Rare 1954 Sports Illustrated Centerfold Variant Graded CGC 8.5 Realizes $85,400

A last-minute decision to remove pages from a magazine accidentally created a rare variant edition of an issue that was already destined for the Hall of Fame. One of those surviving examples, certified by CGC®, made its way into the Heritage Auctions’ Summer Platinum Night Sports Auction on August 23, 2026.

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Leading the way for CGC-certified sports magazines in this auction was a Sports Illustrated v4 #25, June 18, 1956, Centerfold Variant graded CGC 8.5 (lot 80861), which realized $85,400. This iconic issue features the first Sports Illustrated cover appearance by Mickey Mantle and comes with the centerfold (pages 37-40) intact. This sale is a remarkable leap from a similar CGC 8.5 that previously realized $12,200 in a 2025 sale, and also surpassed a CGC 9.0 that reportedly realized $30,000 on eBay earlier this year, neither of which included the centerfold.

Many copies reportedly had their centerfold pages removed at the printer before being distributed, resulting in surviving “centerfold variants” being rarer and often more valuable to collectors.

Sports Illustrated has been a cornerstone of American sports journalism since its debut in 1954, blending in-depth reporting with striking photography to capture the drama, personalities, and culture of athletics. The magazine quickly became a definitive source for sports fans, chronicling iconic moments across decades, from historic championships to groundbreaking athlete profiles.

Mantle played for the New York Yankees from 1951 to 1968, when they won seven World Series championships. He won the Triple Crown in 1956 (leading in batting average, home runs, and RBIs) and the Gold Glove Award in 1962. Many consider the Hall of Famer to be the best switch hitter in history.

There are 155 combined newsstand and subscription examples of this magazine, without the centerfold, recorded in the CGC Population Report, and an additional 45 combined examples of the Centerfold Variant.

Other CGC-certified sports magazines sold in this auction included:

• a Time v52 #14, October 4, 1948, (Joe DiMaggio) graded CGC 9.8 (lot 80858), which realized $10,065
• a Sports Illustrated v18 #23, June 10, 1963, (Cassius Clay) graded CGC 7.5 (lot 81485), which realized $8,235
• a Sports Illustrated v15 #18, October 30, 1961, (Wilt Chamberlain) graded CGC 8.0 (lot 81387), which realized $6,710
• a Time v81 #12, March 22, 1963, (Cassius Clay) graded CGC 9.4 (lot 81484), which realized $6,405
• a Sports Illustrated v3 #5, August 1, 1955, (Ted Williams) graded CGC 9.4 (lot 80860), which realized $5,856
• a Sports Illustrated Presents #nn, February 13, 2002, (Tom Brady) graded CGC 9.8 (lot 81258), which realized $4,514

Prices realized include a buyer’s premium.

About CGC

Since revolutionizing comic book grading in 2000, CGC has grown to include certification services for a vast variety of pop culture collectibles. These divisions include CGC Cards, CGC Video Games, and CGC Home Video. CGC Cards provides expert card grading for sports cards, TCGs, and non-sports cards. CGC Video Games is dedicated to video game grading for the most popular consoles, including Nintendo, Sega, Atari, PlayStation, and more. CGC Home Video provides expert VHS grading in addition to other types of videocassettes, DVD, Blu-ray, and more. CGC also offers seamless solutions for autograph collectors with CGC Signature Series and JSA Authentic Autograph services.

CGC is part of the Certified Collectibles Group, a global provider of expert and impartial authentication and grading services for collectibles. Since 1987, the Certified Collectibles Group companies have certified more than 110 million collectibles, including coins, banknotes, comic books, cards, autographs, and stamps.