SOLD! HOLY GRAIL! 1928 Reach Official American League Barnard Baseball w/Original Box
 

1928 Reach Official American League Barnard Baseball w/Original Box - SEALED!

per Brandon Grunbaum's book History of the Baseball...a 1928 Reach Official E.S. Barnard American League Ball listed as Gem Mint is $2250.00 and that's just the ball, and that was 2014, nearly 2 years ago! He doesn't even list prices for the Ball still in the Box sealed, possibly because none were known to exist.

Box alone (and without the seal) sold for $782 at MEARS just a couple years ago:

http://sports.mearsonlineauctions.co...-lot64578.aspx

And, this comes from the family of HOFer Al Simmons. They recently found this ball, a few checks and other documents from their great uncle Al, an amazing new discovery, in Milwaukee, where Al resided. He died in 1956 at the age of 54.

An American League Ban Johnson Ball in the box sold for $5K at Legendary, granted older, but Ban Johnson balls range from about 1910 to 1925, this was a one year only 1928 Barnard ball:

http://www.legendaryauctions.com/191...lot129594.aspx


This may be the only one in its existence, amazing it survived all these years untouched! The Holy Grail for vintage Ball collectors!

$3200 or best offer shipped

What a great piece if I could swing that kind of money I'd buy it

"pssssssst....ya didn't hear it from me, but I know the seller, and he'd take a lot less"

Wow, very cool!

Also
 

I've been asked if this is possibly the retail version of the ball. NO, it is not.

You can tell this by the stamping on the seal, mine has the E.S. Barnard stamping, and if you were to open the box (NOOOOOO, Don't do it!!!!.....I won't) that stamping in Blue would be found on the ball as well. No Barnard stamping on the seal = retail.

Also, again this came from the Al Simmons estate. And since it was a 1 year ball, 1928 version, smack dab in the middle of Al's career, it doesn't make much sense him buying a retail versaion, when he could just grab one from the dugout or team.

here are pix showing a stamped seal (mine = Official AL Ball), a non-stamped seal (retail):

Sold!