English rival by eight points. But in 2022, the only thing that gave him trouble on his road to a repeat was his car. Fuel issues forced Verstappen to retire early in two of his first three races, leading him to fall 46 points behind championship leader Charles Leclerc. Having just re-signed with Red Bull Racing on a five-year contract, the Dutchman was understandably frustrated that his vehicle was the cause of his early-season struggles. Fortunately, this frustration did not last long. Verstappen responded by winning five of his next seven races, allowing him to take the top spot in the Drivers’ Championship and build a 37-point lead over second-place Sergio Pérez, his Red Bull teammate. But Pérez did not stick around for long—nor did the rest of the F1 field. Verstappen dominated for the remainder of the season, winning a record 15 Grands Prix and capturing his second World Championship

with four races still to go. His 454 points also set a single-season record, with second-place Leclerc finishing 146 points behind him. Only four-time world champion Sebastian Vettel holds a larger margin of victory, besting Fernando Alonso by 155 points in 2013. And the most incredible part of it all? Verstappen is only 25 years old. The Dutch racing prodigy is well on his way to challenging Hamilton and Michael Schumacher’s shared record of seven Drivers’ Championships, though the toughest challenge might be the race to own this 2020 Topps Chrome F1 issue. Topps’ inaugural F1 Chrome release introduced Formula One cards to the mainstream, with the product’s onlineexclusive Sapphire Edition elevating the set’s appeal with its stunning gem-like finishes.

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1986 FLEER BASKETBALL MICHAEL JORDAN ROOKIE #57

MBA PSA 10 GEM MINT (PWCC-E)

PWCC CERTIFIED - EYE APPEAL RATING: TOP 15%

MBA SILVER

Every diehard basketball fan either remembers the 1984 NBA Draft or they have learned about it. The top three picks, Hakeem Olajuwon, Sam Bowie, and Michael Jordan, shaped the hardcourt landscape for a generation. However, fans might not realize that despite Jordan’s success at UNC, scouts only pegged Hakeem “the Dream” as a secure pick among the three standouts. Bowie had injury concerns, and some scouts feared the 6’5”, 185-lb Jordan could not handle the grind of an 82-game season in the highly physical NBA. This uncertainty led the Bulls to shop the No. 3 pick in the leadup to the draft, so the Jordan era could have looked very different had Chicago followed through. The Philadelphia 76ers, for example, offered a package of All-Star guard Andrew Toney and center Clemon Johnson for the third pick. This deal would have paired Jordan with Julius Erving (the player he was most compared to at the time) and Charles Barkley, the Sixers’ No. 5 pick that year. The Los Angeles Clippers, meanwhile, offered ‘83-’84 Rookie of the Year Terry Cummings for the pick, which would have surrounded MJ with a cast of quality AllStars and veterans, including Marques Johnson, Junior Bridgeman, Bill Walton, and Norm Nixon. Even the Atlanta Hawks offered the Bulls veteran big man Tree Rollins, potentially pairing Jordan with “the Human Highlight Film” Dominique Wilkins. But the trade offer that Olajuwon revealed in his memoir years later might be the most mind-blowing of them all. According to “the Dream,” the Blazers offered the No. 2 pick and second-year guard Clyde Drexler to Houston for star center Ralph Sampson, giving the Rockets the top two selections in the draft.

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1953 TOPPS WILLIE MAYS SHORT PRINT #244

SGC 8 NM-MT (PWCC-E)

PWCC CERTIFIED - EYE APPEAL RATING: TOP 15%

As a teenager, Willie Mays quenched his thirst for baseball with the Birmingham Black Barons, taking the field with the Negro League club on the weekends while still taking classes at Fairfield Industrial High School throughout the week. He had not yet become the hitter who would swat 660 home runs during his majorleague career, but Mays patrolled the outfield with grace and caught the attention of bigleague scouts. Defense became his ticket out of the Negro Leagues, and by 1951, it landed him on one of the biggest stages in all of baseball—at the Polo Grounds with the New York Giants. He had one hit in his first week with the Giants, but that .038 batting average did not matter because of his effortless play in center field. Manager Leo Durocher told him his stellar defense assured his spot in the lineup, and Mays settled in to hit .274 and win Rookie of the Year honors while helping the Giants win the pennant. Two years of military service interrupted his career, but he returned as a new player, doubling his home run output and improving his batting average to .345 to win the MVP in 1954. And the defense came back, too. “The Catch” in the 1954 World Series had Willie Mays written all over it—a cap flying off a galloping outfielder for the Giants defined only one man of the era. “There were men faster than Willie Mays,” said legendary baseball lifer Buck O’Neil. “But I never saw one faster with a fly ball in the air.”

Mays and the Giants won the ‘54 World Series, and he overcame racial divisions to become one of the most revered players in the sport.

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