Muhammad Ali Draft Card: Historical Object Could Fetch $5M at Auction

Muhammad Ali’s Recruitment Card at Auction: A Symbol of Defiance and Peace

Muhammad Ali’s historic draft card, which marked his refusal to serve in the Vietnam War, will be auctioned, offering a window into a crucial moment in the legendary boxer’s life and in the history of the anti-war movement. In 1967, Ali refused to sign the card, an act of defiance that resonated amid the growing controversy of the Vietnam War. This decision not only disrupted his successful boxing career, but also made him a symbol of peace and social justice.

Being remembered for my father’s message of courage and conviction is more important now than ever, and the sale of his recruitment card at Christie’s is a powerful way to share that legacy with the world.

Rasheda Ali Walsh, daughter of Muhammad Ali

The online auction, organized by Christie’s, will take place from October 10 to 28. The card, which comes from Ali’s descendants, will be publicly exhibited at the Rockefeller Center in New York until October 21. The document is estimated to reach a value of between 3 and 5 million dollars. The card, which presents Ali’s birth name, Cassius Marcellus Clay Jr., however, with his middle name misspelled, is a singular object associated with a historical event that has had a great impact on our popular culture. Ali, three-time world heavyweight champion, died in 2016 at the age of 74. His funeral was a massive event, with thousands of people paying tribute to his memory. Ali’s refusal to join the army cost him his boxing title and a ban from boxing. He appealed his conviction, arguing that he was a Muslim minister. During his suspension, he spoke at universities and briefly participated in a Broadway musical. He was later allowed to return to boxing. The recruitment card was issued on the day the Louisville recruitment board ordered Ali to report for induction. The card was signed by the local board president, but not by Ali. The Muhammad Ali Center in Louisville, which exhibits the boxer’s legacy, focuses on preserving his humanitarian legacy and promoting his six core principles: spirituality, generosity, conviction, confidence, respect, and dedication. The auction of this recruitment card offers a unique opportunity for collectors to acquire a document intimately linked to one of the most important figures of the last century.