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Large collection of rare, high-grade Babe Ruth cards highlight Memory Lane Rarities Auction
When it comes to rare vintage cards, no one packs a bigger bunch than the greatest slugger of all time — Babe Ruth.
Memory Lane Inc. has possibly the largest variety of Ruth cards ever offered in a single auction in its Summer Rarities Auction. The catalog includes 87 rare and high-grade cards spanning virtually Ruth’s entire career.
The auction, which opens Aug. 19 and runs through Sept. 9, includes more than 1,700 lots.
The auction is highlighted by one of only four known copies of Ruth’s 1917 Standard Biscuit card. Graded SGC 6 EX-NM, the Standard Biscuit issue is the rarest of the three known Ruth issues from that year and the finest copy of the four that exist. The card has a minimum bid of $100,000.
The auction also features an even more rare Ruth card — a Japanese issue that makes its auction debut. Newly discovered in the collection of a Japanese family, where it had resided for decades, the 1921 Asahina Sporting Good postcard is one of only two copies known to exist. The card was acquired by an American collector during a trip to Japan.
Also featured is the highest graded copy (PSA 5) of Ruth’s 1921-23 National Caramel (E220) and one of only eight copies of the 1921 Koester Bread (D383) Ruth card. The Koester Bread card is from the 52-card set issued by the New York-based baker during the World Series 102 years ago. The PSA 6 example is the best of the Ruth cards in grading company population reports.
Other rare Ruth cards up for bid include:
• A 1921 Series of 80 graded PSA 3.
• A 1922 American Caramel E121 (SGC 7 NM).
• PSA 8 copies of Ruth’s 1932 U.S. Caramel and 1933 Goudey Sport Kings.
• A 1933 Goudey #144 (PSA 7) and a group of strip cards from the 1920s.
The auction also features Ruth-signed checks, a signed letter, an autographed golf scorecard, and a 1939 Baseball Hall of Fame first day cover inked by the Bambino.
Yankee legend Mickey Mantle also is well represented in the auction with a special section of cards that span both decades of his career, including: a trio of Mantle’s 1951 Bowman rookie cards; two copies of the iconic 1952 Topps cards; PSA 7 and PSA 8 copies of his 1953 Bowman card; a 1953 Topps graded PSA 7; and an autographed copy of that card (PSA 8 autograph grade). The lone PSA 10 is a 1961 Topps Mantle All-Star card.
Dozens of other high-grade Mantle cards comes from the breakup of the third-ranked 1954 Red Heart Dog Food set, including a PSA 9 copy.
Other auction highlights include:
• A set break of 145 T205 cards and six group lots.
• Nine complete sets of 1920s to 1930s Exhibit cards, with each set ranking among the top five on the PSA Set Registry.
• A 1986-87 Fleer Basketball wax box, including PSA 10 copies of Michael Jordan’s rookie card and rookie sticker; a PSA 10 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar sticker; a PSA authenticated unopened pack with Jordan’s rookie card showing; and dozens of other high-grade cards and stickers from the popular set.
Among the top memorabilia is a bat used by Hall of Famer Robin Yount to collect his 3,000th hit on Sept. 9, 1992. The bat is signed and inscribed by the Milwaukee Brewers’ two-time MVP.
