Dallas Paper Chronicles Growth of Heritage Auctions

John Austin of the Dallas Start Telegram recently ran a story on the success and growth of Dallas based Heritage Auction Galleries. Austin states how the two founders Steve Ivy and Jim Halperin started as rival coin dealers then merged and jointly moved into comic book and movie poster auctions in 2001. The article now claims Heritage has grown into the number 3 auction house in the world behind Sotheby's and Christie's with nearly 375 employees and a vast array of specialty auctions. Heritage Auctions Galleries claims to be the largest auctioneer of collectibles in the world.

If you are an appraiser, I am sure you are aware of the phenomenal growth and marketing prowess of Heritage Auction Galleries. The have quickly risen to be a significant player within the auction community. I recently dealt with one of the Heritage specialists, and unfortunately what I had did not fit the needs of Heritage. I must mention that after the conversation with the specialist I had a much better understanding of how to deal with and dispose of the property for my client. The Heritage specialist was informative, knowledgeable and pleasant to deal with.

The recent Civil War collection sale in Gettysburg, PA generated $4.3 million in sales with the Ninety-six lots from the Dr. John K. Lattimer Collection of Lincoln materials totalling $1.6 million.

Heritage Heritage sells coins, stamps, fine art, movie posters, comic books, jewelry, Americana and sports memorabilia.

What Heritage Auction Galleries has sold:

• 1933 Babe Ruth All Star Game worn jersey: $657,250

• Jeans worn by James Dean in Giant: $35,850

• Personal battle flag, Gen. J.E.B. Stuart: $956,000

• Kurt Cobain’s 1960s Mosrite guitar: $131,450

• Johnny Carson’s microphone: $50,787

• Guinness World Records Largest Private Rare Coin Transaction Ever: $15 million-plus for the Estate of Ed Trompeter (August 1998)

• World’s Largest Auction of Comic Books, Comic Art and Related Memorabilia: $5.2 million (October 2002; included the collection of Academy Award winner Nicolas Cage)

• World’s Most Expensive Action Figure: the original GI Joe prototype: $200,000 (August 2003)

• World’s Largest Numismatic Auction: $61 million (FUN 2005; later eclipsed by Heritage’s $78 million FUN 2007)

To read the Star Telegram article, click HERE or to visit the Heritage Auction website, click HERE.