Baseball

Babe Ruth Still Dominating Auctions

Memory Lane Inc. has concluded its Fall 2021 auction. On the heels of this summer’s prized Babe Ruth card sales from the incredible Dr. Thomas Newman Collection. Collectors Dashbaord noticed that a rather large number of Babe Ruth cards and signatures sold in the October 2021 auction.

There is one key verdict here – Babe Ruth is still dominating auctions! His cards may not be the only cards that are dominating, but they aren’t anywhere close to floundering either.

Collectors Dashboard has highlighted how some Babe Ruth cards can still be purchased for close to or under $1,000 in some occasions. These prices from Memory Lane are very much not close to $1,000 as the prices went for six-figures in some cases.

A SGC 8.5 graded Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey #53, which is only a population of 1 in the Combined PSA & SGC population charts (and was the highest graded example by SGC) had an opening bid of $200,000. After 19 bids the final price was $456,000. Memory Lane laid out a nice tribute to the condition and how it got here:

Our utmost compliments to the previous owners who meticulously “passed the baton” and preserved this revered gem since its original 1933 issue date. The hobby has defined an overwhelming mystique for low population prestigious cards, and considering this momentous Ruth offering firmly stands as one of the two best preserved examples on the planet, it certainly merits the prominent distinction of becoming an additional member of the prestigious Goudey Ruth seven-figure club. Similar to the previous “Mint 9” Goudey Ruth sale, this Cooperstown worthy masterpiece will once again prompt an electrifying bidding frenzy among the hobby’s most advanced enthusiasts.

1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53

Other key babe Ruth items from Memory Lane’s Fall 2021 auction were included below.

1921 E121 George Ruth “Series of 80” PSA 7 (PD), with a population of 1 and considered to be the highest graded example from the combined PSA/SGC charts, had an opening bid of $25,000. After 44 bids it sold for $243,484.

There are single signed Babe Ruth baseballs, and then there are high-end single signed baseballs. A “Home Run Special” Babe Ruth signed baseball with a PSA/DNA letter of authenticity (Grade 8 NM/MT) had an opening bid of $3,500, but after 37 bids sold for $50,854.

An encapsulated souvenir postcard-sized photo from circa-1934 that is a Babe Ruth signed “Tour of Japan” with Ruth batting (PSA 8) had an opening bid of $7,500 and commanded 16 bids for a final price of $31,210.

1933 Goudey #53 autographed Babe Ruth (PSA 8 NM/MT Autograph) was listed as only 1 of 6 PSA authentic signed examples for the #53 Goudey cards started at a $25,000 bid. After 32 bids it sold for $135,484.

1920 Babe Ruth M101-6 Felix Mendelsohn graded SGC 2.5, listed as Babe Ruth’s first mainstream New York Yankees card was listed as only population 2 and only 3 graded higher on the SGC population reports. After a $5,000 opening big it took in 27 bids and ultimately sold for $42,864.

1921 E121 American Caramel Babe Ruth was listed as ‘No Quotes’ in the Series of 80 and graded PSA 4 with a $15,000 minimum bid. After 20 bids it commanded $52,182 in the auction.

1922 W575-1 “Babe” Ruth (listed as ultra-scarce with “Babe in quotes variation” was graded PSA 2.5 with a population of only 1 and only 1 PSA example graded higher. The minimum bid of $5,000 ended up commanding $38,879 after 28 bids.

1932 U.S. Caramel #32 Babe Ruth graded SGC 3 had an opening bid of $4,000. After 13 bids it took in $15,062.

1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth SGC 3 VG had an opening bid of $3,000.00 and sold for $16,538.00 after 23 bids.

1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth PSA 3 VG had an opening bid of $2,500.00 and sold for $15,168.00 after 19 bids.

1933 Goudey #181 Babe Ruth PSA 5 had an opening bid of $5,000.00 and sold for $60,313.20 after 35 bids.

1933 Sport Kings Gum #2 Babe Ruth SGC 4 VG-EX had an opening bid of $2,000.00 and sold for $12,134.40 after 18 bids.

1933 R337 Eclipse Import #402 Babe Ruth PSA 7 NM had an opening bid of $7,500.00 and sold for $28,308.00 after 14 bids.

1933 Goudey #53 SGC 8.5 had and opening bid of $200,000.00 and sold for $456,000.00 after 19 bids.

These prices are all quite impressive all things considered with the ups and downs of 2021. Then again, the Mickey Mantle high-grade cards also commanded a significant premium by and large in this same auction.