Welcome to the Online Auctioneer, better known as Don Fluckinger. Each week in Sports Collectors Digest, Don compiles tidbits from the online sports collecting world, from highest bids to oddball sightings.

Here is the latest installment:

SYDNEY SILVER: A couple weeks ago, we guessed that more Olympian items would hit eBay as Beijing fever whipped collectors into a frenzy. This week did not disappoint, as a silver medal won by a Cuban baseball player in the 2000 games came up for bids, tickling the fancy of Olympics mavens and old-faithful baseball collectors. It wasn’t a gold medal, but it earned the gold-medal bid of $18,000 ... and beat out some rarer and more-golden items from past Olympiads we’ve seen come up in the listings during the last month. The $8,100 badge, by the way, was issued to one of the 80 International Olympic Committee members, making it a true limited edition for something other than the sake of collectors.

FAVRE REPORT: Not much to report on the Favre market since he jetted eastward to the land of Joe Namath, except that bulk lots of New York jerseys of questionable licensing (full disclosure: The sellers make zero claim about paying the league and players’ association pipers, so we’re assuming they’re unlicensed) seem to be selling well, presumably for stadium parking-lot hawkers. Otherwise, full-sized Packer helmets are holding at around $500, with gamer jerseys right behind that, and his 1992 Stadium Club No. 663 seems to have taken a little upward bump, as a PSA 10 topped $400 last week. It’s a peculiar time for the Favre market, as some disgruntled Packer backers are moving on and liquidating some of their prized pieces – causing a little glut on the market – while a newly ignited, long-starved fan base in New York suddenly has a superstar player to collect – a superstar way beyond the caliber of Vinny Testaverde, Wayne Chrebet or Al Toon. 

GOLDEN BOY: Michael Phelps was the sporting story of August, and his stuff is nuts on eBay right now (2,500 items listed in August). Items with ironclad authentication – such as a 2005 Upper Deck Hawaii Trade Conference Signature Supremacy card (out of 10) – are closing in the four-figure range, with the above mentioned UD card going for $2,550. Autographed tickets, swim caps, pictures and posters are all up for sale. If you’re expecting to win one that has authentication backed by a major company (such as Upper Deck or PSA) or a reputable eBay dealer with gold-medal feedback and returns policy, expect to pay $500-$1,500 for the pleasure of owning it. A year from now, it will come a lot cheaper.

QUICK QUIZ: Name the Francisco Rodriguez item that garnered the highest bid ($77) this week on eBay: 1. 2008 All-Star game autographed ball; 2. 2008 Topps All-Star letter patch, 1/1; 3. 16-by-20 autographed photo; 4. 2000 Topps Traded Autograph; or 5. 2000 Topps Chrome Traded, BGS 9.5.
 
This guy might be the most dominant closer of all time, in the vortex of the most dominant closer season, ever, and he gets little to no love from collectors. Winning the MVP Award might change all that. For now, item No. 1 is the correct answer.

Top 10 Online Auctions
1. $24,000: 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, PSA 5
2.   18,000: 2000 Sydney Olympics silver medal
3.   15,000: 2007 Red Sox employee WS ring
4.   13,500: 1911 T3 Turkey Red Mordecai Brown
                   Checklist back, PSA 6
5.     8,100: 1948 London Olympics IOC
                   member badge
6.     8,000: 1960-65 Topps baseball set run
7.     7,600: 2008 Beijing relay torch
8.     6,822: 2003-04 UD Exquisite Basketball
                   case
9.     6,000: 1986-87 Fleer Michel Jordan, PSA 10
10.   5,800: 2008 Beijing relay torch