Babe Ruth Cards
1916 rookie
Intro
The earliest trading card displaying "Ruth - pitcher" is a poor quality monochrome local edition by the Baltimore News. Ruth left Baltimore in July 1914 to make his MLB debut with the Boston Red Sox.
The MLB rookie card of the future super-champion, published in 1916, is much more satisfactory. He was caught in action, watching where is the ball which he just threw. He has not yet retrieved his balance and the slightly angled view makes him appear slimmer than life. The monochrome sepia print is very neat. He is already identified by his famous nickname 'Babe Ruth'.
Who produced this legendary image ? Original inscriptions are absent, which is often the case when the publisher's main clients are companies that use the back side for their advertising. The Sporting News is not the editor but one of such advertisers, like the Standard Biscuit Company. The real author appears to be a Chicago photographer named Felix Mendelsohn, almost a namesake of the musician.
The American Card Catalog, which defined the denominations of all series in 1939, did a commendable job but without resolving such ambiguities. So Babe Ruth's rookie card is in the M101-4 and M101-5 series with a Sporting News or blank back and D350 with a Standard Biscuit back.
The three series have about 200 positions each. For the 30 players identified with the same position number, it is impossible to know if a card belongs to M101-4 or -5. The Ruth card has the number 151 in all three. M101-5 may be earlier than M101-4.
Still worse : the denomination M101, from -1 to -7, gathers alongside -4 and -5 Sporting News supplements and postcards plus photos later published under an FM copyright, although no other joint operation between the magazine and Mendelsohn is known.
The MLB rookie card of the future super-champion, published in 1916, is much more satisfactory. He was caught in action, watching where is the ball which he just threw. He has not yet retrieved his balance and the slightly angled view makes him appear slimmer than life. The monochrome sepia print is very neat. He is already identified by his famous nickname 'Babe Ruth'.
Who produced this legendary image ? Original inscriptions are absent, which is often the case when the publisher's main clients are companies that use the back side for their advertising. The Sporting News is not the editor but one of such advertisers, like the Standard Biscuit Company. The real author appears to be a Chicago photographer named Felix Mendelsohn, almost a namesake of the musician.
The American Card Catalog, which defined the denominations of all series in 1939, did a commendable job but without resolving such ambiguities. So Babe Ruth's rookie card is in the M101-4 and M101-5 series with a Sporting News or blank back and D350 with a Standard Biscuit back.
The three series have about 200 positions each. For the 30 players identified with the same position number, it is impossible to know if a card belongs to M101-4 or -5. The Ruth card has the number 151 in all three. M101-5 may be earlier than M101-4.
Still worse : the denomination M101, from -1 to -7, gathers alongside -4 and -5 Sporting News supplements and postcards plus photos later published under an FM copyright, although no other joint operation between the magazine and Mendelsohn is known.
1
NM7 by PSA
2021 SOLD for $ 2.46M by Mile High Card
An M101-4-151 with blank back rated NM 7 by PSA was sold for $ 2.46M on November 11, 2021 by Mile High Card, lot 1.
Consignments are absolutely phenomenal at the 41st National Sports Collectors Convention this amazing card will be in our Fall auction consign at booth 612/614 @milehighcard pic.twitter.com/viPLfEp3Jj
— Mile High Card Co (@milehighcard) July 31, 2021
2
NM 7 by SGC
2023 SOLD for $ 1.77M by Heritage
An M101-4-151 Babe Ruth rookie card with a Sporting News back has been graded NM 7 by SGC. Its centering is better than usual for this edition.
It was sold for $ 1.77M by Heritage on February 25, 2023, lot 80012. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
It was sold for $ 1.77M by Heritage on February 25, 2023, lot 80012. Please watch the video shared by the auction house.
3
NM7 by PSA
2016 SOLD for $ 720K by Heritage
An M101-5-151 with blank back rated NM 7 by PSA was sold for $ 720K by Heritage on August 27, 2016, lot 80001.
4
EX-MT6 by PSA
2022 SOLD for $ 1.5M by Goldin
An M101-4-151 with The Sporting News back, graded EX-MT 6 by PSA, was sold for $ 940K by Memory Lane on March 20, 2021, lot 1, and for $ 1.5M by Goldin on April 30, 2022, lot 5.
This card is perfectly centered with sharp corners. A small stain in a corner prevented a higher level. It is bested in PSA database by one NM-MT8 and one NM7.
This card is perfectly centered with sharp corners. A small stain in a corner prevented a higher level. It is bested in PSA database by one NM-MT8 and one NM7.
“This is the ultimate card to own!” □
— Ken Goldin (@KenGoldin) April 21, 2022
Current Bid: $610,000 pic.twitter.com/6KjbuOHhUe
5
EX-MT 6 by PSA
2021 SOLD for $ 1.45M by Memory Lane
The Ruth rookie card from the Newman collection has a Sporting News back. Graded EX-MT 6 by PSA, it is one of 4 in that grade with 2 higher. It was sold for $ 1.45M by Memory Lane on July 10, 2021, lot 3.
1933 Goudey
Intro
Inserted in cigarette or tobacco packs, the baseball card falls into disuse during World War I. Some manufacturers of caramel or chocolate candies barely maintain this tradition. Lovers of images prefer postcards.
Goudey Gum Company is a leader in the chewing gum market. The founder of the company retires in 1932. In 1933 the new management includes silkscreen printed cards in the gum packs. The drawing executed from a photograph is simple and the colors are bright. The back includes in full format a short descriptive text beside the identification of the publisher, which was much more attractive at that place than on a postcard.
The most important series is devoted entirely to baseball players under the title of Big League Chewing Gum. Its 240 images are published by Goudey in Boston. 94 of them are renumbered and published in Montreal by World Wide Gum Company which was the Goudey branch in Canada.
The editions released in the same year include a multi-sport series of 48 cards for the Sport Kings chewing gum, 216 Indian views for the Indian chewing gum and two other series of 48 cards : Boy Scouts and Sea Raiders.
The Goudey Big League series, inserted in 1933 and 1934 in the Gum wax packs of that brand, brings a quality glow within the decadence of the 1930s trading cards, in competition with postcards. It is made of 240 positions including four Babe Ruth at position numbers 53, 144, 149, 181. Number 181 is a close-up portrait on which the leaning champion carefully observes an action out of the field of view. This picture is not included in the other series.
In order for young collectors to continue buying the gum, the number 106 of the 1933 series was originally not used. The deception has been discovered. In the following year Goudey created a 1933-106 to provide it to angry fans. This card with the effigy of retired champion Napoleon Lajoie is the rarest in the series and no copy was stained by gum. A 1933-106 graded Mint 9 by PSA was sold for $ 230K by Goldin on October 1, 2016.
A sale dedicated to 1933 Goudey by Heritage on January 24, 2019 highlighted three cards graded Mint 9 by PSA : a Gehrig sold for $ 580K and two Ruth for $ 530K (# 144) and $ 460K (# 181). Two years before, a VG-EX 4 Goudey-Ruth cards did not exceed $ 15K and signed cards were of interest only to specialist collectors.
Goudey Gum Company is a leader in the chewing gum market. The founder of the company retires in 1932. In 1933 the new management includes silkscreen printed cards in the gum packs. The drawing executed from a photograph is simple and the colors are bright. The back includes in full format a short descriptive text beside the identification of the publisher, which was much more attractive at that place than on a postcard.
The most important series is devoted entirely to baseball players under the title of Big League Chewing Gum. Its 240 images are published by Goudey in Boston. 94 of them are renumbered and published in Montreal by World Wide Gum Company which was the Goudey branch in Canada.
The editions released in the same year include a multi-sport series of 48 cards for the Sport Kings chewing gum, 216 Indian views for the Indian chewing gum and two other series of 48 cards : Boy Scouts and Sea Raiders.
The Goudey Big League series, inserted in 1933 and 1934 in the Gum wax packs of that brand, brings a quality glow within the decadence of the 1930s trading cards, in competition with postcards. It is made of 240 positions including four Babe Ruth at position numbers 53, 144, 149, 181. Number 181 is a close-up portrait on which the leaning champion carefully observes an action out of the field of view. This picture is not included in the other series.
In order for young collectors to continue buying the gum, the number 106 of the 1933 series was originally not used. The deception has been discovered. In the following year Goudey created a 1933-106 to provide it to angry fans. This card with the effigy of retired champion Napoleon Lajoie is the rarest in the series and no copy was stained by gum. A 1933-106 graded Mint 9 by PSA was sold for $ 230K by Goldin on October 1, 2016.
A sale dedicated to 1933 Goudey by Heritage on January 24, 2019 highlighted three cards graded Mint 9 by PSA : a Gehrig sold for $ 580K and two Ruth for $ 530K (# 144) and $ 460K (# 181). Two years before, a VG-EX 4 Goudey-Ruth cards did not exceed $ 15K and signed cards were of interest only to specialist collectors.
1
# 53 Mint 9 by PSA
2021 SOLD for $ 4.2M by Memory Lane
The star lot of the collection of the late Thomas Newman was a 1933 Goudey # 53 featuring Ruth with bat on shoulder and yellow background. It was sold for $ 4.2M by Memory Lane on July 10, 2021, lot 1. It is the only card of this position graded Mint 9 by PSA with none higher and none equal or higher by SGC.
2
# 53 NM-MT 8 by PSA
2022 SOLD for $ 940K by Memory Lane
A 1933 Goudey card # 53 featuring Babe Ruth on a yellow background was sold for $ 940K by Memory Lane on May 21, 2022, lot 1. It is one of 14 units graded NM-MT 8 by PSA.
Its visual brilliance like pack fresh is considered by Memory Lane as better than the Newman example having the only higher grade granted by PSA on this variety, sold for $ 4.2M by the same auction house in 2021.
Its visual brilliance like pack fresh is considered by Memory Lane as better than the Newman example having the only higher grade granted by PSA on this variety, sold for $ 4.2M by the same auction house in 2021.
3
# 144 NM-MT+ 8.5 by PSA
2023 SOLD for $ 1.07M by Heritage
A 1933 Goudey # 144 graded NM- MT+ 8.5 by PSA was sold for $ 1.07M by Heritage on August 19, 2023,
4
# 181 Mint 9 by PSA
2021 SOLD for $ 1.27M by Memory Lane
The PSA graded population of the 1933 Goudey # 181 featuring Ruth with resting elbow and green background includes a single Gem Mint 10 and a total of six Mint 9.
Also graded Mint 9 by PSA, the example from the Newman collection was sold for $ 1.27M by Memory Lane on July 10, 2021, lot 2.
On August 2, 2018, Goldin sold for $ 320K as lot 21 a copy of the Goudey 1933-181 graded Mint 9 by PSA, very rare in this condition with perfect centering, very fresh colors, very clean edges and the four corners intact. Another Mint 9 example was sold for $ 460K by Heritage on January 24, 2019, lot 50181.
Also graded Mint 9 by PSA, the example from the Newman collection was sold for $ 1.27M by Memory Lane on July 10, 2021, lot 2.
On August 2, 2018, Goldin sold for $ 320K as lot 21 a copy of the Goudey 1933-181 graded Mint 9 by PSA, very rare in this condition with perfect centering, very fresh colors, very clean edges and the four corners intact. Another Mint 9 example was sold for $ 460K by Heritage on January 24, 2019, lot 50181.
5
autographed # 149
2021 SOLD for $ 760K by Wheatland
Uncle Jimmy has spent his entire life indulging in one passion, collecting baseball images. He did not get married and never owned a car. He took the train to attend matches and shows where he hunted the autographs of the champions. He also obtained them by a correspondence which he had of course kept.
He died on March 8, 2020, too early to witness the great euphoria in the sports card market. He was 97 years old and was still maintaining his collection. His heirs were amazed to discover the extent of this accumulation. Wheatland dedicated five sessions to this heirloom. The cards were graded by PSA. Please watch the video shared on YouTube by CBS.
The Goudey card series of 1933 and 1934 was the best in period. It is not surprising that it appealed the teenager. Uncle Jimmy's collection had six signed by Ruth and two signed by Gehrig.
In October 2020, a VG-EX 4 Goudey-Ruth with an 8 autograph grade was sold for $ 440K. In August 2020, a Goudey-Ruth # 149 graded VG-EX+ 4.5 with autograph grade 6 was sold for $ 325K. On February 21, 2021, the other copy of the same position, graded VG-EX 4 with an autograph graded 8, was sold for $ 760K, lot 56.
He died on March 8, 2020, too early to witness the great euphoria in the sports card market. He was 97 years old and was still maintaining his collection. His heirs were amazed to discover the extent of this accumulation. Wheatland dedicated five sessions to this heirloom. The cards were graded by PSA. Please watch the video shared on YouTube by CBS.
The Goudey card series of 1933 and 1934 was the best in period. It is not surprising that it appealed the teenager. Uncle Jimmy's collection had six signed by Ruth and two signed by Gehrig.
In October 2020, a VG-EX 4 Goudey-Ruth with an 8 autograph grade was sold for $ 440K. In August 2020, a Goudey-Ruth # 149 graded VG-EX+ 4.5 with autograph grade 6 was sold for $ 325K. On February 21, 2021, the other copy of the same position, graded VG-EX 4 with an autograph graded 8, was sold for $ 760K, lot 56.
