NEW YORK — The last jersey ever worn by New York Yankees legend Lou Gehrig in an official capacity goes up for auction today at Christie’s in Manhattan. The rare piece of baseball history fetched $2.712 million, making it one of the most valuable uniforms ever sold.
The pinstriped jersey dates back to October 5, 1939, during the World Series at Yankee Stadium. Gehrig wore it as the team’s honorary captain while the Yankees completed a four-game sweep over the Cincinnati Reds. By then, the first baseman’s playing career had already ended following his diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis earlier that season, which forced him to stop after an unmatched streak of 2,130 consecutive games.
Christie’s was hosting the live auction at its Rockefeller Center headquarters beginning at noon Eastern Time. The Gehrig jersey headlined a 174-item event featuring highlights from the late Dr. G.B. Espy’s iconic private collection of American sports and Hollywood memorabilia.
A lifetime of collecting comes to market
Dr. Goodman Basil Espy spent nearly five decades assembling what many consider one of the most comprehensive collections of 20th-century Americana. The Alabama-born obstetrician passed away in November 2024 at the age of 89, leaving behind a trove of rare artifacts that capture defining moments in U.S. sports and culture.
“Dr. Espy formed a collection that tells the story of 20th-century America from its playing fields to its movie theaters,” said Nathalie Ferneau, a sports memorabilia specialist at Christie’s. “Collectors and historians will find an array of rare and important pieces of memorabilia at all levels of interest and value to study and acquire.”
Dr. Espy purchased Gehrig’s jersey in the early 1990s for $115,000 from a New York dealer who traced it to a Manhattan dry cleaner. The Yankees had reportedly sent their 1939 uniforms for potential minor league reuse after the season. The jersey survived that process and was later authenticated through photo analysis, confirming it was indeed worn by Gehrig as team captain during that World Series.
Gehrig’s final chapter
Lou Gehrig’s 17-year Yankees career defined consistency and courage. Known as the “Iron Horse,” he appeared in every game for more than 13 straight seasons, winning six World Series championships and two American League MVP Awards. His number 4 was the first in Major League Baseball history to be permanently retired.
The 1939 season represented both triumph and heartbreak for the Yankees and their captain. The team dominated the Reds in the Fall Classic, but Gehrig was no longer on the field. On May 2, 1939, he voluntarily removed himself from the lineup after realizing his physical decline. That decision ended his record streak and effectively his playing career.
Still, Gehrig remained the team’s captain throughout the championship run. The jersey being auctioned today marks his last official appearance in uniform during a home game at Yankee Stadium. Photographic evidence has verified the garment’s authenticity by matching it to images taken on that October afternoon in the Bronx.
Record prices in sight
The Yankees have long commanded some of the highest values in the sports memorabilia world. Prices for historic baseball items have skyrocketed in recent years, and experts believe this sale could challenge previous records.
In 2024, a Babe Ruth Yankees jersey worn during the famed 1932 “Called Shot” World Series sold for $24 million — the highest amount ever paid for a piece of sports memorabilia. A separate Lou Gehrig Yankees jersey from 1937 sold for $2.5 million at auction in 2019.
Christie’s has set a pre-sale estimate between $2 million and $4 million for today’s lot, though collectors say the final bid could exceed expectations given Gehrig’s enduring legacy. The auction house is partnering with Hunt Auctions for the event, which also includes a companion online sale featuring 252 additional lots from Espy’s collection that runs through October 24.
Baseball history takes center stage
While Gehrig’s jersey was the star attraction, several other major baseball items were drawing attention at Christie’s. Jackie Robinson’s 1962 Hall of Fame induction ring was expected to sell for between $250,000 and $500,000. The Brooklyn Dodgers legend broke MLB’s color barrier in 1947 and became the first African American player inducted into the Hall of Fame. His gold ring features a black stone inlaid with a baseball and engraved with “Baseball Hall Of Fame.” Robinson’s original induction plaque sold for $48,000 in 2020.
The Yankees’ influence runs deep throughout the sale. Casey Stengel’s 1949 World Series championship ring carried an estimate of $30,000 to $50,000. Another piece of Yankees nostalgia — a rare menu from DiMaggio’s Restaurant signed by Joe DiMaggio and Marilyn Monroe during their short-lived 1954 marriage — is expected to bring between $15,000 and $25,000.
Other top baseball lots included a Louisville Slugger bat possibly used by Gehrig during the 1938 World Series, valued at $500,000 to $1 million. A ticket stub from Gehrig’s final game, graded PSA 4, is projected to sell for $15,000 to $25,000. A lower-graded example from the same game sold for $13,145 in 2014.
A piece of Yankees and American history
The Yankees have produced countless legends, but few have left a deeper mark than Lou Gehrig. His courage in the face of illness transformed him from a baseball hero into a symbol of perseverance. Diagnosed with ALS at age 36, Gehrig delivered one of the most moving speeches in sports history on July 4, 1939, declaring himself “the luckiest man on the face of the earth.”
The jersey being sold today represents the end of an era for the Yankees and for baseball itself — a bridge between dominance on the field and dignity beyond it. For collectors, it’s more than fabric and pinstripes; it’s a tangible connection to a man whose grace and endurance continue to inspire generations.
Christie’s expected spirited bidding from both American and international collectors. The auction underscored how the Yankees’ legacy — and Gehrig’s unmatched impact — continue to define the heart of America’s pastime.
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