COVID-19 took what was supposed to be a year full of new opportunities into a year that shook the world to its very core.

The virus challenged the medical and scientific industry while crippling economies and affecting millions of people not only physically but both mentally and emotionally. And that was in 2020.

COVID-19’s effects can still be felt this year.

A Tampa neurologist named Thomas Newman passed away in January at the age of 73 due to complications brought about by the virus. COVID-19 was especially lethal to the elderly.

Dr. Newman left behind an impressive collection of sports memorabilia estimated to be worth over $20 million.

He had stuff from the 1880s!

Newman’s family is auctioning off the collection including a 1933 Babe Ruth card. Auctioneers are saying it could surpass the $5.2 million world record for a single sports card.

Dr. Thomas Newman spent forty years collecting valuable sports memorabilia even traveling each summer with his son, Stewart Newman, going cross country for the annual National Sports Collectors Convention.

Stewart shares,

“There was a lot of opportunity for him to get probably the level of notoriety for the kind of collection that he put together over 40 years that he never had when he was alive because he was kind of quiet about exactly the extent of it though. I’m excited. It’s a good thing for his legacy and it will be a fun process to go through.”

Imagine what you’ll find going through that collection!

Dr. Newman’s entire collection includes more than 1,000 cards and is expected to go for more than $20 million next month. He began collecting cards in the early eighties, building a collection from 1957 and 1959, cards printed when he was between 10 and 12 years old.

“Those were replacements for the treasured cards of his youth that he kept in shoe boxes as a youngster and that his mom later threw out.”

Stewart Newman said.

From then on, Thomas kept on collecting. It was something he loved doing, his family says.

Thomas’ widow, Nancy Newman, shared through Memory Lane Inc.

“He jokingly called his cards his ‘paper babies,’ and spent almost every day attending to his collection in one way or another. It gave him such pleasure. The only reason he would ever sell a card was if he had acquired the same card in a higher grade.”

The late doctor’s collection has over 1,000 vintage and modern baseball, football, hockey trading cards, and other sports memorabilia.

One of the world’s biggest sports collectibles certification companies, Professional Sports Authenticator, authenticated and graded Newman’s huge collection.

Memory Lane CEO J.P. Cohen was really impressed.

“I’ve been doing this for over 20 years, and we have handled some amazing collections, a lot of Honus Wagner cards and a lot of big dollar collections. By far, this is one of the bigger ones we’ve handled. From a single auction standpoint, this will be our biggest auction we’ve ever put on.”

Talk about leaving behind something for people to remember you by.

“It thrills me to know that collectors that are as serious about it as Tom are going to be able to find things that will give them so much joy. The kind of joy it gave Tom.”

Says Nancy Newman.

Hall of Fame players such as Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Ted Williams, and Cy Young can be found in Thomas Newman’s card collection. It even has World Series program books dating back to 1903.

Dr. Newman’s obituary may remind his family and friends of the man that once shared laughs with them, but his impressive collection says a lot about the man. He was an infectious spirit, full of life and love, always laughing while enjoying his other passion, music.

Check out some of the late doctor’s memorabilia below!

Please SHARE this with your friends and family.

Source: mypositiveoutlooks, YouTube