CSG-certified Michael Jordan Rookie Tops PWCC Marketplace August Sales

Rare Michael Jordan and Willie Mays cards are among the collectibles authenticated and graded by Certified Sports Guaranty® (CSG®) that realized high prices through PWCC Marketplace in the past month. PWCC Marketplace has sold many CSG-certified cards as part of a new program offering the quickest, easiest and most stress-free path to grading and selling raw cards.

The month’s highest price for a CSG-certified card came on August 21, when a 1986 Fleer Stickers #8 Michael Jordan graded CSG 9.5 sold for a slam dunk $9,300. Starting with the Chicago Bulls in 1984, Michael Jordan won six NBA championships and two Olympic gold medals in basketball. In addition to being an All-Star 14 times, Jordan is a five-time NBA MVP, tied with Bill Russell. This is the second-highest price ever paid for a CSG-certified card sold through a PWCC auction.

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Another notable sale on August 21 was a 1953 Topps #244 Willie Mays graded CSG 4 that sold for $6,900. In his 22 seasons, Mays put together stats that earned him a place in the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility. The Giants center fielder was Rookie of the Year in 1951, National League batting champion in 1954 and a 12-time Gold Glove Award winner. This is the most expensive CSG-certified baseball card sold through a PWCC auction so far, achieving more than $2,000 over the amount paid for an example of this card graded 4 by another leading third-party card grading service.

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A top-seller on August 14 was a 1975-76 Topps #254 Moses Malone graded CSG Gem Mint 10, which realized $2,880. Malone was the first modern player to go straight from high school to professional basketball. He spent 12 NBA seasons primarily with the Houston Rockets and Philadelphia 76ers after starting in the ABA with the Utah Stars and Spirits of St. Louis. Upon his retirement in 1995, Malone was the NBA's third-leading rebounder, fifth-leading scorer and had made more free throws than any other player.

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On August 6, a 2006 Ace Authentic Center Court Stars #CC-2 Novak Djokovic Redemption Card graded CSG 9.5 sold for a fixed price of $2,700. Born in Belgrade, Serbia, Djokovic is a five-time Nitto ATP Finals champion with ATP Rankings records for the most weeks at No. 1, most years ended at No. 1 and most wins vs. Top 10. He is one of only three men to hold all four Grand Slam titles at the same time and the only player to win all nine ATP Masters 1000 events.

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A top seller from the PWCC auction on August 7 was a 2020 Panini One Rookie Dual Patch Autographs #31 Joe Burrow - Blue graded CSG 8.5, which realized $1,650. Burrow attended The Ohio State University for two years before transferring to Louisiana State in 2018, where he won the Heisman Trophy. He was the first overall selection by the Cincinnati Bengals in the 2020 NFL Draft. Last season he guided them to their first Super Bowl appearance in over 30 years.

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A top seller from the PWCC auction on July 31 was a 2021 Panini Immaculate Collection Immaculate Records Autographs #IR-JH Justin Herbert graded CSG 9, which realized $1,230. Herbert was drafted in the first round (sixth overall) by the San Diego Chargers. In his first year with the Chargers, Herbert was named NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year after throwing for 4,336 passing yards and 31 touchdowns.

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Other CSG-certified cards sold in these auctions included:

• a 1948 Leaf #4 Stan Musial graded CGC 4.5 that realized $2,200 on Aug. 21
• a 1996-97 Topps Finest #74 Kobe Bryant Refractor graded CSG 9 that realized $1,890 on Aug. 28
• a 2020-21 Panini National Treasures Rookie Patch Autographs #126 Jalen Smith graded CSG Gem Mint 10 that realized $1,260 on Aug. 7
• a 2017 Panini Elite Draft Picks Autographs #145 Patrick Mahomes II Aspirations Purple graded CSG 8.5 that realized $1,170 on Aug. 28
• a 1967-68 Topps #92 Bobby Orr graded CSG 7 that realized $1,050 on Aug. 28
• a 1960 Topps #316 Willie McCovey graded CSG 7.5 that realized $900 on July 31
• a 1987-88 Fleer #59 Michael Jordan graded CSG 9 that realized $870 on July 31
• a 2021 Panini One Premium Patch Autographs #118 Trey Lance - Red graded CSG 9 that realized $870 on Aug. 7
• a 2017-18 Panini Impeccable Indelible Ink #II-JTT Jayson Tatum - Holo Silver graded CSG 9 that realized $870 on Aug. 7
• a 1953 Topps #104 Yogi Berra graded CSG 7 that realized $600 on July 31

PWCC Marketplace and CSG achieved a streamlined pathway to grading and selling through an operational partnership between the two companies. The new grading and selling program is accessed via an online submission process on the PWCC website. No need to manually fill or print submission forms. Everything is managed through the PWCC Vault.

In a recent interview, PWCC Director of Marketing Chris Callahan said they are seeing about 800 cards submitted through CSG and CGC Trading Cards each week.

“We’ve now seen thousands of cards submitted raw, head to auction and end up in the hands of collectors through this partnership. When you think about the fact that these cards likely would have remained raw and unsold — or sold at raw price points — you realize how important it is to provide streamlined grading pathways that remove the barriers traditionally associated with the grading process. Grading partnerships open up new liquidity options and get cards in the hands of more collectors,” he said.

Cards sent to CSG receive priority grading and encapsulation through its third-party grading service for sports cards. Graded cards are returned to PWCC and immediately added to PWCC’s Auction Builder Curation Algorithm process, which optimizes cards for sale in upcoming PWCC Weekly Sunday Auctions.

For more information about this program, click here.

Prices realized include buyer’s premium.