A piece of baseball history is about to hit the auction block, and it has the potential to fetch a price as legendary as the player it portrays. Robert Edward Auctions (REA) is set to offer one of only ten known copies of Babe Ruth’s inaugural trading card in its highly anticipated Fall Catalog Auction, which opens today.
The card in question is a 1914 Baltimore News card, graded SGC 3 (VG), and is a rare artifact that showcases a young 19-year-old Ruth during his minor league days with the Baltimore Orioles. Not only is this card known for its depiction of the future baseball icon, but it also features a unique back displaying the team’s schedule.
The significance of this auction cannot be overstated. It marks the first time in over a decade that a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card has been available on the public market, and this particular card is hailed as the finest specimen to be presented at auction in over fifteen years.
Brian Dwyer, President of REA, emphasizes the card’s importance, stating, “The Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is the pinnacle of baseball cards. It is not just a rare sports memorabilia item; it is a significant piece of Americana, representing the beginning of the Babe Ruth legend – a figure synonymous with baseball itself.”
According to the SGC Population Report, the condition of this card is top-tier within its class, outranking all others except for a single PSA 4 in the entire collectibles sphere.
This card’s journey is as remarkable as the player it represents. In June 2021, it joined the private collection of a passionate collector from Florida for an astonishing $6 million, accompanied by fractional ownership opportunities through the Collectable platform. However, the collective ownership was dissolved earlier this year.
The provenance of the card can be traced back to a single Baltimore family, where it remained for a century before its sale earlier this decade. The card delighted the public as part of an exhibition at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum from 1998 until earlier this year. Fans of the Great Bambino and memorabilia collectors will have a chance to view the card once again before the auction. REA is organizing a public display of the card, along with a blue variant, on November 15 from 2-4 PM. Additionally, exclusive private viewings will be held on the evening of November 15 and later in New York City on November 29.
Collectors and enthusiasts eagerly await the upcoming auction, as the Ruth card is set to be the star among a vast collection of 4,000 lots scheduled for November 17 to December 3. Reflecting on the trajectory of sports memorabilia, one cannot ignore REA’s 2012 sale of a PSA 1 example of the card, which fetched over $450,000. This sum, though impressive at the time, pales in comparison to today’s market, where a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card recently shattered records with a staggering $12.6 million sale.
Dwyer perfectly captures the allure of the Ruth card when he states, “This is the dream card, the one that every collector hopes to hold. Its rarity is so extraordinary that those who possess one of these treasures are reluctant to let go. This may very well be the only opportunity to acquire one for many years.”
Undoubtedly, this upcoming auction presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors. The Babe Ruth 1914 Baltimore News card represents not only a valuable collectible but also the genesis of an American sports legend. Its value goes beyond the physical card; it is a tangible representation of Babe Ruth’s legacy and a bygone era of baseball that continues to captivate fans and collectors alike. The auction of this card is more than just a transaction; it is a historic event, celebrating the lasting impact of one of the most iconic figures in sports history. With only a handful of examples in existence and the market for rare sports cards reaching unprecedented heights, this auction could very well see the card achieve an eight-figure selling price, setting a new benchmark in the world of sports collectibles.
