Rare Joe DiMaggio/Marilyn Monroe Autographed Ball for Sale

A unique autographed baseball sporting the original signatures of Hall of Famer Joe DiMaggio and his former wife, actress Marilyn Monroe, will be offered for sale by Heritage Auction Galleries later this month. The ball is from the estate of the late Associated Press photographer, Harry Harris, who obtained the signatures during the Yankees 1961 spring training in Florida when the Yankees slugger and Monroe were attempting to reconcile after their divorce.

The signatures are bold and clear and are located on the same panel of the ball. This is the only known baseball autographed by both DiMaggio and Monroe with her name as “Marilyn Monroe,” according to Heritage. The only other known baseball autographed by the celebrity couple – signed “Joe DiMaggio” and “Norma Jean DiMaggio” – sold for $50,000 in 1999.

Harris, who shot many famous photos, including President John F. Kennedy lying in state beneath a statue of President Abraham Lincoln, turned down a $5,000 offer to sell the ball 45 years ago. The unique DiMaggio/Monroe signature baseball carries a pre-auction estimate of $100,000.