PSA 10 Roberto Clemente baseball card brings $432,690

A unique PSA 10 Clemente baseball card brought $432,690 to the Dmitri Young Collection

A unique 1955 PSA 10-graded baseball card of Pittsburgh Pirates outfielder Roberto Clemente sold for $432,690 on May 19, as part of the Dmitri Young Collection.

A unique example of the Pirates right fielder's 1955 rookie

The auction came following former Major League star Dmitri Young's decision to sell his prized collection of rookie baseball cards, which he had been amassing since childhood. The collection was auctioned in order to raise money for the Dmitri D. Young Foundation for aspiring baseball stars.

The collection comprised approximately 500 rookie cards which had been graded Gem Mint PSA 10 - the highest grading, afforded to those in perfect condition.

The highlight of the collection was provided by the 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente card. Of the 2,860 submitted to PSA for grading, only the Dmitri Young example of the card had attained the coveted Gem Mint PSA 10.

Following closely behind the Clemente card was another PSA 10 Topps rookie for the iconic Hank Aaron. One of two examples to reach the highest grading tier, the specimen represented one of the most sought-after rookie cards in existence. It sold for $357,594.

Another card in unique condition, a 1948 Bowman Stan Musial, stood as the oldest in Young's prestigious collection. Despite starting with the St Louis Cardinals in 1942, Musial's face would not appear on a baseball card until 1948, due to paper shortages in the second world war. This example of Musial's first card made $129,850.

Young's personal favourite, a 1969 Gem Mint PSA 10 Reggie Jackson rookie, brought $115,242 to the auction. The purchase of this extremely rare card was described by Young as one of the most joyous experiences of his life, after the birth of his children.

Despite its importance to its owner, the stunning collection was overshadowed at the auction by a Babe Ruth jersey, which set a new world record for sports memorabilia at auction of $4.4m.

PFC Auctions has some superb unique items of sports memorabilia in its current sale. Celebrate Manchester City's first league title since 1968, with this signed photo of striker Carlos Tevez.

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Images: SCP Auctions