When it comes to pre-war multi-sport sets, the 1933 Goudey Sport Kings set is often heralded as the best. The set boasts all kinds of legendary figures but is also known for producing what are often viewed as the first true professional basketball cards. Here's my look at what I consider to be the top ten cards in the set. 10. Howie Morenz A handful of hockey cards are … [Read more...]
T206 Wagner, Lucky 7 Cobb, One of a Kind Ruth Rookie Headline MHCC Auction
A T206 Honus Wagner hits the auction block Monday. That alone makes Mile High Card Company’s latest auction pretty interesting but throw in a bunch of other big ticket vintage cards and you have quite an event. In fact, “The Event” is what they’re calling the new catalog, which opens for bidding Monday and runs through Thursday, October 10. The Wagner card is … [Read more...]
Fresh Card Find Includes 1916 Famous & Barr Ruth, Huge Pre-War Stash
They had been sitting in a box for decades. A small fortune in baseball cards, some collected over 100 years ago by a young Midwestern man who clearly loved baseball and the men who played it. He lived only 57 years and has been gone for 60, but the box remained as a sort of curious heirloom, appreciated by a family of sports lovers but tucked out of … [Read more...]
Babe Who? 1916 Sporting Life Cover Whiffed on Young Ruth
It wouldn’t be long before his mug became world famous but in the late winter of 1916, not even those whose sole job was to cover baseball knew what he looked like. There’s proof of that in a 102-year-old copy of The Sporting Life—a publication that billed itself “The Loyal Champion of Clean Sport.” They may have been pure in spirit but they didn't always know … [Read more...]
Sole SGC-Graded 1916 Ruth Famous and Barr Rookie Heads to Auction
There were several different advertisers on the back of the 1916 Felix Mendelsoh cards that gave us what is considered Babe Ruth’s rookie card but those carrying the Famous & Barr department store brand are very elusive. PSA has graded only four Famous & Barr Ruth cards; SGC only one. That sole SGC example is about to hit the auction block. Despite a low … [Read more...]
100 Years Later, M101-4 And M101-5 Sets Are Complex Issues
The M101-4 and M101-5 cards (often referred to as The Sporting News cards) haven't traditionally been as popular as some of the tobacco or candy issues from the early part of the 20th century. Given the checklist, that's always been a little surprising. Released in 1916, the sets are quietly celebrating their 100th birthday. The cards have seen an uptick in popularity over … [Read more...]
Rare Weil Baking Babe Ruth Card Brings Big Price
One of a small number of 1916 Babe Ruth rookie cards with Weil Baking Company advertising on the back topped the sales list in Memory Lane Inc.’s recently completed I Own It Now catalog. One of the rarest variations of the familiar Ruth card issued through numerous sponsors 100 years ago, the EX graded example sold within minutes of the sale’s opening last week for a price … [Read more...]
Ruth Rookie Tops $90,000 in Mile High Auction
A 1916 M01-4 Babe Ruth topped bidding in Mile High Card Company’s Spring 2015 auction, with a PSA 5 (EX) example soaring to $90,053 in bidding that closed early Friday morning. Increasing in popularity with collectors and investors, the card had sold for $77,675 in another auction just four months ago. A run of 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards in high grade sold for more than … [Read more...]
Locked Up Since 1980s, Trimmed T206 Wagner Now Up for Bid
Another T206 Honus Wagner has hit the baseball card auction block. However, unless you have a long memory and knew the right person, chances are you haven’t seen this one. Goodwin and Company is offering a trimmed and creased copy of the hobby’s most famous card, graded SGC Authentic. The auction opened Saturday and the card already has a high bid of over $64,000 without … [Read more...]