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1916 M101-5 Sporting News #151 Babe Ruth Rookie - PSA EX-MT 6

Sold For: $142,200
Year: 1916
Auction: 2012 Spring
Lot #: 4
Auction: Prewar Baseball - 1910s and 1920s Cards
Graded EX-MT 6 by PSA. Presented is an extraordinary high-grade example of one of card collecting's greatest icons: Babe Ruth's rookie card. Universally recognized as one of the most famous and highly prized of all baseball-card rarities, it would be hard for a piece of cardboard to better symbolize the history, the essence of American sport, than this Sporting News rookie card of Babe Ruth. Ruth had only pitched in four games with Boston in 1915 but fortunately impressed the card manufacturer enough to warrant inclusion in this major issue. The significance of Ruth's rookie card transcends the world of card collecting. Every scholarly list of vintage-card collecting's most important treasures includes Ruth's first Major League card. (Note: The 1914 Baltimore News card of Ruth featuring him as a minor leaguer, of course, predates both the M101-4/5 issues.) This is one of the finest Babe Ruth rookie cards we have ever seen. It is a strong Ex-Mt example, with only the slightest hint of insignificant wear to the strong, square corners (primarily upper left) and some minor print snow related to the manufacturing process. This is also an extraordinary example in that the photo does not have any horizontal print lines or manufacturing imperfections which are often found on this card. The virtually perfect centering on this example is another factor of special note. It is beautifully centered, far better than normally seen on this card, with a crisp, flawless image of a slender Ruth in his pitching follow-through. Both the front and blank back are bright, crisp, and clean. The rookie card of Babe Ruth is without question one of the most important cards in all of card collecting. This is a particularly strong and very striking example in all respects of one of the most famous, significant, and highly prized of all baseball cards. The SMR value for the assigned grade is $60,000. Reserve $10,000. Estimate $50,000+. SOLD FOR $142,200
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