Patriots Owner Robert Kraft Wins Tom Brady Rookie Card for $120K at Holy Grails Auction
NEW YORK CITY – Even in a room full of celebrities, athletes and high-end card collectors, you knew exactly when Robert Kraft showed up to the Holy Grails Auction.
The New England Patriots owner attended Sotheby’s and Fanatics Collect’s inaugural Holy Grails auction on Tuesday night. He stood out in the crowd with his bright blue sports coat and shock of white hair, hugging former Patriots quarterback Tom Brady before making his way around the room.
Kraft even tried a stick of gum from a pack of 1990 Topps Baseball – made for viral social media videos.
The thing that got most people’s attention, however, was during the auction at The Harlem Parish, a deconsecrated church built in the 1890s.
With its vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, The Harlem Parish was a backdrop to a night filled with millions of dollars in bids for sports and trading cards.
One of the cards up for sale was the iconic Tom Brady 2000 Playoff Contenders Rookie Ticket Autograph. The card was graded a Gem Mint 9.5 by Beckett.
The Brady Contenders Ticket autographed card is one of the most coveted modern cards. It features the seven-time Super Bowl Champion dropping back in a Patriots uniform with a bold black signature across the bottom of the card.
Of course, it was a card that would appeal to Kraft and he let everyone know it. As Kraft sat next to Brady in a pew in the reformed church, he was the final bidder.
Kraft snagged the Brady Rookie Card for $120,000.
The card was among four other Brady cards sold at the Holy Grails auction. The most valuable was a 2015 Panini Immaculate Collection Premium Patches Game-Used NFL Shield Patch, which sold for $480,000.
That one did not end up with Kraft.
Susan is an award-winning journalist who spent over a decade working in the sports card industry. You can follow her at twitter.com/yanxchick