Ruth Rookie Sells for $100,000 in ‘I Own It Now’ Sale

A 1916 Sporting News Babe Ruth rookie card ($100,000) and Billy Sims’ 1978 Heisman Trophy ring ($18,500) were among the items changing hands in Memory Lane Inc’s recent I Own it Now sale. Numerous individual sports cards, sets and memorabilia were sold in the unique, two-week event.

Tens of thousands of dollars were spent on items spanning virtually the entire 20th century of sports collectibles. I Own it Now offers a collection of premier items offered for sale by consignors. Collectors can choose to purchase at a listed selling price or wait through an initial offering period in hopes an item they want doesn’t sell. An offer can then be made to the seller who can either accept it or reject it.

“This was our fourth I Own it Now event and collectors seem to be intrigued by it,” said Memory Lane’s J.P. Cohen. “They jump on the phones as soon as we open to grab something they don’t think is going to last long like the Ruth rookie card. Others try to wait it out and make a deal.”

Among the other items sold were a pair of Ruth owned bats ($15,995 and $14,995); a 1913 Fatima Team Card set, ranked second on the PSA Set Registry with a GPA of 4.45 ($24,950); a 1910 T210 Old Mill Casey Stengel rookie card graded PSA 4 ($13,500); a high grade 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig #92 ($10,995); a 1925 Gehrig Exhibit rookie card ($2,350); a 1927 York Caramels Ruth ($$2,750); a high-grade 1966-67 Topps Bobby Orr rookie card ($14,995); a NM/MT 1953 Topps Willie Mays ($10,495) ;a 1950 Bowman Elroy Hirsch graded PSA 10 ($9,900) ; a 1954 Dan Dee Mantle graded PSA 7 ($2,995); a 1957 Topps Mantle graded PSA 8 ($2,795); and a PSA 8 1965 Topps Joe Namath rookie card ($4,995).

Memory Lane will offer its next I Own it Now catalog early in 2012. To receive free catalogs, register for the auction or consign items to the upcoming events, contact Memory Lane via their website (http://www.memorylaneinc.com) or by phone at (714) 730-0600.