A Babe Ruth rookie card sold for $294,000 over the weekend as part of a major sale of baseball cards at Goldin Auctions.
The lot was issued by the H Weil Baking Company of New Orleans in 1916, during Ruth’s second full season with the Boston Red Sox.
Babe Ruth played for the Boston Red Sox between 1914 and 1919
Ruth was initially deployed as a pitcher and this is how he’s depicted.
Despite his enormous promise, the Sox made the controversial decision to sell him on to the Yankees in 1919.
The lot is graded SGS 70 EX+5.5, placing it in the top two examples of this card in the hobby.
Goldin explained: “This is one of just two examples at its tier (with none graded higher) among a total of eleven copies recorded in SGC's census reporting.
“The rookie card of Babe Ruth represents one of the peak achievements in all of card collecting, and a thoroughly commendable example of the coveted rarity is presented here.”
Baseball cards have become increasingly attractive investments in recent years.
This very card last sold for $83,650 in 2013, resulting in growth of 36.8% per annum over the past four years.
You can take a look at our amazing range of sports memorabilia for sale here.
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