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Rare Babe Ruth card could bring record price in Mile High auction
Rare Babe Ruth cards always attract big dollars and Mile High Card Company has one that could challenge records.
Mile High’s November Auction features a 1916 M101-4 Sporting News Blank-Back Babe Ruth rookie card graded PSA 7 NM. Mile High CEO and President Brian Drent believes the card could crack the top 10 for the highest-selling cards of all time.
“I can’t tell you one way or the other how it will turn out, but value aside, I’d rather have this Ruth rookie card over several of the cards on that list,” Drent said.
For comparison, another PSA 7 example of the card sold for $3 million in a private sale earlier this year. A PSA 6 sold for $1.4 million in the Thomas Newman Auction at Memory Lane in July.
The Mile High auction begins Monday, October 25 and closes Nov. 11.
The auction also features two highly sought-after modern cards: a 1993 SP Foil #279 Derek Jeter PSA 10 GEM MINT; and a 2017 National Treasures Holo Silver #161 Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Jersey Patch Auto (RPA) 20/25 BGS 9 MINT AUTO 10.
Another PSA 10 of the Jeter card sold for $492,000 at Goldin Auctions in May and has an average price of $480,000, according to PSA. The National Treasures Mahomes rookie auto patch cards is a version of Mahomes’ top rookie card and has also fetched high prices. A special 1/1 example of the card featuring the NFL Shield sold for $4.3 million in July to set the all-time record for football cards.
Among other attractive vintage cards in the auction are:
• Two 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle cards, graded PSA 3 and PSA 2
• 1948 Leaf #8 Satchel Paige PSA 3 VG
• 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson PSA 5 EX
• 1950-51 Toleteros Joshua Gibson PSA 4 VG-EX
• 1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle PSA 6 EX/MT
• 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays PSA 6.5 EX/MT+
• 1956 Topps #135 Mickey Mantle Gray Back PSA 8.5 NM/MT+
• 1956 Topps #30 Jackie Robinson Gray Back PSA 9 MINT
• 1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron PSA 8 NM/MT
• 1957 Topps #77 Bill Russell PSA 6.5 EX-MT+
• 1961 Fleer #8 Wilt Chamberlain PSA 8 NM/MT
• 1961 Fleer #36 Oscar Robertson PSA 8 NM/MT
Modern cards in the auction include:
• 2000-01 SP Authentic Sign Of The Times Triple #KBMJMG Bryant/Jordan/Johnson 05/25 BGS
• 2007 Upper Deck Premier Trios Autographs #PTJJJ Jordan Lebron Magic 12/15 PSA 8.5 NM-MT+
• 2019 Panini Passing The Torch #PTTT-13 Brady/Manning/Mahomes Autograph 1/5 PSA 6 EX/MT Auto 9
• 2019-20 Panini Spectra Nebula #109 Zion Williamson 1/1 BGS 9.5 GEM MINT
Babe Ruth also tops an impressive list sports memorabilia, which includes:
• An exceptional Babe Ruth autographed Home Run Ticket 8/11/1926 HR #346 PSA/DNA.
• 1919 Joe Jackson Type I original photograph with an image of Jackson batting PSA/DNA.
• Babe Ruth-signed original studio photograph JSA Full Letter
• Rare Jimmie Foxx and Al Simmons-signed OAL (Barnard) Ball JSA
• Ken Griffey Jr. signed team ball when he was 14 years old JSA
• 1979 Chicago Blackhawks/Edmonton Oilers Wayne Gretzky NHL debut ticket ttub PSA 3 VG (MK).
Among the unopened boxes and packs are:
• 1989 Upper Deck baseball low number unopened wax case
• 1996-97 Bowman's Best Basketball unopened Hobby Box
• 1985 Nike Promo Set Michael Jordan unopened pack
• 2012-13 Panini Marquee Basketball unopened Hobby Case
• 2012-13 Panini Basketball Elite Factory Sealed unopened Hobby Case.
Complete sets include:
• 1911 T201 Mecca Double Folder Complete Set — completely PSA Graded #10 on PSA Set Registry
• 1986 Fleer Complete Set With PSA 8 Jordan
• 1960 Topps Football Complete Set #3 Finest on PSA Set Registry
• 1971 Topps Hockey Complete Set #18 On PSA Set Registry 8.32 GPA
• 1971-72 exceptionally scarce Bazooka Hockey Complete Set
• 1966 Batman Riddler Back Near Complete High Grade Set — Completely PSA Graded With Secret Decoder #4 Finest on PSA Set Registry
• Complete baseball sets of 1941 Play Ball, 1953 Topps, 1955 Topps, 1956 Topps and 1959 Fleer Ted Williams.
