
Sotheby’s, the legendary auction house, wrapped up Sports Week in April, its first dedicated foray into sports memorabilia. The piece de resistance of the auction: a signed pair of boxing trunks that Muhammed Ali wore during his “Thrilla in Manila” bout against Joe Frazier.
The fact that Sotheby’s, an auction house whose past sales include a $157.2 million Modigliani and a $139.4 million Picasso, has stepped into the ring with sports memorabilia is a clear declaration: Sports collectibles have made it to the big leagues in investing.