Auction home-run expected as 1914 Babe Ruth baseball card could sell for over $10 million

One of the rarest baseball cards in the world, a 1914 Baltimore News Orioles #9 Babe Ruth card, is expected to fetch over $10 million at auction, and could potentially shatter the current world record of $12.6 million paid for a 1952 Mickey Mantle card in 2022.

The card being auctioned by an individual private collector shows a 19-year-old Babe Ruth, then playing for his hometown side, the long-gone Baltimore Orioles, who participated in the now-defunct International League. Strictly the card is a pre-rookie card, because the Orioles were a minor league team, so was issued before Ruth arrived in the major leagues. His step up didn’t take long though, George Herman Ruth - to give him his full name - only played in the minor leagues for three months before being snapped up by the Boston Red Sox.

The 2 5/8″ x 3 5/8″ card, part of a set displaying player images on the front and a team schedule on the back, captures Ruth right at the start of his incredible career. It comes in two versions, one with a blue tint, the other, the one up for auction now, with a red tint. Babe Ruth is pictured as a pitcher, wearing a baseball cap, looking straight ahead, but with the image taken from an angle, so we are presented with his right-hand side.

Robert Edward Auctions of Chester, New Jersey, is organizing the auction, which is scheduled to run from November 17 through December 3, 2023. Before its sale, the card will be showcased at the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore on November 15, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. offering a rare glimpse into the origins of a baseball legend.

1914 Baltimore News Orioles #9 Babe Ruth previous sales

The most recent sale of this card, according to justcollect.com was in 2013, when a red tint card was sold for $430,300. However that card was only rated as Poor (1) by grading service PSA, whereas the current card up for auction is rated Very Good (3) by SGC, another grading house.

Brian Dwyer, president of Robert Edward Auctions, emphasized the card’s rarity and condition. “This is one of only ten examples in existence... This one is graded VG (‘Very Good’) 3… with only one example graded higher,” Dwyer said.

Dwyer believes that significant pent-up demand could see the price of the card at auction soar. “We believe that its rarity and significance will attract the attention of a new wave of buyers, since examples come to market so infrequently,” he said. “When you compare it to some of the other legendary and record-setting cards such as the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle and the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, they pale in comparison on a rarity scale next to the Ruth.”

Babe Ruth’s legacy

Babe Ruth is one of the few people to not only transcend their own sport, but sport itself, becoming one of the most iconic characters in American history. He transformed baseball, leading the Red Sox to three World Series titles and then driving the Yankees to four World Series championships, hitting almighty home runs that still see big hits described as ‘Ruthian’ even today, 75 years after his death.

The Most Expensive Card of All Time

The current record for the most expensive baseball card belongs to a mint, 1952 Mickey Mantle Topps card, which sold for $12.6 million. Rated a 9.5 by PSA Authentication and Grading service, this card stands as a testament to the enduring allure and value of sports memorabilia.

As the auction date nears, the 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card not only represents a piece of sporting history but also a potential new record holder in the world of sports collectibles. With its unique backstory and rarity, this card is poised to make history, becoming more than just a collectible – a tangible piece of the legend of Babe Ruth.