Babe Ruth's 1914 Baltimore card, valued at $6 million, has sold for a record amount, and you may now own a portion of it. Babe Ruth's 1914 Baltimore News sports card, which depicts The Bambino as a 19-year-old minor league pitcher, is worth around $6 million. That makes it the most valuable baseball card in history.
The card was bought by an investor group from California for $90,000 plus fees at a Sotheby's auction on April 4th. The buyer gave no indication of how they planned to use or display the card.
Ruth's signature has been widely regarded as worth between $150,000 and $300,000. The card's estimated value of $6 million makes it even more lucrative than other famous cards such as Ty Cobb's 1911 Louisville card which sold for $4.6 million in 2012.
Ruth's record price per signature is likely to be surpassed soon when another of his cards comes up for sale. A 1914 Boston Globe newspaper article described how Ruth had just pitched a game in New York and received $15,000 in cash as well as a check for $7,500. The remaining $3,500 was given to him in coupons for free meals for two years at Boston's Cocoanut Grove nightclub. These are expected to be worth millions when they come up for sale later this year.
Babe Ruth's 1914 Baltimore News card has long been wanted by collectors, not only for the milestone in Ruth's career it marks, but also for its scarcity: less than ten cards are believed to exist, with the last one known to be sold for $450,300 at an auction in 2013.
The card is part of a series that was issued by various sports companies during that era. It is estimated that between 4,000 and 6,000 copies of this particular card were printed. It has been called "the most valuable baseball card in existence."
Ruth's first season was much different than his later years in Boston. He came up against some of the best pitchers in baseball, including Joe DiMaggio, Sam Jones, and Charlie Robertson. The Yankees played in New York City, far from home for someone who spent most of his time on farms in the midwest. However, Ruth still managed to hit.606 with 19 homers and 87 RBIs. This same year, Ed Barrow became manager of the Yankees, starting a tradition that would last for more than half a century where the manager serves as the player-coach.
After one season in New York, Ruth agreed to a contract with the Boston Red Sox. He spent three seasons with the Red Sox, before moving back to New York for his final season. In 1920, Ruth finished with 59 homers and 179 RBIs, winning his third MVP award.
1914 A Baltimore News minor leaguer with 474 home runs and 714 RBIs in his career ($575,000). Bambino pitched for the Baltimore Orioles, who were then a minor league team. He has a 2.39 ERA in 244.2 innings for the International League organization, according to Baseball-Reference.com. And that was for a card in good condition. In an article on Cracked.com, one fan claimed he paid $40,000 for a vintage 1914 Bambi Ruth card out of New York City.
Ruth's first card was issued in Baltimore and so it makes sense that this would be the most valuable. However, it still can be worth large amounts of money if it is in nice condition. The highest price ever listed on eBay for a single card was $225,000!
In conclusion, this card is the most valuable because it was when Ruth made his debut in Baltimore. Additionally, it is not common for cards to sell for such high amounts so it is unlikely to ever rise in value greatly.
Babe Ruth's rookie card is noteworthy not just because it depicts him as a player for the Boston Red Sox before being moved to the New York Yankees. It also is notable because it is one of only three cards in existence with Ruth's signature on it.
The card is listed for sale by Sotheby's auction house for $250,000-$300,000. It sold at auction in August 2010 for $404,500.
Ruth was one of the most famous people in America when he died in 1948 at the age of 53. His death came just two days after President Truman announced that the United States had dropped an atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan.
His widow sold his body to science for $150,000 and his bones are now kept in a crypt at St. Mary's Cemetery in South Williamsport, Pennsylvania. The public can visit his tomb daily between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m.
However, if you have a ticket to his grave, you can visit it any time during those hours. There is no set schedule for visitors to arrive at the cemetery at unexpected times or stay for a long period of time.
Babe Ruth baseball cards are undoubtedly the most valuable in the hobby. It's simple to see why: he's the game's most recognizable player and the face of America's pastime. In 1914, "The Bambino" began his 22-year major league career as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. By 1919, he was an unstoppable force at the plate, leading the American League in home runs with 15.
Ruth's card is widely considered to be one of the greatest sports cards ever printed. The fact that it features one of the most famous faces in American history only adds to its value. Today, a pristine copy of Ruth's rookie card can sell for thousands of dollars.
After his retirement in 1935, Ruth continued to appear on baseball cards until 1951 when he died at the age of 53. His death triggered the highest price ever paid at auction for a sports card—$4.9 million - $5.3 million (current value).
A few years before his death, Ruth had a section of highway named after him built across Massachusetts. The Bambi Ruth Memorial Highway ran from North Attleborough to Westwood, Massachusetts. It no longer exists today but has been replaced by other roads across the city of Boston.
Babe Ruth's legacy will always be connected to baseball. But even if you're not a fan, it's hard to deny his impact on society through popular culture.
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