One Of Palmer's Masters Trophies Goes For $444K

Darren Rovell at ESPN.com provides a few details about the anonymous purchase via auction, as well as the backstory of how the Masters trophy initially ended up in private hands.

It's the second-highest price paid to Green Jacket Auctions for a piece of golf memorabilia and maybe to anyone, going for about $240,000 less than Horton Smith's 1936 Masters jacket. And who says the golf collectables market is dead? Though I'm not sure this will have the impact on attracting new collectors that some hope...

"Arnie did it again," said Ryan Carey, co-owner of Green Jacket Auctions. "We knew that this was a special piece, but even we were impressed by the level of interest from Arnold Palmer fans. Simply put, people love Arnold Palmer. There's a strong case to be made that Arnold Palmer is destined to become the face of the modern golf collecting hobby."