Is The 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth the Greatest Card of All-Time?
When it comes to vintage baseball cards most of us think of such eras as the 1940’s, 1950’s and even the 1960’s, but very rarely do we as collectors go beyond those periods because of both the general rarity and scarcity of such cards. With that said, I actually wanted to explore the era of the 1910’s and land on a card that many experts that I’ve spoken to consider one of the greatest cards of all time and is the 3rd highest sale of all-time.
RELATED: Babe Ruth: His 1926 World Series Glove & Our Chance To Preserve History
As one of the earliest depictions of one of the game’s greatest hitters, the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth, is one of the most coveted pieces to ever exist in the hobby. The card, which was released when George Herman “Babe” Ruth was just 19 years old and was a member of the then Orioles minor league system, captures Ruth before he was a major league member of the Red Sox or Yankees.
The 1914 masterpiece was printed by the Baltimore News in both a red and a blue variation, and there are only around 10-15 known copies to exist in any condition today, with 3 known copies having been graded by PSA and 7 known copies to have been graded by SGC. Those numbers alone make this card significantly rarer than that of the ever-so-iconic 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, but ever-so-slightly less valuable than the very same card.
RELATED: What If Honus Wagner Had A Rookie Debut Patch Autograph Card?
How do I know that the Babe is ever-so-slightly less valuable than the Honus Wagner?
According to ESPN, “In December of 2023, a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card (graded SGC 3) sold for $7.2 million” which was the 3rd highest sale ever recorded. So for those of you at home reading this wondering what the most expensive cards ever sold actually were they are, in order as follows: the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (SGC 9.5) sold for $12.5 million in August of 2022, the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner (SGC 2) sold for $7.25 million in August of 2022, and lastly the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth (SGC 3) which sold for $7.2 million.
When it comes to preserving history, the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth (in both Red and/or Blue) embodies everything that we as collectors seek in a card. Its legendary status as the 3rd highest sale of all-time coupled with the scarcity of its grade, are the exact reasons why we do what we do, and why cards such as this continue to inspire the generations of tomorrow.
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.