Heritage Auctions experienced its fourth straight year of record sales in 2012, the company has reported. They indicated that total sales of more than $860 million was the highest tally yet for the world’s third largest auction house and largest auctioneer of high-end collectibles. Markets ranging from U.S. Coins, Comics and Comic Art and Historical Americana showed strong gains as did sales of Western Art, which more than tripled over last year, they said.

“Heritage is attracting new buyers across more categories than ever before,” said Steve Ivy, Co-Chairman and CEO of Heritage Auctions. “Both consigners and collectors alike can use our services with the utmost trust, transparency and accessibility.”

U.S. Coins remains the core of Heritage’s business with $218.68 million in sales in 2012, including $174.51 million sold during Signature Auctions. World and Ancient coin sales have seen marked growth over the last four years, increasing 40% to $37.2 million last year – a record achievement bolstered by growth across the board.

Heritage’s Design District Annex saw success in 2012 with auction sales in fine art growing 20% on the year to exceed $45.5 million – the category’s best year ever. Sales of Western and Texas Art more than tripled in 2012, solidifying Heritage as a leader in the category with $10.4 million in total sales. Likewise, Heritage’s antiques and decorative arts sales grew 32% to exceed $7.27 million – highlighted by the largest single collection of Lalique offered at auction at one time, which realized $1.6 million.

Its growing comic book and comic art department saw its fourth record year in a row with sales exceeding $37 million, including Weekly Comic Internet-only auctions which realized $7.4 million – a new record for the subset and a 17% increase over 2011. Heritage’s Vintage Comics & Comic Art Signature Auctions recorded $27.98 million in sales, highlighted by the $657,250 sale of Todd McFarlane’s original cover from The Amazing Spider-Man #328 and the first Calvin and Hobbes Sunday comic strip ever sold at auction, which brought $204,150, as well as by the company’s August auction, which topped $10.4+ million to stand as the highest grossing comic auction ever.

“Diversification has been key to our success,” Ivy said. “We offer a trusted platform for selling diversified, high value collections and estates and collectors have responded to that. We’re the largest auction house capable of delivering success to every aspect of a collection for our consignors and the many record prices we have attained are a testament to that.”

Heritage retained its title as the world’s largest seller of sports memorabilia in 2012 after closing the year with more than $20 million in sales, including private treaty transactions. In August, Heritage offered a set of baseball cards from 1910 popularly referred to as the “Black Swamp Find.” Found in an attic in Defiance, Ohio, the first 37 cards brought $566,131. In May, Heritage auctioned the baseball that rolled between the legs of first baseman Bill Buckner at the 1986 World Series, allowing the New York Mets to win in the 10th inning, for $418,250.

It also was a record year for sales of rare books and manuscripts, with $7.27 million, led by impressive growth in Weekly Internet Rare Books auctions. That total was just exceeded, at $7.3 million, by the Movie Posters category at Heritage, which saw solid sales across the board, led by The Berwick Discovery of Lost Movie Posters, in March, which realized more than $500,000.

Heritage’s budding Luxury Accessories department redefined the category in 2012 with $5.12 million in sales, including a record $3.2 million Handbags & Luxury Accessories Signature Auction, featuring the world’s most exclusive handbag: a Hermès Diamond Birkin, which realized more than $100,000. Luxury Weekly Vintage Internet auctions realized $677,000+ – delivering an average of $700 per lot sold in 2012 and establishing itself as a seamless and affordable entry point to the market.

The Historical category at Heritage, with sales across several subsets, saw a year of substantial growth in 2012, with more than $5.1 million in total prices realized, led by the two Legends of The Wild West auctions, which featured important artifacts relating to a wide array of historical American names, including Abraham Lincoln, Buffalo Bill, Annie Oakley and General Custer.

During 2012, Heritage expanded its website to make bidding easier on HA.com and through Heritage LIVE!, its proprietary bidding software. Collectors may now sign in using PayPal, the most popular payment methods used by collectors on mobile devices. Collectors also may now request text messages to their smartphones when lots they are bidding on, tracking or consigning are coming up for auction.

The growth has sparked expansion in staff at the firm’s Dallas headquarters as well as its locations in New York, San Francisco and Beverly Hills. Additional positions have recently opened in the areas of 20th Century Design, Vintage Firearms, Trusts & Estates and Coins and Currency. A full list may be found on Heritage’s career portal.