🖊️ 15—Sports Legends

TREASURES

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✩ Legendary Treasures ✩

█ A-Z // Fortunes Found 🔗 - [ i ]

Sports, 15 Finds, $33 Million+

Hidden Treasures Found in Everyday Places

Some of the most remarkable treasures aren’t buried underground—they’re 'hidden' in plain sight. News reports have revealed sports cards and memorabilia discovered in ordinary settings, from attics to basements. By exploring the map, you can see how different eras, styles, and locations shaped these unexpected finds.

A few legendary examples from the list include:

$1 million for boxing shorts found in a storage unit
$2 million for hockey cards discovered in a basement
$3 Million for a $2 baseball jersey purchased by a teen

Overlooked for years, these surprising discoveries reveal how valuable treasures can be—even when hiding in plain sight. Explore the full list below the ad ☟

Vintage treasure-hunt advertising in retro cityscape.

14—Legendary Finds:

1. Mantle Masterpiece—$12.6 Million for Baseball Card Found in U.S. Attic

📰 📽️ 📅 2022 Report: In the USA, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball card, found in an attic in the 1980s, sold for a record $12.6 million at auction. The pristine collector's item is considered one of the greatest sports card finds in history.

Story, images, and video: 🔗 MLB

2. Jordan Jersey—$4.2 Million for Rookie Gem Bought for $800

📰 📽️ 📅 2025 Report: In Peoria, Illinois, USA, Michael Jordan's first Chicago Bulls jersey, worn during his 1984 preseason debut, sold for $4.2 million. Originally purchased for $800 at a Washington Bullets charity auction, it is the only photo-matched rookie-season jersey known to exist. The rare jersey resurfaced in 2009, selling again before achieving its record sum.

Story, images, and video: 🔗 cllct

3. Attic All-Stars—$3 Million for Century-Old Baseball Cards Found in Ohio

📽️ 📅 2012 Report: In Defiance, Ohio, USA, a man discovered nearly 700 mint-condition baseball cards—over 100 years old—in a dust-covered box in his late aunt’s attic. The cards, featuring legends like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner, were untouched for a century and estimated at $2–3 million (USD). Originally packed away by his grandfather, the collection was considered priceless due to its rarity and condition. Full story in a one-minute video.

Video: 🔗 WANE 15 News / YouTube

4. Shirt Surprise—$3 Million for Mickey Mantle Jersey Bought for $2.50 by Teen

📰 📅 2024 Report: A Mickey Mantle jersey, originally purchased for $2.50 by a 15-year-old boy in 1955, sold for $3 million at auction. The jersey, worn during the 1952-53 World Series, was part of a donation to a children's home in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, before being acquired by a quick-thinking teenager in a private transaction. Its rarity and connection to Mantle's legendary performance make it priceless in sports memorabilia circles.

Story and images: 🔗 cllct

5. Hockey Card Jackpot—$2.5 Million for Unopened 1979 Case Found in Basement

📰 📽️ 📅 2024 Report: A family in Saskatchewan, Canada, sold a rare unopened 1979 hockey card case for $2.5 million (USD) after a prior $3.7 million sale fell through. Found in a basement, the case may contain 25-27 Wayne Gretzky rookie cards—potentially worth over $200,000 each.

Story, images, and video: 🔗 CBC

6. Chamberlain Gem—$1.7 Million for Rookie Card Found in Closet After 60 Years

📰 📅 2024 Report: In Minnesota, USA, a 1961 Wilt Chamberlain rookie card stored in a grocery store closet for 60 years sold privately for $1.7 million. Discovered by the original owner's family, it was graded an SGC 10, making it the only card of its kind. The rarity of this pristine card set a new record.

Story and images: 🔗 cllct

7. Rockwell Revelation—$1.6 Million for Baseball Painting Found Above Fireplace

📰 📅 2017 Report: In Texas, USA, a family discovered a signed original Norman Rockwell painting hanging above their fireplace, initially believed to be a copy. This rare masterpiece—a study for 'Tough Call' (1948)—was auctioned in Dallas for $1.6 million, far surpassing its expected $300,000 estimate.

Story and images: 🔗 VOA

8. World Series Wonder—$1.56 Million for 10-Year-Old's Historic Catch

📰 📽️ 📅 2024 Report: In Los Angeles, California, a historic World Series baseball—the first walk-off grand slam ball in series history—was retrieved from Dodger Stadium's right-field seats by a 10-year-old fan who skipped an orthodontist appointment to attend the game with his family. The ball sold at auction for $1.56 million, setting a record among prices paid for historic home run balls.

Story, images, and video: 🔗 MLB

9. Trunks Treasure—$1.2 Million for Ali’s ‘Thrilla in Manila’ Shorts Found in Storage Locker

📰 📅 2025 Report: Muhammad Ali’s Thrilla in Manila trunks sold for $1.2 million at auction, decades after being discovered in a storage locker. First auctioned for under $1,000 in 1988, they changed hands multiple times, with a prior sale reaching $155,350 in 2012.

Story and image: 🔗 cllct

10. Debut Ticket—$468,000 for Michael Jordan's First NBA Game Ticket Found in Basement

📰 📅 2023 Report: In Connecticut, USA, a man discovered a priceless ticket to Michael Jordan’s debut NBA game from 1984—stored in a manila folder in his basement. Recognized as the only complete ticket of its kind, its rarity and pristine condition significantly elevated its value, ultimately fetching $468,000 at auction. This ticket not only captures a pivotal moment in sports history but also holds immense nostalgic value, making it a collectible of considerable historical importance. The sale, highlighted by a vibrant auction event, underscored the enduring impact of sports memorabilia.

Story and images: 🔗 ESPN

11. Bat Bonanza—$436,000 for Historic Baseball Bat Discovered Behind Door

📰 📅 2015 Report: In the United States, a Lou Gehrig game-used baseball bat—unknowingly discovered behind a door where it had been kept for home protection—sold for $436,970. The rare bat from the 1930s is one of fewer than 20 known Gehrig bats and the only one photo-matched to him.

Story and images: 🔗 Sports Collectors Daily

12. Golden Glove—$330,000 for Jackie Robinson Mitt in $20 Flea Market Find

📰 📽️ 📅 2023 Report: A $20 flea market find in Long Island, USA, turned out to be a rare treasure—a baseball glove worn by Jackie Robinson during the 1956 World Series. The glove, authenticated and deemed the only known game-used Robinson glove on the market at the time, sold for $330,000 at auction in 2013.

Story, images, and video: 🔗 The U.S. Sun

13. Olympic Medals Cache—$162,000 for 1904 Medals Found in Bookcase

📰 📅 2016 Report: In a remarkable discovery in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, USA, two 1904 Olympic medals—long thought lost—were found at the bottom of a bookcase in a farmhouse. Awarded in a historic Olympic golf competition, these medals were later reported by various media sources to have sold at auction for $162,517. Priceless due to their historical significance, they were uncovered in a former resident's home, highlighting a significant chapter in Olympic golf history. The medals have since been featured as treasured exhibits in the U.S.

Story and images: 🔗 Golf Digest

14. Golf Jacket Glory—$139,000 for $5 Thrifted Sports Coat

📰 📅 2017 Report: In Canada, a rare Masters Tournament Green Jacket from the 1950s was discovered in a Toronto thrift store—purchased for $5. Initially estimated at a modest amount, it fetched $139,349 at auction after attracting 34 bids. Believed to have been worn by a golf champion, the jacket is one of the earliest from Augusta National's tradition, which began in 1949. Despite high interest in golf memorabilia, the jacket's origin remains a mystery due to the removal of its label.