Babe Ruth cards highlight Memory Lane auction; rare Eddie Plank card hammers six figures

Few sports stars have a wider variety of rare and unique trading cards than the biggest sports legend of all time — Babe Ruth.

Ruth cards still command top dollar, regardless of the manufacturer. While Ruth’s 1933 Goudey cards are among his most popular and valuable, the Babe had cards made by a variety of businesses and advertisers. Whether they were made by candy companies, sporting goods stores, or a biscuit maker, they are all in high demand.

Memory Lane Inc. had multiple examples in its Summer Rarities Auction that closed on Sept. 10, with each of them setting sales records for the card.

The top-selling card in the $9.1 million auction was Ruth’s 1917 Standard Biscuit card. Graded SGC 6, the card is one of only four known examples and the highest graded. That rare card drew 32 bids and sold for $462,000.

Another Ruth scarcity, a 1921 National Caramel E220 card, sold for $195,484. The E220 cards were created by a Lancaster, Pa. candy maker, and only a small number still exist. The PSA 5 example is the highest-graded copy on any population report.

In 1921, the Koester Bread company capitalized on the Babe’s popularity, creating its own Ruth card. The 1921 Koester Bread (D383) Ruth, one of only four PSA-graded copies, sold for $87,757.

The same year, Asahina Sporting Goods also produced a Ruth postcard in Japan. The only professionally graded copy (PSA 1.5) sold for $72,198.

In 1923, another candy company got in on the Ruth action. A 1923 Willard Chocolate Ruth card graded a PSA 3 VG sold for $42,515.

Also see: Mickey Mantle cards, rare Ted Williams gem highlight REA September auction

Another one of the most rare and mysterious cards in the hobby also sold for a record price. The T206 Eddie Plank card was pulled from production by the American Tobacco Company, making it one of the scarcest cards in existence. There are only five known examples of the version with the Piedmont Cigarettes advertising back, and at least four of those were from pre-production sheets missing certain inks that would have been used to complete the process. One of those five sold for a record $232,736.

Also see: Tom Brady, Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts cards highlight PWCC auction.

Other Pre-War card highlights include:

• 1909-11 T206 Multi-Strike w/a “Ghost” Cy Young Portrait (Auth) $68,125.

• 1911 M116 Sporting Life Hans Wagner Blue Background (PSA 3 VG) $52,952.

• 1934 Goudey #1 signed Jimmie Foxx Goudey (PSA 4 VG-EX, PSA 8 AUTO) $53,378.

• 1933 Goudey #207 Mel Ott “Batting” (PSA 8 NM-MT) $41,824.

• 1916 H801-9 The Globe Stores #38 Ty Cobb (PSA 6.5 EX-MT+) $26,316.

Several Post-War cards also attracted big sales. Among the top sellers were:

• A 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 5) $133,906.

• 1954 Topps Al Kaline rookie (PSA 9) $43,915.

• 1976 Topps #500 Reggie Jackson (PSA 10) $41,824.

• 1948-49 Leaf #76 Ted Williams (PSA 8.5) $40,823.

• 1954 Topps #94 Ernie Banks rookie (PSA 8) $25,063.

• Three cards from the 1953 Topps set also had notable sales: Clem Labine (PSA 9) $31,555; Monte Irvin (PSA 9) $30,768; and Johnny Wyrostek (PSA 8.5) $25,960.

Among basketball cards, Michael Jordan’s 1986-87 Fleer rookie card, graded PSA 10, sold for $217,295. An unopened Fleer pack with Jordan on the front sold for $26,960 in a PSA 8 holder, while an unopened box of 36 Fleer packs went for $144,692.

Also see: Top 10 eBay Sales: Rare Michael Jordan "Intimidation" card sells for big dollars.

Other key basketball sales include: a 1969-70 Elgin Baylor rookie card (Gem Mint 10) for $193,368; and a 1972 Icee Bear Pete Maravich (PSA 10) for $14,656.

Among football cards, several high-grade vintage sets were in the spotlight. The number one ranked 1969 Topps set on the PSA Set Registry (187 of 263 cards, PSA 9) sold for $43,564. The eighth-best 1952 Bowman Large football set sold for $48,416.

Among the single card football highlights was a 1962 Topps Mike Ditka rookie card (PSA 8) that climbed to $14,298.

Among game-used items, the signed and inscribed Louisville Slugger bat Baseball Hall of Famer Robin Yount used for his 3,000^th career hit (Sept. 9, 1992) sold for $291,770.