Sports memorabilia is big business. Balls, jerseys, gloves and racquets can fetch hundreds of thousands of rands at auction. It’s not so much the equipment that’s valuable; it’s the provenance that’s key.
A World Cup rugby jersey is just that, a jersey. A number 6 Springbok jersey worn and signed by the first democratically elected President of South Africa, the great Nelson Mandela is much more than a jersey; it’s an authentic piece of history that’s currently valued at around R1,5 million!
Let’s take a look at other sports memorabilia that’s had collectors scrambling for their cheque books:
Ayrton Senna’s F1 Racing Car
Image Source: thedrive.com
The late Ayrton Senna was one of the greatest Formula One drivers of all-time. He was also one of the most likeable. A fiery death at the 1994 San Marino Grand Prix elevated the Brazilian to the stuff of legends... and anything that can be linked to legends fetches record prices at auction.
That’s exactly what happened when the car Senna drove in his record sixth victory at the Monaco Grand Prix went under the hammer. The 1993 McLaren-Ford MP4 sold for R640 million. Bidding was fierce but whoever snapped up the lot is now sitting with a racing car that was pushed to the limits by one of the most revered drivers in history. It’s also the car with which the McLaren team outstripped Ferrari as the most successful F1 team ever!
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Pele’s World Cup Shirt
Image Source: nationalfootballmuseum.com
World renowned Brazilian footballer Pele was a key player in the 1970 FIFA World Cup final. The attacking midfielder had the game of a lifetime and was named the ‘Best Player’ of the tournament. He scored a sensational header in the first half and was an instrumental cog in the unstoppable Brazilian machine that powered Carlos Alberto into the area for the final score of the match.
The end result? Brazil 4 – Italy 1 and the Canarinho’s third World Cup. The number 10 jersey worn by Pele on that historic day was auctioned off by Christies in London 32 years later. The winning bid was £157,750, an amount that converts to a little over R2,73 million at current conversion rates!
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s Cricket Bat
Image Source: india.com
Former Indian
cricket captain MS Dhoni is known and loved for his swashbuckling batting style. At the final of the 2011 Cricket World Cup against Sri Lanka, Dhoni smashed his team to victory. After promoting himself up the batting order he scored 91 runs in 79 balls.
The star batsman hit an enormous six over the boundary ropes to claim the victory with plenty of overs to spare. In that same year Dhoni’s bat fetched around R1,73 million at a charity auction. India’s cricketing celebrity is, after all, known as one of the greatest finishers in limited overs cricket!
Billie Jean King’s Tennis Racquet
Image Source: nypost.com
In the 1970’s a series of exhibition tennis matches known as the ‘Battle of the Sexes’ pitted top ranked women players against an aging Bobby Riggs and Jimmy Connors. The second of three matches saw the legendary Billie Jean King beating Riggs in straight sets. The series was characterised by ‘sexist’ provocation, a verbal assault that together with some astute preparation by the 29-year-old WTA star was instrumental in King’s 6-4, 6-3, 6-3 win.
In 2018 the racquet used by King was auctioned off by Bonham’s in New York for R1,65 million. Apart from the rather unusual sparring partner in the form of the 50-year-old Bobby Riggs, the racquet is one of a few ‘Billie Jean King Autograph’ original still in existence.
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