1914 Baltimore News Ruth Expected to Sell for Upwards of $10 Million or More Coming to Robert Edward Auctions
“To understand him you had to understand this: he wasn't human.” -Babe Ruth’s longtime teammate Joe Dugan
Chester, NJ - November 6, 2023 - One of the world’s rarest and most revered baseball cards - the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie card - is coming to Robert Edward Auctions (“REA”), the premier auction house specializing in sports memorabilia and trading cards in the US, for the company’s Fall Auction event, which kicks off on November 17. One of only ten examples in existence, this represents the first publicly available example in more than a decade as well as the finest condition example to appear at auction in more than fifteen years. Expected to sell for upwards of $10 million or more, the card was the first ever made of the Great Bambino and features him as a 19-year old on his hometown Baltimore Orioles of the International League.
Issued in both red and blue variations, the red-and-white image of Ruth is framed by a red border on this example, which measures approximately 2-5/8 x 3-5/8 inches. The reverse features home and abroad schedules for the Baltimore team during its 1914 campaign. Graded and encapsulated VG (“Very Good”) 3 by SGC, this is the highest-graded example on the SGC Population Report as well as the second-highest graded example in the hobby, with only a single PSA VG-EX 4 graded higher.
“Simply put, the Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is the most significant baseball card ever produced,” said Brian Dwyer, President of REA. “This card is the genesis of Babe Ruth, a man who transcends the game of baseball. This card is not only one of the most elusive pieces of sports memorabilia, it’s one of the rarest collectibles in American history.”
This example of the Bambino’s rookie card also has a remarkable provenance, remaining in the same Baltimore-area family for more than one hundred years. From 1998 until earlier this year, it was the sole example of this card housed at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum, where the card will be on public display on Wednesday, November 15 from 2:00 to 4:00 PM ET alongside a blue example of the card. This is an exceptionally rare opportunity that allows visitors to view two of the ten known examples of this card (one in blue and one in red) in person.
Following the public viewing on November 15, REA will be co-hosting a closed reception at the Museum from 5:00 to 8:00 PM ET to a select number of guests. If you’re interested in attending, please email [email protected] to reserve your spot.
“This is a card that every collector dreams of owning, and with so few examples in existence, there is almost no desire to sell these cards by the few privileged enough to own them. It is very likely to be the only example we’ll see available for purchase for years to come,” added Dwyer.
Additionally, REA will be hosting a second exclusive event for prospective bidders at a private location in New York City on Wednesday, November 29 from 5:00 to 8:00 PM ET. If you’re interested in attending, please email [email protected] to request a spot as space is limited.
To register to bid on the Baltimore News Ruth as well as more than 4,000 other trading cards and memorabilia items in REA’s blockbuster Fall Catalog Auction (November 17 - December 3), visit https://bid.robertedwardauctions.com/user/register.
About Robert Edward Auctions
Robert Edward Auctions (REA) is one of the leading auction houses in the US specializing in sports and non-sports cards and memorabilia. For more than 30 years, REA has established a reputation as the industry benchmark through its unparalleled and unwavering commitment to integrity, knowledge and transparency. The Company has brokered some of the most lucrative sales and handled some of the most coveted pieces of sports memorabilia in the hobby’s history, including the record-setting sale of the extremely desirable T206 Honus Wagner card for $6.6 million in August 2021. In July 2023, the company acquired Huggins & Scott Auctions. For more information, visit https://robertedwardauctions.com/ and follow REA on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Twitter. You can also contact us and request our auction catalog by emailing [email protected].
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