Vintage Baseball Gloves

Vintage Baseball Glove Values

Not all old gloves are worth much - a lot of people kept theirs over time, some people collect certain brands, while some just want unique gloves. Here we look at vintage baseball gloves, the most expensive ones sold at auctions, on eBay, and forums about vintage baseball gloves

The Most Expensive Baseball Gloves sold at Auction

Babe Ruth’s Catcher’s Mitt ($341,000)

Babe Ruth is best known for donning the New York Yankees' pinstripes. Baseball historians, even the casual ones, are familiar with his pitching record while playing for the Boston Red Sox. It turns out that even pre-professional Babe Ruth memorabilia may bring high prices. In 2016, Goldin Auctions sold a catcher's mitt that belonged to Babe Ruth from his time at St. Mary's Industrial School for Boys in Baltimore for a record breaking $341,600.

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Lou Gehrig’s Baseball Glove ($287,500)

A baseball mitt that Lou Gehrig personally signed in 1935 sold for $287,500 by Hunt Auctions

After paying the Henderson family a visit at their residence in Bronxville, New York, in the middle of the 1930s, Lou Gehrig gave Howard Brost Henderson the glove. Prior to consigning the glove to the auction, Mr. Henderson held onto it for close to 80 years.

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Mickey Mantle’s Glove ($239,000)

At Sotheby's auction house in 1999, actor and comedian Billy Crystal paid $239,000 for a 1960 Mickey Mantle glove that Rawlings had created specifically for the legendary New York Yankee.

The iconic deep-well pocket design of Mantle’s glove that Crystal bought features all-original stitching that has frayed and broken in two places.

With a black felt-tip pen, Mantle signed the back of the pocket, and the wrist guard bears his renowned "7" on either side of the red Rawlings label.

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Michael Jordan’s Glove ($7,200)

When people discuss Michael Jordan, they frequently bring up his time playing basketball. But did you know he used to play baseball? He represented the White Sox organization's Double-A Birmingham Barons in 1994. Many people said he should have stuck to basketball because he wasn't a decent baseball player. For instance, he was unfamiliar with fundamental baseball ideas like where to throw to bases and the distinction between two- and four-seam fastballs. Others, though, said there was space for improvement because they thought his speed and athleticism helped him complete 30 steals. His baseball glove was donated to Heritage Auctions, and on Sunday night, the glove was sold at auction. The glove was altered, nevertheless, so that it could keep its strength. The glove was out of date and essentially useless. Michael decided to stick with the other, worn-out glove and only gave away one of his gloves. The glove was filled with permanent epoxy to maintain its strength.

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