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First Batch Of Family's Rare Baseball Cards Fetches $566,000

Two of the most valuable cards in the collection: Ty Cobb (left) and Honus "Hans" Wagner.
Heritage Auctions
Two of the most valuable cards in the collection: Ty Cobb (left) and Honus "Hans" Wagner.

That lucky Ohio family that found some very rare and very valuable baseball cards in granddad's attic has sold part of the treasure for more than $566,000.

We posted about the discovery back in July. Today, The Toledo Blade updated with news of the first sale.

According to the Blade:

"In a brisk online and live auction at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Baltimore, the best of a pristine collection filled with turn-of-the-century stars such as Honus Wagner and Cy Young fetched a combined $566,132. ...

"Family member Karla Hench, who helped find the cards, said the cards brought 'fantastic prices and we're very excited that we can all share in this find. It's like a gift from our grandfather to keep passing on.' "

Thirty-seven of the 700 or so cards have been sold so far. By the time they're all sold, experts say, Hench and 19 relatives will likely have collected about $3 million (the auction house will get a fee, of course).

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Mark Memmott is NPR's supervising senior editor for Standards & Practices. In that role, he's a resource for NPR's journalists – helping them raise the right questions as they do their work and uphold the organization's standards.
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