Goldin Auctions, one of the major sports auction houses in the sports collectibles industry, has been acquired by eBay, Goldin Auctions announced Wednesday morning. This was part of a series of transactions between eBay and Collectors Holdings, the group that previously owned Goldin Auctions.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. Ken Goldin, CEO and founder of Goldin Auctions, will remain the head of the company, and it will continue to operate independently.
“I’m very excited about the opportunity,” Ken Goldin, CEO and founder of Goldin Auctions, said in a statement to Sportico. “I look forward to introducing the Goldin brand name and the tremendous assortment of high-end collectibles that we have to offer to a whole new audience, and excited about the opportunity that lies ahead for both eBay and Goldin.”
An official announcement from @KenGoldin, Founder and CEO of Goldin, regarding agreement with @eBay 🤝 pic.twitter.com/o4n0OazDAw
— Goldin (@GoldinCo) April 10, 2024
Goldin Auctions, which was started in 2012, was last sold in 2021 to Collectors Holdings, a group owned by New York Mets owner Steve Cohen, venture capitalist Nat Turner and hedge fund billionaire Dan Sundheim.
The other component of the deal included Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) buying the eBay vault. PSA will allow consumers to sell and list trading cards on eBay when a card is graded.
The transaction is expected to close in Q2 of 2024. Centerview Partners is acting as a financial advisor to eBay on the Goldin acquisition. Allen & Company is Collectors Holdings financial advisor and Sullivan and Cromwell is its legal advisor.
(This story has been updated in the last two paragraphs to add additional information about the transaction.)
