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1914 Babe Ruth rookie card trending toward $10 million sell at REA
The rare, iconic 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is coming to auction for the first time in more than a decade, and Robert Edward Auctions estimates it could sell for $10 million or more.
Graded SGC VG 3, the card is one of only 10 examples in existence and the highest grade to appear at auction in more than 15 years, according to REA.
The card will be up for bid in REA’s Fall Auction, which opens Nov. 16 and runs through Dec. 3.
UPDATE: Barely 24 hours into the auction, the card already had a bid of $5.2 million.
The card is Ruth’s first-ever trading card and features the 19-year-old pitcher with his hometown Baltimore Orioles of the International League. Issued in both red and blue variations, the red-and-white image of Ruth is framed by a red border, with the card measuring approximately 2 5/8-by-3 5/8 inches.
The back of the card features Baltimore’s 1914 schedule.
It is the highest-graded example in the SGC Population Report and the second-highest graded example in the hobby, with only a PSA VG-EX 4 graded higher. The last recorded public sales of the card, according to PSA, were in 2012 and 2013, with a Blue PSA 2 grade selling for $575,000 and a Red PSA 1 going for $450,300 in 2013.
REA believes the SGC 3 Ruth card could top $10 million in today's market, possibly challenging the all-time sports card record of $12.6 million for a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card graded SGC 9.5.
“Simply put, the Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is the most significant baseball card ever produced,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. “This card is the genesis of Babe Ruth, a man who transcends the game of baseball. This card is not only one of the most elusive pieces of sports memorabilia, it’s one of the rarest collectibles in American history.”
The REA card has remained in the same Baltimore-area family for more than 100 years and was displayed at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum from 1998 until earlier this year.
The card will be on public display at the museum on Nov. 15 from 2-4 p.m. ET along with a blue variation of the card.
Following the public viewing, REA will co-host a closed reception at the museum from 5-8 PM ET to a select number of guests.
REA will then host a second, exclusive event for prospective bidders at a private location in New York City on Nov. 29 from 5-8 p.m. ET. To attend either the public or private event, please email REA at info@robertedwardauctions.com.
“This is a card that every collector dreams of owning, and with so few examples in existence, there is almost no desire to sell these cards by the few privileged enough to own them. It is very likely to be the only example we’ll see available for purchase for years to come,” Dwyer said.
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