Historic golf ball set to sell for incredible price

A golf ball dating back to 1840 is set to sell for an incredible amount of money.

The 182-year-old ball is one of more than 75 antique balls being auctioned off by expert Jeff Ellis.

It features the stamp of Allan Robertson, mentor of Old Tom Morris and an iconic ballmaker.

The “feathery”, which has never been used, features Robertson’s name in his own handwriting, as well as the number 29 in reference to its size and weight.

The good news is the auction is open to anyone. The bad news… well, the bidding is currently at $4,800 and rising.

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“I’ve not seen a collection of historic golf balls like this come out to the market in one shot in a long time,” Ellis told Golf Digest.

“To find a mint ball like this is a real treasure.”

It’s not the only ball attracting attention at Ellis’ auction, either. Another is perhaps even more historically significant.

A “gutta percha” is up for sale, an example of the ball which caused a disagreement between Robertson and Morris. The ball in question is in such good condition that the latter’s stamp can be clearly seen, indicating he hammered the dimple pattern himself.

That ball is already fetching bids of $3,800.

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“It’s dang rare,” Ellis said. 

“Its imperfections are authentic. The imperfections are what makes it real. What’s remarkable about this ball is its condition. You can find others that might have that T. MORRIS stamping but some of the letters are missing. The character of the ball, everything about it, has great age.

“There are a lot more Allan Robertson feather balls out there than there are Tom Morris hand-hammered gutta percha balls. So that is going to be the defining motivation for the bids, its rarity.”

Interested in bidding for any of the 75 balls at the auction? You’ll need to make an initial bid by September 17. Click here for more information.