1996 New York Yankees World Series ring brings $15,600 at Tim's, Inc. An aggressive bidder stepped up to the plate and slammed one out of the park by purchasing an actual 1996 New York Yankees World Series ring once owned by former ballplayer Rey Quinones for $15,600.
News-Antique.com - Apr 25,2012 - (BRISTOL, Conn.) – An aggressive bidder from New York stepped up to the plate and slammed one out of the park by purchasing an actual 1996 New York Yankees World Series ring once owned by former ballplayer Rey Quinones. The ring brought $15,600 at the 20th annual Cabin Fever Auction held March 25 by Tim’s, Inc., at the firm’s gallery facility in Bristol, Conn.
It was a diverse sale that set numerous records for Tim's, Inc. -- most Internet bidders for one sale, most page views to the online catalog (25,000+), and longest duration for a Cabin Fever Auction (12+ hours). One can probably add to that record interest, judging by the enthusiasm and intensity displayed by bidders, who behaved like they were at Game Seven of the World Series.
Rey Quinones was a shortstop who played for three teams from 1986-1989 (the Boston Red Sox, Seattle Mariners and Pittsburgh Pirates). He held an administrative position with the Yankees in the 1996 season, entitling him to a ring. It was a beauty, featuring 1.5 ounces of gold, 23 brilliant round cut diamonds (one for each Yankee championship team) plus a faux sapphire.
The ring was the top lot of the nearly 750 items that crossed the block in a sale that Tim Chapulis – owner of Tim’s, Inc. – described as one of the best Cabin Fever Auctions ever. “Interest in this year’s sale was way up compared to last year,” he said. “We started selling at 12 noon and didn’t quit 'til after midnight. It was a marathon sale packed with quality merchandise.”
A respectable crowd live turned out for the event, while 400 bidders participated online (through LiveAuctioneers.com and Artfact.com). Internet bidding dominated, with thousands of hits to the catalog and bids pouring in from eight different countries (Canada was especially active). Phone bidding was brisk and Chapulis said left bids numbered in the “high hundreds.”
Following are additional highlights from the auction. All prices quoted include a buyer’s premium pf 15 percent for cash purchases, 18 percent for known checks and 20 percent for winning Internet bidders.
The first 18 lots to come up for bid were a blend of graded and raw ungraded St. Gaudens gold coins, and that set the tone for the rest of the day. “We knew we were going to have a great sale up front because of all the many gold and silver coins,” Chapulis said. “It didn’t hurt that the value of precious metals continues to climb.” The St. Gaudens coins averaged over $2,000 each.
The last three lots of the sale were also gold coins: a pair of half-ounce American eagles ($1,080) and a one-ounce American eagle ($1,770). “We had Internet bidders who stayed up past midnight to bid on those coins,” Chapulis said with a laugh. Other coins that did well included an 1889 –CC Morgan silver dollar ($1,897.50), and a Civil War-era 1861 $5 Coronet coin ($1,610).
Coins weren’t the only items that coaxed people out of
