This photo of Honus Wagner inspired his coveted baseball card. Now it's up for auction.

The T206 Honus Wagner baseball card is one of the most valuable sports collectibles, and now the photo that landed on the famous trading card is up for grabs.

The rare portrait of the shortstop, taken by Boston photographer Carl Horner in 1902, will be auctioned this month at Hunt Auctions, Barrons reported Monday. The Pennsylvania-based auction house says the image is one of the few originals in existence.

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Discovered more than ten years ago, in 2013, hidden in the archives of The Cleveland Plain Dealer Where it had been forgotten for over 100 years, the photo shows Wagner shirtless in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. The image was later used in the design and production of the American Tobacco Company’s T206 playing card set, which is widely considered the “Holy Grail” or “Mona Lisa” of sports collectibles. As a reminder, an original T206 card broke a record in 2022 when it sold for $7.25 million. At the time, it claimed the title of the most expensive sports card ever purchased.

“The image on offer is one of the most important and desirable images ever taken of a baseball subject and represents a rare opportunity for the collecting world to acquire such a piece,” Hunt Auctions states on its website. While we won’t know the total value until the auction closes on July 16, the T206 portrait is currently estimated at $100,000 to $300,000.

The sale is scheduled to coincide with the 2024 MLB All-Star Game on July 16. In addition to Wagner’s photograph, Hunt Auctions will also offer other sports-related lots, including a baseball signed by John F. Kennedy from his first MLB appearance as president (estimated to sell for $75,000 to $150,000). Kennedy threw out the ceremonial first pitch on April 10, 1961, three months after delivering his iconic inaugural address. If you’re a fan of presidential memorabilia, there’s also a 1953 baseball signed by Dwight D. Eisenhower up for grabs ($40,000 to $60,000).

Elsewhere, a Mickey Mantle 1967 All-Star Game professional baseball bat could sell for as much as $150,000. Mantle gave the Louisville Slugger to a batter during the Mid-Summer Classic, and the relic has remained in the seller’s possession ever since. Today, it could fetch a whopping $100,000 if it sells near or above its estimate.

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