Babe Ruth rookie card sets new mark as Mile High Card Co. smashes records in $5.7M auction

A 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card sold for a record $2.46 million to pace Mile High Card Company’s November Auction.

The 1916 M101-4 Sporting News Babe Ruth card, graded PSA 7 NM, set a record for the grade. The card highlighted Mile High’s year-ending auction, which generated more than $5.7M in total sales.

“We were pleased with the outcome of the Ruth rookie card, but the results all across the board only confirm that the hobby is still strong and getting stronger,” said MHCC President and CEO Brian Drent.

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Following the M101-4 Ruth were two of the most significant cards of the modern era: a 1993 SP Foil #279 Derek Jeter (PSA 10 GEM MINT) that sold for $369,628; and a 2017 National Treasures Holo Silver #161 Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Jersey Patch Auto (RPA) (20/25 BGS 9 MINT AUTO 10) that fetched $164,784.

The auction was filled with other record-breaking sales, including:

• a 1950-51 Toleteros Joshua Gibson PSA 4 VG-EX for $106,648, nearly five times the previous record sale for the grade.

• a 1911 T205 Gold Border Ty Cobb PSA 5 EX for $13,729.

• a 1934 Goudey #61 Lou Gehrig SGC 7 NM for $19,003, $8,000 more than the previous high.

• a 1934 Goudey #62 Hank Greenberg PSA 6.5 EX-MT+ for $5,542.

• a 1948 Leaf #8 Satchel Paige PSA 1.5 FAIR for $22,906.

• a 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays PSA 6.5 EX/MT+ for $35,009

• a 1954 Topps #37 Whitey Ford PSA 9 MINT for $21,553, breaking the record by more than $7,000.

• a 1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle Gray Back PSA 8.5 NM/MT+ for $35,009.

• a 1956 Topps #5 Ted Williams Gray Back PSA 9 MINT for $32,274.

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• a 1956 Topps #30 Jackie Robinson Gray Back PSA 9 MINT for $57,035.

• a 1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron PSA 8 NM/MT for $64,515.

• a 1926 Lambert & Butler Who's Who in Sport #2 R.T. Jones PSA 9 MINT, one of the finest in existence, for $43,225, breaking the record set in a previous MHCC auction.

A series of low-pop GEM MINT 1969 Topps baseball cards also obliterated all previous sales records:

• 1969 Topps #55 Jerry Grote PSA 10 GEM MINT at $17,873.

• 1969 Topps #72 Ron Taylor PSA 10 GEM MINT at $30,577.

• 1969 Topps #90 Jerry Koosman PSA 10 GEM MINT at $11,423.

• 1969 Topps #112 J. C. Martin PSA 10 GEM MINT at $15,800.

• 1969 Topps #343 Dan Frisella PSA 10 GEM MINT at $15,800.

• 1969 Topps #364 Tommie Agee PSA 10 GEM MINT at $15,800.

• 1969 Topps #585 Ron Swoboda PSA 10 GEM MINT at $11,543.

• 1969 Topps #601 Tug McGraw PSA 10 GEM MINT at $14,548.

• 1969 Topps #402 Ken Boswell PSA 10 GEM MINT at $15,276.

Other key cards were a pair of 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle cards, graded PSA 3 and PSA 2, selling for $70,367 and $34,210, respectively. Others include:

• a 1948 Leaf #8 Satchel Paige PSA 3 VG for $27,534.

• 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson PSA 5 EX for $34,714.

• 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 6 EX/MT for $44,308.

• 1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell PSA 6.5 EX-MT+ for $42,197.

• 1961 Fleer #8 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 8 NM/MT for $50,548.

• 1961 Fleer #36 Oscar Robertson PSA 8 NM/MT for $21,488.

Among modern cards, a 2000-01 SP Authentic Sign Of The Times Triple #KBMJMG Bryant/Jordan/Johnson 05/25 BGS sold for $45,388; a 2007 U.D. Chronology #138 Michael Jordan Autograph 28/99 PSA DNA Cert 9 MINT for $21,307; and a 2019 Panini Passing The Torch #PTTT-13 Brady/Manning/Mahomes Autograph 1/5 PSA 6 EX/MT Auto 9 netted $17,098.

Collectors of unopened material and memorabilia also scored big, led by a 1979 Chicago Black Hawks/Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky NHL Debut Ticket Stub PSA 3 VG (MK) that closed at $101,567; a pair of 1989 Upper Deck baseball low number unopened wax cases that sold for $7,257 each; 1968 Topps Baseball Wax Pack 3rd Series PSA 8 NM-MT for $6,514; 1971 Topps Baseball Wax Pack 1st Series PSA 7 NM for $4,334; 1996-97 Bowman's Best Basketball Unopened Hobby Box for $5,105; 2012-13 Panini Marquee Basketball Unopened Hobby Case that netted $5,617; and a 2012-13 Panini Basketball Elite Factory Sealed Unopened Hobby Case that fetched $6,169.

An impressive selection of memorabilia was highlighted by an exceptional Babe Ruth-autographed Home Run Ticket 8/11/1926 HR #346 PSA/DNA that sold for $13,501. Other memorabilia included a 1919 Joe Jackson Type I original photograph of Jackson batting (PSA/DNA) for $13,404; and an autographed Ken Griffey Jr. team ball signed when he was 14 Years old (JSA) for $6,169.

Mile High is currently accepting consignments for its first auction of 2022. For more information, call 303-840-2784 or visit www.milehighcardco.com.