The “rarest of all” presidential artifacts — a football signed by six presidents — is heading to auction next week, where it is expected to draw intense interest and a possible $15,000 bid.
The Wilson NFL football was signed by former Presidents Jimmy Carter, George H.W. Bush, Bill Clinton, George W. Bush, Barack Obama, and Donald Trump. Most also wrote their presidential number, just like the players do when autographing items.
“This is a rarer piece than most laymen would believe. Presidents rarely if ever sign adding their numerical order in the sequence of presidents. Additionally, signed footballs are perhaps even rarer, and this football is perhaps the rarest of all,” said the Maryland auction house, Alexander Historical Auctions.
The online auction is scheduled for Nov. 14. As of Friday, the bidding had started at $6,500.
Alexander President Bill Panagopulos told Washington Secrets that Wilson made 100 of the specialty footballs, and they were given to top White House staff and U.S. Secret Service members.
His write-up of the item did not reveal the consignor.
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It said, instead, that the ball is “A very rare piece signed from the only period in our history when six presidents were alive at the same time. Obtained in person by a highly-placed security agent.”
Trump’s signature is the biggest and maybe the rarest. The reason, said the write-up, “Trump is not known to sign items signed by other presidents.”