The hobby's 'His Holiness' boost

Happy Thursday, Collectors.

This time last week, as white smoke poured from the Sistine Chapel, people all across the globe started wondering the same thing… “How will Pope Leo XIV impact the collectibles market?”

Advertisement

The answer is starting to emerge, as Topps announced that they sold a record-breaking number of Pope Leo XIV NOW cards (134K), and Leaf Trading Cards released four papal cards of their own, including one with the supreme pontiff photoshopped onto a Chicago-style deep dish pizza. (BTW, Mantel’s J.R. Fickle power-ranked the pope’s rookie cards, if you want some hard-hitting analysis).

Pope Leo XIV picked himself up some sports memorabilia this week as well, with ATP World No. 1 Jannik Sinner gifting the avid tennis-playing padre a racket (though unfortunately not match-used).

And, of course, graphers have been eager to secure the pope’s signature, though so far none have hit the auction block. Will his autograph collect Pope Francis-like sums? We’ll have to wait and (Holy) See.

The Athletic: A Year After Scottie Scheffler’s Arrest, We Had to Ask: Where Are Detective Gillis’ Ruined Pants?

The infamous $80 police pants worn by Officer Bryan Gillis during the arrest of golf star Scottie Scheffler at the 2024 PGA Championship have become an unlikely collectible. Though damaged and tucked away in a box, their value lies in the bizarre, headline-making moment they represent—a mix of sports lore, viral culture, and absurdity. Experts estimate their peak value was $20,000, with current auction potential between $5,000–$10,000, or more if tied to charity and Scheffler’s participation (ed’s note: unlikely!). Like Tonya Harding’s Olympic costume, their potential worth proves storytelling is king in collectibles: the better the backstory, the bigger the bid.

SI: Pirates Prospect Completed the Bowman 1st Rainbow of his own Cards

Jase Bowen, a Pittsburgh Pirates prospect has achieved a rare milestone: completing the full autograph rainbow of his own 2023 Bowman 1st card. What started as a casual effort evolved into a full-fledged mission, fueled by support from the collecting community and creative trades—including game-used gear and personal notes. The successful quest isn’t too surprising given Bowen’s love of collecting, as he once told his agent “I don’t want a Nike deal, I don't want any deals. I want a Topps deal.”

Complex: Tom Brady Recalls Michael Jordan Sending Him 120 Pairs of Sneakers, Says He Ran Out of Closet Space

On the debut episode of Card Shopping (produced by Complex and Fanatics), Tom Brady shared a flex-worthy collector’s tale: after asking for a few Jordans to add to his rotation, he received a surprise shipment of 120 pairs directly from Michael Jordan himself. Jordans from Jordan, gifted to Brady? Hobby heat at the highest level.

Robb Report: Richard Mille and F1 Star Charles Leclerc Have Dropped a New RM72-01 Collab

Richard Mille has released the RM72-01 “Charles Leclerc” edition timepiece, celebrating the Ferrari F1 driver. Limited to just 150 pieces and priced at $300,000, the watch features a white-quartz TPT case with red detailing inspired by Monaco’s flag, a skeletonized dial with racing-inspired chronograph counters, and a black crown designed to evoke the motion of an F1 tire. Powered by the high-performance CRMC-1 caliber, it includes a 50-hour power reserve and platinum rotor.

The Athletic: McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown Reveals He Owns $242,788 Mickey Mantle ‘Lewd’ Document

McLaren Racing CEO Zak Brown made headlines by revealing himself as the buyer of a notorious piece of memorabilia: Mickey Mantle’s bawdy handwritten “most outstanding experience” letter from 1972, which fetched $242,788 at auction last year. Brown’s baseball collection also includes more family-friendly rarities like Pete Rose’s 1963 Rookie of the Year trophy, Jimmie Foxx’s 1932 All-Star trophy, and game-used items from legends like Ted Williams and Hank Aaron.

Your collection deserves a community. Download Mantel and subscribe to the Above the Mantel newsletter today.