In the unassuming landscapes of Northeast Ohio, an attic has traded in its humble role as a storage vault for dusty keepsakes to play the part of a glittering treasure chest. Within it, amid cobwebs and old memories, was a cigar box, not filled with cigars but with a slice of baseball history that would soon send ripples through the world of collectors. This box didn’t just contain mere cards; it housed the legendary visage of Babe Ruth on a range of vintage baseball cards. This overlooked relic recently underwent a transformation from attic anonymity to auction glory, banking an eye-popping $120,000 in a digital bidding frenzy hosted by Stark County’s esteemed Kiko Auctions.
The fortunate finders of these baseball card treasures wish to remain anonymous, content with their simple narration as siblings clearing out a lifetime’s accumulation in their late parents’ home. Yet their tale could well be the ambitions of collectors everywhere: stumbling upon a hidden jackpot amid the overlooked rubble of past possessions. The family sensed value in their unexpected inheritance, and what a savvy instinct it turned out to be.
Sorting through their parents’ belongings, they unearthed a hoard rich with nostalgia—a massive collection that became the highlight of the auction extravaganza. The auction event, stretched from May 28 to June 2, experienced a surge of enthusiasm with 623 lots showcased, predominantly baseball cards. Over 200 of these entries took pride of place from the illustrious 1933 Goudey Big League Gum set—a set revered in card-collector circles not just for its good looks but as the pioneers of adding a stick of gum with every pack, a marketing stroke of genius that saw its popularity climb steep hills.
For novices in this intricate hobby, the 1933 Goudey set is akin to finding the Holy Grail of baseball cards, not least because it’s graced with the card face of many Hall of Famers, thus presenting itself as an irresistible acquisition for serious collectors. By the auction’s finish, eager participants had offered bids amounting to precisely $120,699. Tackling a 10% internet premium and a 6.5% sales tax, buyers collectively parted ways with a sum that inflated to comfortably over $140,000.
Throughout the fervor of the virtual auction, one perceptive bidder stood out, seemingly garnering a significant portion of the prized collection. This fervor climaxed with a singular card that stood head and shoulders above the fray—a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card, magnificently adorned with a striking red backdrop. It achieved a grand price of $8,000. All told, the five Ruth cards together raised a tidy sum of $35,250 prior to the addition of fees and taxes.
Despite the skin-deep assessment potential buyers faced—the cards came in assorted conditions with none subjected to the professional scrutiny of grading—the absence of such grading didn’t dissuade the winning bidders. That’s the essence of the game in vintage card collecting—a sprinkling of risk gloriously entwined with the thrill of discovery, the gamble balanced on the knife-edge of potential and history.
From the obscurity of an Ohio attic to screens across the globe, these baseball mementos from America’s cherished pastime have not only traded hands but reignited a fervor, proving the timeless appeal of Babe Ruth and baseball’s nostalgic allure. Above all, these cards affirmed that both the spirit of the game and an attic’s unassuming potential can leave the world not just dreaming of past glories but actively reaching for them, one bid at a time.
