DALLAS, TX.- Before he became one of the greatest hitters in baseball history, even “Shoeless Joe” Jackson spent some time in the minor leagues.

Before he became a legend with the Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox, Jackson toiled in the minors, playing stints with the Greenville (S.C.) Spinners, the Savannah (Ga.) Indians and the New Orleans Pelicans.

Now baseball collectors will be able to bid on a historic relic from the earliest stage of Jackson’s legendary career when a 1910 T210 Old Mill Cigarettes Series 8 Joe Jackson SGC VG 3 crosses the auction block in Heritage’s April 3-4 Spring Sports Card Catalog Auction.

“Given his status among the greatest hitters of all time, as well as his involvement in the controversial 1919 Chicago Black Sox scandal it is understandable that Shoeless Joe Jackson is incredibly popular among collectors to this day,” says Chris Ivy, Heritage’s Director of Sports Auctions. “Material from different points during his Major League career are very scarce, and this card is one of only seventeen examples to have been graded by PSA & SGC combined.”

Also in play is an exceedingly rare 2000 Upper Deck Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant (Jersey Combo-Autograph) #MJ/KB-A PSA EX-MT 6, PSA/DNA Auto 9 that is No. 5 of just 10 examples. This incredible card includes photos, a uniform swatch and a signature from each of the hardwood legends. The minuscule PSA population elevates the rarity and desirability even further, as just four of the 10 cards from this edition have found their way into the grading company’s slab, and of those, just one carried a slightly higher grade. This card stands as one of the most important and desirable trading cards produced in the past quarter century, the definitive crown jewel of the 2000-01 UD Game Jersey Edition — the first issue in hobby history to offer dual-swatch auto cards. Considered “The Godfather of Dual-Swatch Auto Cards,” it was the first card ever signed by Bryant and Jordan.

From basketball’s modern era to one of the sport’s greats from yesteryear: a 1957 Topps Bob Cousy Rookie #17 PSA Mint 9 depicts the so-called “Houdini of the Hardwood,” in the year in which he earned the NBA’s Most Valuable Player award. Five years after his arrival in Boston, the Celtics added center Bill Russell, and the pair led the team to its first championship in 1957. Cousy helped Boston in five more NBA titles before he retired after the 1962-63 season, a career in which he earned 13 NBA All-Star game selections and led the league in assists eight times. Of the nearly 1,400 examples found in the PSA Pop Report, the card offered in this auction is one of only three graded MINT, with none rated higher.

Collectors can take their swings at another must-have card featuring two of a sport’s biggest stars when a 2025 Topps Chrome Update Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge (MLB Gold Logoman MVP-Autograph Relic) #GLD-OJ - #’d 1/4heads to the podium. Whereas the entire NBA wore the color league emblems to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Association in 1996-97, these MLB golden logos were worn only by a small handful of top stars: the Most Valuable Players, Rookies of the Year and Cy Young Award winners for each league. The 2025 season was the first implementation of this new tradition. Ohtani and Judge will be sporting gold in 2026 as well, as each defended his 2024 title in 2025 — a season that was the first time in history that the National and American League MVPs went back-to-back simultaneously. Adding to the appeal of this card is its extraordinary discovery story, when a father and son cracked open a 2025 Topps Chrome mega box on Christmas morning: the “Willie Wonka Golden Ticket” of the modern hobby. The card is presented in its original plastic capsule as delivered by Topps, the contents virtually untouched by human hands. Also included is the original redemption card from that thrilling Christmas morning “pull.”

One of the greatest quarterbacks of all time is represented on 12 lots in the auction. Headlining the group is a magnificent 1998 Playoff Contenders Peyton Manning (Rookie Ticket Autographed) #87 PSA Gem Mint 10 that is one of only six examples in the PSA population to earn the lofty grade. Issued during Manning’s debut season with the Indianapolis Colts, this release helped establish the Rookie Ticket autograph as a flagship insert concept, and Manning’s example remains among the most sought-after late-1990s quarterback cards due to its limited production and era-defining status.

The five-time MVP also stands tall on a 1998 E-X2001 Peyton Manning (Essential Credentials-Now) #54 BGS Gem Mint 9.5 that is No. 22 in a population of just 54. His premier late-1990s rookie-year parallels are especially prized because they capture the beginning of a career that would reshape the passing game and become a cornerstone of football collecting.

Also in play is a 1998 Bowman Peyton Manning (Golden Anniversary) #1 PSA Gem Mint 10, #'d 22/50 - Pop Two that is one of just two to earn Gem Mint designation among just 16 graded by PSA. The 1998 Bowman Chrome Refractor Peyton Manning rookie #1 is a highly prized and visually striking card featuring Manning’s first season with the Indianapolis Colts. This card is part of the premium Bowman Chrome set and stands out with its Refractor parallel. As a 50th Anniversary, this card is rarer (limited edition, numbered 22 of 50) and more valuable than the standard version.

The auction includes 95 lots from The Golden Age Collection — Part Four, a breathtaking run of period-signed vintage sports cards from the 1940s and 1950s — the era widely considered the golden age for post-war sports cards. Whereas many autographed card collections include signatures acquired long after athletes retired, the autographs in this collection were inscribed in person during or closer to the years in which the cards were issued. It was methodically compiled by a family member of the consignor, who remains anonymous. The collector took cards to stadiums, restaurants, hotel lobbies and anywhere else he believed an encounter was possible.

Among the top offerings from the collection in this auction:

• A Period-Signed 1952 Bowman Large Football Near Set (142/144) — featuring stars like Norm Van Brocklin, Sammy Baugh, Doak Walker, Otto Graham, Paul Brown, George Halas, Chuck Bednarik, Kyle Rote, Y.A. Tittle, Elroy “Crazy Legs” Hirsch, Tom Landry and Bobby Layne

• A 1947-66 Exhibits Baseball Near set (313/339) with Almost 300 Autographed Cards that features such stars as Hank Aaron, Brooks Robinson, Yogi Berra, Don Drysdale, Stan Musial, Willie Mays, Dyke Snider, Warren Spahn, Carl Yasztrmski

• A 1953 Topps Bob Feller #54 PSA EX 5, PSA/DNA Auto 7

• A 1955 Topps Eddie Mathews #155 PSA VG 3, PSA/DNA Auto 8

• A 1953 Topps Whitey Ford #207 PSA Good 2, PSA/DNA Auto 9

Another notable assemblage in the auction is the Collection of World Golf Hall of Famer Fred Couples. Included among the 24 lots from the collection that will cross the block in this auction:

• A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 PSA Good+ 2.5

• A 1909 E102 Set Of 25 Honus Wagner (Batting) PSA EX 5 from a population of just six, with only two graded higher

• A 1909 E102 Set Of 25 Ty Cobb PSA EX 5 that is graded higher than all but two other examples

• A 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie #57 PSA NM-MT 8

The World Cup that will be played this summer in Canada, Mexico and the United States casts a spotlight on cards featuring two of the greatest players of all time:

Lionel Messi is featured on 13 lots in the auction, including a magnificent 2004 Panini Mega Cracks Lionel Messi Rookie #71 PSA Mint 9 that is widely recognized as the definitive rookie card for the Argentine star who now is the unquestioned of face of Inter Miami and Major League Soccer. The card captures Messi, now 38, as a teenager in the earliest licensed image of the global superstar in game action. Over time, this card has earned almost mythic status among modern football cards, often referred to as the “holy grail” of Messi collecting.

The other player with a legitimate claim as the world’s best over the last couple of decades also is featured in a dozen lots, including an extraordinary 2004 Upper Deck SP Authentic Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United-Gold) #67 PSA Gem Mint 10 - #’d 92/99 that is one of only two examples bearing PSA’s highest grade. Ronaldo’s ascent into global superstardom in the early 2000s marked the beginning of a legendary career in which he would become one of the most recognizable and successful athletes in the world. The 2004 Upper Deck SP Authentic release is one of the most important early English Premier League licensed sets, known for its clean photography, premium card stock and limited parallels that elevated soccer cards into a higher-end collecting tier. Within that lineup, Ronaldo’s #67 quickly became a focal point for collectors seeking one of his earliest premium Manchester United issues. Interest in vintage and early-career soccer cards has surged over the past decade, particularly for global icons like Messi and Ronaldo.