Jackie Robinson's first Major League contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers is up for auction

Nearly 72 years ago, Jackie Robinson broke baseball's color barrier when he started for the Brooklyn Dodgers on April 15, 1947. Four days prior, he made history by becoming the first black player to sign with a Major League team.
On Monday, Robinson's first contract from April 11, 1947 -- signed by Robinson, Dodgers President Branch Rickey and National League President Ford Frick -- went up for auction along with his 1945 Minor League contract with the Montreal Royals. 

[Robinson's contract with the Montreal Royals]
The items together have been appraised at $36 million with bidding starting at $5 million. According to the company auctioning the contracts, 10 percent of the final price will be donated to the Jackie Robinson Foundation, which provides college scholarships for students of color. 

[Robinson's first contract with the Dodgers]
The 1947 contract with the Dodgers stipulates that Robinson will receive $5,000 for the season while the Minor League contract offers him $600 per month during the season. It's fair to say that those deals will end up not being worth the paper they were printed on.