A recently discovered, one-of-a-kind 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card sold for $812,724 Sunday night as Robert Edward Auctions closed out its Fall Catalog sale.
The card back carries advertising for the Morehouse Baking Company in Lawrence, Massachusetts, the maker of Sunlight Bread. The 10-cent loaves offered a card inside and once several were collected, youngsters could turn them back into the company for prizes.
Graded 3.5 by PSA, the Ruth card was one of a group that entered the market by way of a chance meeting at a local garage sale.
A Joe Jackson from the same collection graded 2.5 by PSA sold for $87,000 while a Jim Thorpe netted $24,000 in a PSA 1 holder.
Another newly discovered rarity also crossed the block Sunday night. A T206 Ty Cobb with the rare Ty Cobb Tobacco advertising back graded 2.5 by SGC sold for $337,704.
Other six-figure pre-War baseball card sales included a T206 Eddie Plank SGC 3 which netted a record price for its grade of SGC 3 at $222,000, a 1910 Tip Top Bread Honus Wagner PSA 5 that set a record for the card in any grade at $186,000.
Acquired at an estate sale earlier this year, a collection of twelve 1910-era Piedmont Cigarettes packs, including six of which were still sealed, along with their original display carton combined to realize $218,400 across eight lots. It’s possible the packs contain T206 baseball cards.
In all, the auction generated more than $13.5 million in sales across more than 86,000 bids.
A ticket stub from Jackie Robinson’s Major League debut on April 15, 1947, when he broke baseball’s color barrier, netted $186,000.
There were several basketball items that generated strong results, led by a 1997-1998 Skybox Metal Universe Championship Precious Metal Gems Basketball #23 Michael Jordan #15/50 PSA VG-EX 4 that sold for $156,000.
“There was a ton of anticipation heading into this blockbuster event because of some exciting new finds we’d showcased, including the Morehouse Baking Babe Ruth rookie,” observed REA President Brian Dwyer. “We’re extremely excited about the results and, more importantly, the incredibly strong interest we received across the board from such an expansive bidder base. This was a very strong and record-setting event not just for REA but for the hobby.”
Other notable results from the event included:
- 1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays Rookie PSA NM-MT 8 – $180,000
- 1933 R319 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth PSA NM 7 – $144,000
- 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA EX+ 5.5 – $138,000
- 1909-1911 T206 White Border PSA & SGC-Graded Near-Complete Set – $99,000
- 1911 T205 Gold Border Richard Hoblitzell PSA EX-MT 6 – Rare “No Stats” Variation – 1 of 2 – Highest Graded! – $75,000
- 1920 Pathe Freres Phonograph Co. Babe Ruth Premium Card PSA GOOD 2 Yankees – $72,000
- Exceptional Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig Dual-Signed Baseball PSA/DNA NM-MT 8 – $69,000
- Newly Discovered 1914 E145 Cracker Jack #88 Christy Mathewson PSA POOR 1 – $66,000 (record for the card in this grade)
- 1971 Topps #630 Roberto Clemente PSA MINT 9 – $63,000
- 1984-1985 Star Basketball Company Chicago Bulls team set factory-sealed bag with #101 Michael Jordan Rookie – $51,600
- Unopened 1962 JELL-O box with Mickey Mantle card on back – $43,200
Notable vintage complete sets that were sold included:
- 1959 Topps Complete Set (#24 PSA Set Registry with an 8.01 GPA) – $69,000
- 1971 Topps PSA-Graded Complete Master Set (7.05 GPA) – $26,400
- 1948 Leaf Football Complete Set (98) Plus 17 Variations (#11 PSA Set Registry with an 5.69 GPA) – $25,200
- High-Grade 1961 Topps Complete Set Including 47 PSA & SGC-Graded Cards – $23,400
- 1951 Bowman Football Complete Set (144): #9 PSA Set Registry (7.52 GPA) – $18,000
REA’s first event of 2025 will be its January Auction that will run from January 9-19.
