Hake’s Auctions offers a unique blend of pop culture and historical memorabilia in their premier auctions. Baseball cards from the 1910s and presidential campaign material from the 1800s are offered alongside Aurora model kits, action figures, and key first appearances in comics. Hake’s signature style of appealing to a large swath of collectors prompted another impressive auction with their premier Auction #240 clearing $2.5 million.

The auction’s top sale was a stunner. The rare Aurora Superman and Spider-Man store two-pack factory sealed boxed model kit pair sold for $54,516 – decimating its preauction estimate of $5,000. The kits were typically sold individually, but a store bundled both models for a special promotion with a paper strip announcing the deal and the kits shrinkwrapped together. Hake’s has only seen a few of these special offers and never one with two big name characters like Spider-Man and Superman. The model kit pair, which hails from the Janusey Brothers Collection, set a new record for a piece of Aurora merchandise.

The 1860 “For President Abram Lincoln for Vice President Hannibal Hamlin” parade flag led the results for historical memorabilia when it sold for $42,185, besting its $35,000 estimate. The glazed cotton flag hails from the 1980s quilt find when nearly two dozen campaign flags from the 1860-1868 elections were discovered in use as the backing of a quilt. Hake’s described it as being “a terrific display example” of the 160-year-old flag.

The Force was strong with Star Wars action figures in Auction #240. The Palitoy Return of the Jedi General Madine Tri-Logo 70-back-B AFA 60 realized $42,242, more than double its $20,000 estimate. The Tri-Logo blister features text in English, Spanish, and French, and the line of toys were sold throughout multiple European countries. General Madine, however, was only released on a Tri-Logo card in France. This figure is one of just ten AFA-graded examples and the first Hake’s has offered in any condition. It set a record for a General Madine figure in any condition.

Falling just behind Madine was the Jawa 12-back-A AFA 85+ (vinyl cape) that hammered for $36,603, just over its $35,000 estimate. This is the early version of the Jawa figure that was made with a vinyl cape rather than the more commonly seen cloth one. The high grade toy features a cape free of any discoloration and the card is unpunched, making it the best example that Hake’s has ever offered.

The very rare Aurora Godzilla’s Go Cart unused boxed model kit set a new record for a single model kit when it sold for $36,344, exceeding its $20,000 estimate. Aurora decided to capitalize on the hot rod craze by releasing their Frankenstein and Dracula dragsters. They were followed by more monster hot rod kits, and plans were made for Godzilla and King Kong, but by then, their popularity was waning. Still, Aurora made small production runs of Godzilla and King Kong, but distribution was limited to several stores near their headquarters in West Hempstead, New York. The entire monster car series ended in 1966 with Godzilla being the last kit from the line. This model kit from the Janusey Brothers Collection is the only boxed example that Hake’s has offered in their 57 years.

Baseball’s leadoff hitter was the 1910 Baltimore News Orioles (Eastern League) Jack Dunn card CGC 1 that surpassed the $20,000 estimate to hit $28,556. The card is the only example known to Hake’s and is one of only 12 different individuals known from the exceedingly rare issue. The Jack Dunn manager card is considered the most important from the series due to his discovery of Babe Ruth.

All three of the top results in Part I sold beyond their estimates. The Roosevelt, Hughes & Taft “Security Harmony Justice” 1916 campaign button Hake #3017 realized $25,960, over an estimate of $20,000. The plan was to distribute the button at the Union League Club, but Roosevelt was opposed to it because he supported Hughes, but not Taft. A tight seal was then put on distribution of the buttons, making them very rare in the collecting market.

The Magic: The Gathering – Legends edition sealed booster box nabbed $26,089. This set was released in 1994 as the third expansion of the game, and the first to have cards with multiple colors to play. It contains 36 packs with 15 cards each for a total of 540 cards, which could include the Tabernacle at Pendrell Vale, Chains of Mephistopheles, the Abyss, or Eureka.

A Star Wars Early Bird Mail-Away Kit AFA 85, featuring Luke Skywalker (double-telescoping lightsaber variety), Princess Leia, Chewbacca, and R2-D2, totaled $25,960, setting a new record for the Early Bird kit in any grade. They come with the original white mailer box without a mailing address label ever having been adhered to it, the vacuform plastic tray that the figures came in, a mini-catalog advertising the Star Wars action figure line, and mail-away offer for the Early Bird Premium Collector Stand.

Political material drew healthy bidding with the 1840 Harrison and Reform log cabin and hard cider barrel campaign flag clearing $25,129. At the time of the election, Harrison was the oldest presidential candidate to date, and was mocked for his advanced age by opponent Martin Van Buren who suggested that Harrison should sip hard cider at a log cabin instead or running for president. Harrison’s campaign turned the insult around by positioning him as a man of the people and Van Buren as an out of touch aristocrat.

The Masters of the Universe Eternia Series 5 Playset AFA 80 first release “new” box with full color art by William George reached $23,273, over the $20,000 estimate. The playset features three themed towers with multiple accessories and weapons, and three battery-operated vehicles that run around the playset. It is the highest graded first release example according to the AFA Population Report, and it set a new record for the Eternia Series 5 Playset in any grade.

One of the surprises in Part I was the rare Kennedy & Johnson “Vote Democrat” 1960 jugate button that crushed its $2,000 estimate when it sold for $14,278. The 2-1/2” button came from the John Hillhouse Collection and was the first one that Hake’s has offered in their 57 years.

Baseball continued its heavy hitting with the 1923 W515-1 Strip Card hand cut complete set PSA graded with two Babe Ruth cards that brought $14,750. The set consists of 60 individual cards depicting a colorful drawing of a player taken from an Underwood & Underwood wire photograph.

Another impressive baseball sale was the 1916 Sporting News M101-5 Forrest Cady blank back no number card CGC 3.5 (short print) that sold for $14,667. This prewar baseball era card is very rare because Caddy’s card was one of three that was pulled from production of the M101-5 card set. It is even rarer because it is the only card from that set or the M101-4 set that doesn’t have the card number printed on the bottom.

Sales among the key comics included Batman #181 CGC 9.4 (first Poison Ivy) for $16,979, Tales of Suspense #39 CGC 6.0 (first Iron Man) for $16,909, Fantastic Four #1 CGC 4.5 (first Fantastic Four) for $16,874, and Amazing Fantasy #15 CGC 1.8 (first Spider-Man) for $16,551.

The prices realized in Hake’s Auction #240 can be viewed on their website.