Welcome back to our review of the year. (Read Part 1 here.)

This year was so explosive in the collectibles and memorabilia market we couldn't fit everything into one post.

So, on we go, with more records tumbling through the summer.

May

Lincoln gloves are a bloody, moving memorial

A pair of gloves worn by President Lincoln and stained with the blood of his murder sold for $1.2 million in Chicago in May.

Lincoln continues to fascinate Americana and political collectors, and these gloves were the star item in a major sale of 144 objects connected to his life and death.

A total realisation of $6.2 million shows that 160 years after his murder, Lincoln is still a hero to many.

Freeman's Auctions sold Lincoln's gloves, the tell-tale stains revealing their bloody history.

Is this the start of a £100 million new journey for Traveller’s coins?

A $1-million £5 coin was just one star of the opening sale of the Traveller Collection at Numismatica Ars Classica in Zurich.

The auction featured the first 220 coins of a collection that is predicted to achieve more than £100 million and become the most valuable single-owner coin collection ever sold.

The first sale went very well, doubling estimates. The Una and the Lion-design Victorian £5 made £884,000 and became just the eighth British coin to sell for more than $1 million.

The sales continued through the year and will carry on in 2026.

The collection’s compelling story has helped sell it. It was assembled in response to the Wall Street Crash before being hidden from Nazi occupations of Europe, and was only revealed in the 1990s.

June

Rafa’s racquet makes record rally

Rafael Nadal volleyed, smashed and lobbed his way to the 2017 French Open title with a racquet that sold for more than $150,000 in June to set a record for a tennis racquet.

Made by Babolat, the Pure Aero model did its work well, helping Nadal to a dominant win over Stan Wawrinka in the final - his 10th French Open title.

It was sold online for $157,333 by Prestige Memorabilia, topping the $140,000 paid for another Nadal racquet in 2023.

July

Somewhat battered but extremely precious, the first Birkin was a test that became a phenomenon. Image courtesy of Sotheby's.

Birkin’s Birkin breaks bag records

Jane Birkin was on a plane, struggling with everything she needed to lug around as a working mum with a young child, when she met an executive from Hermes.

She told Jean-Louis Dumas she needed a big, comfy bag that also looked great.

He listened to her, and the luxury leather goods company’s answer to Jane’s plea was sold in Paris this July for £7.4 million, a headline catching first $10 million handbag.

The 1985 bag was a prototype slightly different from the bag that went into production and is collectible and valuable in almost all iterations.

Citizen Kane's spoiler sled slides into 2nd place among Hollywood relics

Sliding to a halt just shy of $15 million, Rosebud, one of the most celebrated movie mysteries of all time, became the second-most-valuable prop sold at auction, n July.

Heritage Auctions sold the model, used in Citizen Kane, the 1941 movie directed by Orson Welles that is a fixture at the top of Greatest Movies lists.

Rosebud is the central device of the movie that follows the life of tycoon Charles Foster Kane, based on notorious US media mogul William Randolph Hearst.

This example, the third to be sold, was discovered by film director Joe Dante on the verge of being thrown out by Paramount studios.

Last year, a pair of ruby slippers from The Wizard of Oz sold for $32.5 million.

August

Jordan and Bryant soar to card heights

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant were paired on an autographed card that sold for $12.9 million in August.

The duo are undoubtedly among basketball’s all-time greats. Kobe Bryant’s tragic death in 2020 means there will be no new signatures from him.

The card in question was a 2007 – 08 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Dual Logoman Autographs issue. It was sold by Heritage Auctions at their August 23 – 24 Summer Platinum Night Sports sale.

A $6 million estimate proved conservative as no fewer than 82 bidders put the card above the previous record $12.6 million value achieved by a 1952 TOPPS Mickey Mantle card.

The card, a tiny item, is now the second most expensive sports collectible in history behind Babe Ruth’s 1932 “Called Shot” jersey.