Sports Collectors Daily –
In a perfect world, Dr. Thomas Newman—“Tommy” to those who knew him the best—would be enjoying the start of a new season—and buying more baseball cards for his ever-growing collection. Sadly, the remarkable life of one of the top trading card and sports memorabilia hobbyists was unexpectedly cut short by COVID-19 in late January.
A gifted neurologist who was still practicing in his hometown at age 73, the Tampa, Florida native had a lifelong passion for sports cards and sports memorabilia.
“He was a true collector,” recalled J.P. Cohen of Memory Lane Auctions, who would see his friend and client each year at the National Sports Collectors Convention. “If he paid $10,000 for a card he really wanted and a week later, someone offered him $50,000, he’d turn it down. He just had an unquenchable thirst for sports collectibles. He loved it all.”
Now, Dr. Newman’s collection—featuring high-grade examples of some of the hobby’s best and most iconic cards—will get a much-deserved spotlight when Memory Lane brings it to market in a special standalone auction in June. Cohen believes it could bring in more than $20 million.
The Newman collection will accommodate both the vintage and modern enthusiasts, covering a span of some 150 years with regard to the miraculous array of cards and memorabilia offered in a world class compilation. An 18-foot moving truck was used to transport it all.
