ENTERTAINMENT NEWS:

Barack Obama‘s game-worn Punahou High School basketball jersey from 1978-79 is up for auction. The jersey was worn by the ex-POTUS when he was 18-years-old and comes with the yearbook of its owner, Peter Noble. Noble was three years younger than Obama and reclaimed the jersey, and now presents it alongside a high school journal which features pictures of Obama wearing the shirt in-game.

The 44th President of the United States of America is a well-known basketball fan, having transformed the White House’s tennis court so that it could double up as a basketball court. The former president wore number 23 and, in his senior years, helped his team take home the 1979 Hawaii State Championship. The jersey itself is off-white with white, blue and yellow stripes running down the sides. The same color scheme outlines the armholes and neck, while collegiate lettering on the front and back display his team number and Punahou High School in blue.

Rounding off the nostalgic collector’s piece is a worn-out Rawlings tag and a smattering of dirt, adding to the preloved, game-worn appeal. Take a look at Barack Obama’s old basketball jersey in the gallery above, and head to the auction listing now to make your bid — before the price hits the $100,000 USD estimate.

UPDATE: The tapes that ex-NASA intern Gary George purchased for $218 USD back in 1976 at a Government surplus auction has now been auctioned off by Sotheby’s for a whopping $1.82 million USD, approximately what the auction house estimated its value to be. The bidding started at $700,000 USD, and the winning bidders have decided not to reveal their identities. For a preview of the tapes, Sotheby’s posted a sample clip on it’s own Twitter account, linked below.

The same auction also sold off an array of other Moon landing-related items, such as signed Apollo 11 memorabilia, various original control panels from JFK’s Firing Room 1, and the first and last pages from the Apollo 11 original flight plan that was actually taken on the mission — the last item selling for almost $300,000 USD.

ORIGINAL STORY (July 3, 2019): In 1976, Gary George was an intern at NASA. He was given the opportunity to purchase a set of tapes — among 65 boxes of them — at a Government surplus auction. He won it, paying just $218 USD — and now, those tapes could be worth millions.

George never saw most of the tapes he bought. In the beginning, he mostly resold them to TV stations for a profit. However, he held on to three of them, titled “APOLLO 11 EVA | July 20, 1969 REEL 1 [-3],” thanks to his father’s advice. Those tapes would not see the day of light until 30 years later, when NASA tried to track down footage for the 40th anniversary of the Moon landing, which spurred George to dig the tapes out again and take them to a video archivist. There, George finally realized that he owned the world’s clearest footage of the lunar landing. The two-and-a-half-hour footage covered almost all the most important moments of the mission in sharp imagery, from Neil Armstrong’s first steps on the Moon to an interplanetary conversation with President Richard Nixon to the planting of the American flag. Of course, it wasn’t long until he contacted Sotheby’s for a possible sale.

After checking the tapes, Sotheby’s decided they were “faultless” and valued them at $2 million USD. George will soon be a millionaire thanks to his father’s advice and $218 USD. For those interested in the tapes, bidding will start at $700,000 USD, and begins July 20 on the exact day of the 50th anniversary of the Moon landing. To learn more, head over to Sotheby’s website.

The BMW E9 range of coupés is undoubtedly one of the most prolific to hit the German automakers expansive line of vehicles. Produced between 1968 and 1975, the E9 3.0 CSL model became remarkably successful within the racing circuit but was soon replaced by the first generation of 6 Series grand tourer coupés, the E24. One of these prolific 3.0 CSL models has now hit RM Sotheby’s latest auction block, an inaugural 1972 version that remains in immaculate condition both inside and out.

With only 1,265 models built, the 3.0 CSL was introduced in May of 1972 — the “L” designation symbolized leicht (light) and was achieved through a thinner steel frame that employed aluminum alloy doors, bonnet, and boot lid. Performance-wise the vehicle’s output is rated at 203 brake horsepower, geared with an extensive 286 Nm at 4200 RPM of torque. The model was later discontinued after its 1973 edition, which featured an aerodynamic package as showcased in the model above. Here, a large air dam, short fins, roof spoiler, and a tall rear wing make for an eye-catching exterior that aptly earned itself the “Batmobile” nickname.

The car effectively brought in a new era of racing for BMW, who went on to bring home the European Touring Car Championship in 1973 as well as every year from 1975 to 1979, equally taking home a class win at Le Mans in 1973. The 1972 3.0 CSL pictured is no doubt the most desirable, offered up in a menacing black-on-black color scheme that’s outfitted with the iconic aftermarket aero package.

You can check out the entire vehicle in the gallery above, and if you’re interested head over to RM Sotheby’s to put your bid in on the classic automotive.