Pope Francis Autographed Baseball Could Fetch $15K at Auction After Death

Pope Francis’ Autographed Baseball to Be Auctioned Following His Passing

A baseball signed by Pope Francis is set to be auctioned off after his death, with the possibility of fetching a five-figure sum.

The late pontiff autographed the Rawlings MLB ball with “Francisco” in black felt-tip pen several years ago, and now the memento is hitting the market posthumously.

The baseball will be up for bidding at RR Auction, where it is anticipated to sell for at least $15,000.

Randy L. Kaplan, a government affairs specialist in New York, obtained the signed ball after collaborating with the Vatican to secure autographs from Francis and Pope Benedict XVI on baseballs.

Kaplan has been collecting signed Major League baseballs from world leaders and heads of state since 1996, starting with Bill Clinton, and boasts a collection of over 450 signed balls.

The winning bidder will also receive Kaplan’s correspondence with Vatican officials regarding his efforts to procure the signatures from Francis and Benedict XVI.

One of the letters, from Cardinal Peter K. A. Turkson, acknowledges the oversight of signing the baseballs before realizing they were meant for the Popes, apologizing for the mistake.

Pope Francis passed away at the age of 88 on Monday due to a stroke and heart failure.

The auction is scheduled to conclude on May 14.