Museum of Greatness unveils $200 million collection of 'iconic' memorabilia

NEW YORK — “Iconic.”

That’s how Nick Connolly, Fanatics VP and head of collector relations, described the standard for inclusion at the “Museum of Greatness.”

The 10,500-square-foot exhibit on display for Fanatics Fest this weekend at the Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan is estimated to be worth $200 million — likely the most expensive collection of memorabilia ever put together.

Much of these pieces have not been seen publicly in years, if ever.

It also makes a case for the most significant by any other standard, especially historic value.

Walking in, past the countless security guards defending the treasures, it’s easy for anyone — regardless of their experience with collectibles — to feel the weight of the items sitting in the display cases.

It starts with Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle.

Ruth is represented by a 1918 Red Sox game-used bat, one of the earliest in the hobby. Mantle is seen through a photographers' lens by two of the most valuable Type 1 photos and their associated trading cards, the 1951 Bowman and 1952 Topps.

One of the more remarkable and complete collections of unopened wax boxes and packs, from vintage baseball to football, in BBCE cellophane and PSA slabs, comes next.

Logan Paul’s Pokémon Illustrator, an embarrassment of riches containing some of the most valuable ‘90s insert cards ever created (PMGs) and, perhaps most impressive of all, a complete collection of Tom Brady’s victorious Super Bowl game-used jerseys, on loan from the man himself, are all highlights.

“People were excited because they wanted to display [their collections] for everyone,” Connolly said, describing the curation process, which largely involved dealing with individual and private collectors. “Once the marketing was done it was actually very fun because we actually got a lot of inbound of people saying ‘Oh, I have this, I’d like to display it.’”

No collectibles exhibit would be complete without the T206 Honus Wagner, which sits alone in a display case.

Rounding out the collection is Michael Jordan’s game-used Game 3 jersey from the 1998 “Last Dance” NBA Finals, the sister to the Game 1 jersey which sold for a record $10.1 million.

Fanatics also managed to procure more than 50 MLB Debut Patch Autograph cards, its creation which its CEO Michael Rubin recently called the greatest innovation in the history of trading cards.

“The fact we could get a Honus Wagner, a Mickey Mantle and 50 Debut Parches all in one place … I think that’s very special,” Connolly said. “This is the perfect way, whatever stage you’re at [as a collector] to take one step further.”

Will Stern is a reporter and editor for cllct, the premier company for collectible culture.