Mastro Auctions’ February Sale Rings in New Year of Collecting Excitement Classic Collector first major event of 2009 brings great Sports and Americana items to eager collecting public
Los Angeles. The unique memento rests on a marble base bearing a plaque that reads, "MUHAMMAD ALI - AMERICAN SPIRIT FOUNDATIONS." It is one of just 25 such pieces made.
Rocky Marciano 1962 Paychecks Collection (10)
At some point in his life, undefeated heavyweight champion Rocky Marciano helped out the owner of the Red Coach Inn in downtown Annapolis, Maryland, by lending him $20,000. On August 17, 1962, the Red Coach Inn Company repaid Marciano with this sequentially numbered series of checks (with "Repayment of Loan" penned in the memo field of one of the checks). Each light green document is payable to "Rocco F. Marchegiano"—the champ's birthname—for $2,000 each.
HOCKEY
1962/63 Parkhurst #30 Gordie Howe - PSA MINT 9
This is one of just seventeen examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of 200 copies recorded in PSA's census reporting.
Extremely Rare 1962/63 Parkhurst "Zip Game Card" Insert - PSA MINT 9
Among more than 100 copies recorded in PSA’s census reporting, not a single example has been graded higher. This extremely elusive complement to the colorful 1962/63 Parkhurst set was intended to be filled in and remitted by the lucky recipient.
1976/77 O-Pee-Chee Complete Set (396 Cards) on Three Uncut Sheets
The array of 132-card sheets collectively contains all of the 396 subjects comprising O-Pee-Chee's 1976/77 hockey release. That year's collectibles of Bobby Orr, Ken Dryden and Bryan Trottier, among many others, are present in the sheets' content.
AMERICANA HIGHLIGHTS
NON-SPORTS CARDS
1938 R69 Gum, Inc. "Horrors of War" #62 "Bombers Raid ... Airdrome" - PSA MINT 9 "1 of 2!"
This is one of just two examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of nineteen copies recorded in PSA's census reporting.
1938 R69 Gum, Inc. "Horrors of War" #152 "Shanghai University Head Slain ... " - PSA NM-MT 8 "1 of 2!"
This is one of just two examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of twelve copies recorded in PSA's census reporting.
1938 R69 Gum, Inc. "Horrors of War" #181 "Men Against Machines" - PSA NM-MT 8 "1 of 2!"
This is one of just two examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of eighteen copies recorded in PSA's census reporting.
Rare 1956 Topps "Hocus Focus" PSA-Graded Collection (14 Different) Including Custer, Buffalo Bill and Dwight Eisenhower - All "1 of 1's"
The primitive form of "interactive," consumers were instructed to "wet" the blank surface of their gum card, expose it to sunlight, and "presto" - the photo image of somebody famous appeared! Each of these examples boast "1 of 1" status, with none graded higher.
1957 C.W.S. "Western Stars" Complete Set (25) Including Alan Lane, Andy
