There is still no shortage of collectors with significant disposable income who are willing to go all in on vintage Babe Ruth cards. Two high grade Goudeys and a rare rookie card drew the largest bids in Goodwin & Company’s Masterpieces & Uncommon Commons XLI auction ending early Thursday morning.
A PSA 8 graded 1933 Goudey #53 topped bidding at $48,464 including the buyer’s premium. Only two Ruth cards have reached higher levels on PSA’s Population Report.
Another Ruth card from the popular gum card set, #149, also grade ‘8’ sold for $36,410.
One of only four 1916 Famous & Barr Ruth cards on the combined pop reports of PSA and SGC brought $48,135 in a PSA 2. The St. Louis boys clothing store’s ad appears on the back of the card, one of several different ads that accompany the black and white issue. A Jim Thorpe Famous & Barr, graded 4.5, sold for $11,309.
Some high grade T206 cards also commanded good money. A Chief Bender portrait, one of 3 at the PSA 9 level, brought $30,090 while a PSA 8 Christy Mathewson sold for $29,339.
Among the memorabilia sold was an Eddie Gaedel autographed government postcard that brought $8,030.