A rare and coveted item is making its way to the forefront of an upcoming sports memorabilia auction. Clean Sweep Auctions has revealed that their September auction will feature the elusive 1913 Voskamp’s Coffee Honus Wagner card. This particular card holds a special place in sports history as it was exclusively issued in the Pittsburgh area, paying homage to the legendary shortstop’s iconic career.
Originally distributed in packages of coffee and tea by Voskamp’s Coffee—a local Pittsburgh company—the 1913 Wagner cards have become increasingly scarce over the decades. The card up for auction has recently been inspected and encapsulated at the National Sports Collectors Convention in Chicago. This marks just the third time a Voskamp’s Wagner card has been graded by PSA, with SGC having graded only four examples to date.
This auction marks a rare opportunity for collectors as it’s the first time a Voskamp’s Wagner card has appeared in a public auction since 2017. It presents a unique chance for enthusiasts to add one of the most sought-after pieces in the sports memorabilia hobby to their collection.
Beyond the spotlight on the 1913 Wagner card, the auction features an impressive array of vintage baseball cards and memorabilia. Noteworthy highlights include two 1887 N172 Old Judge cards featuring Hall of Famers Mike “King” Kelly and Harry Wright, an E102 Ty Cobb graded PSA 2 (mk), and a T206 Ty Cobb with a green background graded PSA 1.5, amongst others.
For collectors of pre-war treasures, the auction offers a diverse selection ranging from a lot of P2 Sweet Caporal pins and an E103 Williams Caramel Ty Cobb to a T3 Turkey Red Ty Cobb and a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card. The lineup also includes a 1941 Play Ball Joe DiMaggio graded SGC 5, adding to the allure of the vintage baseball cards available.
One standout feature of the auction is a nearly complete autographed 1952 Bowman Baseball set, with individual autographed cards of Roy Campanella, Gil Hodges, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays available separately. Basketball enthusiasts can look forward to iconic cards like a PSA 6 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan and a PSA 8 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan, while football collectors will find high-grade Bart Starr cards from his rookie year to his final 1971 Topps issue.
Moving into the memorabilia section, collectors will come across treasures like a Walter Johnson single-signed baseball, a 1933 New York Yankees team-signed baseball with signatures from legends like Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig, and a signed Roger Maris rookie card. The auction also features unique items such as vintage pennants, tickets, and programs dating back to 1905, appealing to those seeking a piece of baseball history.
Additionally, boxing cards and memorabilia, historic presidential autographs, and entertainment autographs add layers of intrigue to the auction. Steve Verkman of Clean Sweep Auctions expressed excitement about the diverse offerings, stating, “From ultra-rare vintage cards to significant memorabilia, there’s something that will resonate with every type of collector.”
As the September auction approaches, collectors can anticipate a blend of rarity and diversity, culminating in a celebration of sports history through these enduring collectibles. The presence of the 1913 Voskamp’s Coffee Honus Wagner card stands as a testament to the auction’s significance and the rich heritage immortalized within these timeless sports artifacts.
