Ticket From Jackie Robinson’s Debut Sells for Record Price at Auction

Two vintage tickets made history via Heritage Auctions on Sunday.

A ticket stub from Jackie Robinson’s debut with the Dodgers in 1947 and an unused full ticket for Michael Jordan’s debut with the Bulls in 1984 both set the record for most expensive collectable sports ticket.

Chris Ivy, the director of sports auctions at Heritage Auctions said there has been an increase in interest in both unused tickets and ticket stubs from historic sporting events in recent years.

“Tickets are riding a popularity wave like we’ve seen before with vintage photography, [especially with this] ticket stub from Jackie Robinson's breaking the color barrier,” Ivy said, via ESPN’s Dan Hajducky. "Thousands of people go down to their basement and come across items. We've gotta answer all of them before something like this comes along."

Previously, the record was held by a ticket stub for Jordan’s debut, which sold for $264,000 in December. On Sunday, the unused Jordan ticket beat the prior record holder, selling for $468,000. Then, the Robinson ticket topped the Jordan ticket, pricing in at $480,000. The Robinson ticket is now the record holder for most expensive collectable sports ticket.

Mike Cole, the previous owner of the Jordan ticket, said his dad gave him two tickets to the game while he was attending Northwestern. However, he was new and didn’t have anyone to go with, so he went himself, leaving him with an unused ticket.

“It was my first time seeing a Bulls game,“ Cole said, via ESPN. “Years after his death and he's still providing for me.“