While they're best known as a set issued by The Sporting News, the 1916 M101-4 baseball cards were distributed in several different ways by several different companies. Clothing stores that sold boys apparel were one popular outlet. We've seen ads for Gimbel's in Milwaukee, which offered groups of cards from the 200-card issue over a period of … [Read more...]
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Ruth Rookie Card Found in Piano Brings 6-Figure Price
In terms of hobby lore, it was a hard story to beat. Avid collectors of one of the hobby's most iconic cards jumped on the chance to bid on a 1916 M101-4 Babe Ruth rookie card that had been found inside a very old piano. The auction closed in the wee hours of Friday morning with a final price of $130,054 including the buyer's premium. Goodwin & Co. Auctions sold … [Read more...]
Babe Ruth Rookie Card Found in Old Piano Now at Auction
Baseball card finds have turned up in all kinds of places over the years. Inside walls. On dusty garage shelves. Under floor boards and in countless old desks and dressers. Add one more to the list. Inside an old piano. It's not a new find, but one you've probably never heard about because it's been under wraps since the 1990s. The 1916 M101-4 Babe Ruth blank back … [Read more...]
Ruth Bat, Rookie Card Top REA Sale
Everyone wants a Babe. From game bats to cards to signed baseballs and everything in between, the top name on the list of auction sold prices is Ruth more often than not. Late Sunday night, it proved true again with some fabulous Babe-a-bilia topping the Robert Edward Auctions Spring Catalog Auction. In all, auction sales totaled $7.85 million. A … [Read more...]
M101-4/5 Baseball Card Craze Included Department Stores
The M101-4 and M101-5 baseball cards are often referred to as the Sporting News sets. Created by Felix Mendelsohn in 1916, these two similar black and white sets included some iconic cards, including what is generally recognized as Babe Ruth's major league rookie card. The sets have mostly the same checklists but include some variants in terms of who is included in each one and … [Read more...]
1917 Boston Store Set a Close Relative to E135 Issue
In 1917, there weren't many baseball cards being produced. With World War I occurring, production on sets had slowed dramatically. One release that did make its way into the public was the 1917 Boston Store issue. 1917 Boston Store Set Basics The 1917 Boston Store cards featured black and white card fronts with action photos. This was one of several releases from around the … [Read more...]
Baseball and … Agriculture? M101 Successful Farming Set Combined The Pair
Baseball and ... Farming? Outside of, say, Field of Dreams, that isn't a combination you'd expect to hear much. But in 1916, the pair were indeed linked by two sets distributed by an agricultural publication called Successful Farming. The basis for the cards came from the M101-5 set that is often referred to as the Sporting News issue. But while Sporting News did use the cards … [Read more...]
M101 Sporting News Series Includes 9 Sets
When it comes to the M101 Sporting News series, the most popular subsets are generally the M101-4 and M101-5 cards. Those sets are filled with stars and the closest to traditional baseball cards. But in reality, the M101 series is much more than those two sets. A total of nine subsets carry the M101 Sporting News designation from the American Card Catalog and here's a glimpse … [Read more...]
Ruth, Aaron Rookies Set Pace in REA Auction
A 1916 M101-4 Babe Ruth rookie card in near mint condition sold for $600,000 late Sunday night, topping all items as Robert Edward Auctions closed out its Fall Auction. The PSA 7 blank back version is one of the finest known examples in the hobby and represented the latest six-figure sale for a card that’s shown explosive growth in recent years. The … [Read more...]
1916 Ruth Rookie Card Soars to New Heights in $10.9 Million REA Auction
Back in 2015, some collectors and dealers probably felt spending $80,000 or $90,000 on a PSA 5 Babe Ruth rookie card was a lot of money. After all, the card had sold for about half that—or less—just six years earlier. It may have turned out to be not only a shrewd investment, but a steal at under six figures. As Sunday turned to Monday, a new bar was set for … [Read more...]
