Rare baseball card sells for $1.2M at auction

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A New Jersey man paid $1.2 million for a rare 1909 Honus Wagner baseball card in an online auction that brought interest from many potential buyers who had never owned a card before, the sale organizer said.

The buyer hasn't decided whether to come forward publicly, and the seller, a Houston businessman, wants to remain anonymous, said Bill Goodwin, the suburban St. Louis collectibles dealer who ran the auction that ended today. The buyer's bid was the highest of 14 made since the auction began last month.

"We're thrilled with the outcome," Goodwin said. "There's been so much media attention surrounding this card, and the final price proved this card was worth watching."

Wagner was a member of the first class of Hall of Fame inductees. The shortstop, nicknamed "The Flying Dutchman," spent most of his 21-year career (1897 to 1917) with the Pittsburgh Pirates, winning eight batting titles and hitting a career .327.