A piece of baseball history is about to make waves in the auction world, with the potential to command an unprecedented price. Robert Edward Auctions (REA) is set to offer one of the most sought-after baseball cards in existence: Babe Ruth’s 1914 Baltimore News trading card. This card, one of only ten known copies, is graded SGC 3 (VG) and showcases the young Ruth during his minor league days with the Baltimore Orioles.
What sets this card apart from others is not only its imagery of the future baseball icon but also its unique back, which features the team’s schedule. The significance of this auction cannot be understated. It marks the first time in over a decade that a 1914 Baltimore News Ruth card has been made available in the public market, and this specific card is considered the finest specimen to grace the auction stage in over fifteen years.
Brian Dwyer, President of REA, emphasizes the card’s importance, stating, “The Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card stands as the pinnacle of baseball cards. It is not just a rare sports memorabilia item, but a seminal piece of Americana, representing the dawn of the Babe Ruth legend—a figure who is synonymous with baseball itself.”
According to the SGC Population Report, the card’s condition is top-tier within its class and is outranked only by a singular PSA 4 in the entire collectibles sphere. This card has a storied journey as well. In June 2021, it was sold for an astounding $6 million as part of a fractional ownership opportunity via the Collectable platform. However, the collective ownership was dissolved earlier this year.
The card’s provenance can be traced back to a single Baltimore family, where it remained for a century before being sold. It was publicly displayed at the Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum from 1998 until earlier this year. Fans and collectors will have the chance to view the card once more before the auction. REA is organizing a public display of the card alongside a blue variant on November 15. Exclusive private viewings will also take place on the evening of November 15, followed by another one in New York City on November 29.
The Babe Ruth card will shine as the centerpiece among 4,000 lots in the auction running from November 17 to December 3. Looking at the trajectory of sports memorabilia, one cannot overlook REA’s 2012 sale of a PSA 1 example of the card for over $450,000—a sum that now pales in comparison to the recent record-breaking sale of a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card for $12.6 million.
Dwyer perfectly captures the allure of the Ruth card, stating, “This is the dream card, the one that every collector aspires to hold. Its rarity is such that those who possess one of these jewels are loath to part with it. This might well be the only opportunity to acquire one for many years.”
Indeed, the upcoming auction presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for collectors. The Babe Ruth 1914 Baltimore News card represents not just a valuable collectible but also the birth of an American sports legend. Its value transcends the physical card itself—it is a tangible representation of the legacy of Babe Ruth and a bygone era of baseball that continues to captivate fans and collectors. This auction is not a simple transaction; it is a historic event, celebrating the enduring impact of one of the most iconic figures in sports history. With so few examples in existence and the market for rare sports cards reaching unprecedented heights, this auction could very well see the card achieve an eight-figure selling price, setting a new benchmark in the world of sports collectibles.
