If you bought one even five years ago, your investment has paid off. Now, an example of the 1916 Sporting News Babe Ruth rookie card (M101-5), produced while the Babe was still toiling for the Boston Red Sox, is being offered on eBay.
Pre-War Card Collector Auctions launched the ten-day sale for a PSA 5 example on Sunday night. This specific card last traded hands via memory Lane Inc. for $89,250 in December of 2012. The price reflected an explosive growth in the card, which was produced by The Sporting News Publishing Company as part of a promotion. Just a couple of years earlier, it had sold for less than half that amount and auctions that have taken place since have put the Ruth card on a lofty pedestal, many feeling it was undervalued compared to other important vintage cards.
The 1916 Ruth cards are rare, especially at the higher levels, and advanced collectors are likely to join investors in chasing after it. The card shows the left-handed Ruth in a pitching follow-through.
In all, PSA has examined only 27 of the M101-5 Ruth with 11 graded by SGC. A PSA 6 Ruth rookie sold for $142,200 in May 2012 through Robert Edward Auctions.
Other recent sales included a PSA 4, sold in December via Goodwin and company for $46,692, an SGC 70 (EX) via REA for $84,000 in its Fall 2014 auction, another SGC 70 sold by in May 2013 by Heritage Auctions for $83,650 and a PSA 4, also sold in May 2013 via REA for $53,325.
As of Monday night, bidding on the PWCC listing had already surpassed $42,000. Bidding will close Wednesday, February 4.
The company is also offering a 1937 OPC Joe DiMaggio graded PSA 8, 1909 E90-1 Joe Jackson rookie, 1948-49 Leaf Satchel Paige rookieand a T206 Sherry “Magie” error among hundreds of other vintage cards.
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