Golf balls are perhaps the
hottest golf memorabilia in the world right now. To longtime collectors,
this will not be a surprise, as golf balls were once the crème de la
crème of the golf world. Finally, after years of being overlooked, golf
balls seem poised for their rightful return to prominence. And rightful
it is. Most historians agree – it was the ball, not the club, that most
influenced the game of golf. Our last auction saw 2 individual balls
sell for over $30,000 each, as well as other golf balls sell for $14,000
and $8,000, respectively. And there are reports that a scarce
“Paterson’s Composite” golf ball recently traded hands privately for a
whopping $200,000 – the highest price ever paid for a golf ball.
Offered in this auction is one
of the finest groupings of rare golf balls ever assembled for a single
sale. Many of these balls were the centerpieces of the most important
golf ball book ever written, The Story of the Golf Ball (2003) by Kevin McGimpsey. McGimpsey’s book is the Bible for golf ball collectors, and rightfully so.
Scarce and Superb Army & Navy CSL Golf Ball
This is a scarce Army & Navy CSL. This exact ball is pictured on plate XXI of The Story of the Golf Ball (2003) by Kevin McGimpsey. The ball is in near mint condition, and retains 99%+ of its paint.