As the boomer generation came of age, the memorabilia market exploded, driven by the force of the generation's collective nostalgia.
Seemingly mundane items have fetched astonishing prices at auction simply because of their appearances in sports and pop culture.
Whether such investments have similar staying power to, say, fine art remains to be seen. As generations come and go, so too do the objects of their nostalgic desires, after all. With Generation X and then the millennial generation coming to the fore, a whole new slew of items might become suddenly relevant—and valuable. For now, however, the list is dominated by boomer-era treasures.
From Marilyn Monroe to Honus Wagner to the Maltese Falcon, here are the 23 highest gavel prices for pieces of memorabilia.
This gallery is adapted from the original infographic on PlayNJ.com.
