Ty Cobb
Rare Babe Ruth card, newly discovered vintage gems highlight REA’s Fall Catalog Auction
The Fall Catalog Auction at Robert Edward Auctions opened with one of the most rare Babe Ruth cards to hit the market.
The 1916 M101-4/5 Morehouse Baking #151 Babe Ruth Rookie (PSA VG+ 3.5) represents the first time that the rare Ruth card has been documented and offered for sale with the Morehouse Baking advertisement.
The auction also unveils a newly discovered collection of more than 100 Morehouse Baking cards, with more than a dozen Hall of Famers and stars offered individually.
The auction, which runs through Dec. 8, features a wide range of rare collectibles, high-grade rookie cards, and unique memorabilia.
The auction is loaded with vintage baseball cards, highlighted by a newly discovered 1909-1911 T206 White Border Ty Cobb Portrait Red Background (SGC Good 2.5) with a rare Ty Cobb back and a ticket stub from Jackie Robinson's MLB debut on April 15, 1947. The ticket, graded PSA Authentic, is one of only a few to be offered for sale.
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Another one of the most rare offerings in the auction is 12 circa 1910 Piedmont Cigarettes tobacco packs, including six sealed packs and the tobacco pack carton. Dating from the T206 tobacco card era, these packs were recently discovered at a Richmond, Va. estate located 10 miles from the American Tobacco Company factory. The find features 13 original packs, seven which were still sealed and unopened, while the remaining six were opened. Twelve of the 13 packs are featured in the auction, along with the tobacco pack carton, an extremely rare piece.
The auction also has a strong collection of coveted modern cards. On the heels of his third MVP Award, it features a 2018 Topps Transcendent Japan Autographs #TA-SO17 Shohei Ohtani Rookie Red #1/1 (PSA 10) card. Other modern gems include a 1996-1997 Topps Chrome Basketball #138 Kobe Bryant Rookie Refractor (PSA 10) and a 1997-1998 Skybox Metal Universe Championship Precious Metal Gems Basketball #23 Michael Jordan #15/50 (PSA 4).
“This is undoubtedly one of our most highly-anticipated events ever, not just by the REA team, but by the hobby as a whole,” REA President Brian Dwyer said. “We have a ton of new-to-the-hobby cards and memorabilia items, and the most exciting thing about it is that the event covers the interests of so many different collectors. We’re extremely excited to finally unveil this auction that has been months in the making, and we look forward to some historic results.”
Other notable items in the auction include:
• 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays Rookie (PSA 8).
• 1909-1911 T206 White Border Eddie Plank (PSA 3).
• Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Dual-Signed Baseball (PSA/DNA 8). One of the most spectacular, high-grade Ruth and Gehrig signed baseballs in existence, with Ruth's signature in the sweet spot, while Gehrig's appears on the side panel directly above.
• 1910 D322 Tip Top Bread Honus Wagner (PSA 5). One of only three examples with a PSA 5 grade, with only one graded higher.
• 1911 T205 Gold Border Richard Hoblitzell “No Stats” Variation (PSA 6). One of only two and the highest grade of one of the rarest card in the T205 “Gold Border” series.
• 1933 R319 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth (PSA 7). One of the most elusive of all Goudey cards.
• 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle (PSA 5.5).
• 1957-1958 Topps Basketball #77 Bill Russell Rookie (PSA 8). Of the 1,219 examples graded by PSA, only five have been graded higher.
• 1963 Pete Rose National League Rookie of the Year Award. Directly from the Rose family, it includes a signed note of provenance (dated Dec. 4, 1996) from Rose's wife, Karolyn, along with a reproduction photo of Rose holding the award.
The event also includes nearly 40 game-used items, including a pair of 2004-2005 LeBron James Cleveland Cavaliers photomatched game-used sneakers and a 1974-1975 Nolan Ryan California Angels signed game-used home jersey graded A9.5 by MEARS.
To register to bid, visit bid.robertedwardauctions.com/user/register.
