(LOT 23)
1933 Goudey #181 Babe Ruth PSA 8 NM-MT
The "Sultan of Swat's" significance to baseball cannot be overemphasized, with his mighty home runs revolutionizing baseball at a point in time directly after the "Black Sox Scandal" when our National Pastime desperately required a momentous "boost". It is the general consensus amongst baseball historians that Babe Ruth saved the game during this "dark" period, and he continued on with his record-breaking feats to become America's undisputable finest all-time player. Other than a few of his first Boston Red Sox issues, no card could more effectively represent the unparalleled "Bambino" than a 1933 Goudey Gum card. This prestigious Massachusetts-based gum company transformed the card market by inserting baseball players and gum in wax packs as opposed to manufacturers packaging cards with their candy and tobacco products. Unquestionably, Goudey chose the right player to produce four separate subjects, and one of those momentous cards just happens to be presented here in an extraordinary PSA 8 NM-MT holder. At the time this was written, only 2.7% of the total 1,200+ PSA encapsulated copies have managed to achieve this hallowed assessment, with a fractional seven examples graded higher!

It is hard to imagine any 88-year-old cardboard relic sustaining a majority of its original pristine factory-issued qualities, let alone one representing America's most popular baseball icon. The hobby is currently in the midst of a remarkable pricing uptick with some of the greatest sport stars realizing record-breaking prices each and every day. In fact, it is no longer a miraculous occurrence for even modern stars fetching "seven-figure" price tags, with various Mike Trout, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Tom Brady issues leading the charge. Vintage cards have likewise experienced that same pricing phenomena, spearheaded by an SGC 3 T206 Honus Wagner fetching a record price of $6.6 million for any sports card, a PSA Mint 9 '52 Topps Mantle trading for $5.2 million, and the private sale of a PSA 7 M101-5 Babe Ruth Rookie for roughly $3 million! Synonymous with an uncontrollable brush fire, soaring prices for iconic cards are setting records each and every day, including another PSA 8 #181 Goudey Ruth securing $344K in early August. Undervalued for the longest time, high-grade Babe Ruth Goudeys are finally beginning to hit their stride, and it would certainly not shock the collecting community if PSA 8 examples eventually reach the exalted seven-figure+ mark.

The ultimate prestige of the 1933 Goudey Ruth's comes as little surprise, with only the Bambino's sanctified 1914 Baltimore News and 1916 M101 rookie-era cards surpassing the illustrious stature of a high-grade "Sultan of Swat" '33 Goudey subject. Interestingly enough, the #181 Goudey Ruth reveals a "unique" pose not offered on the other three Ruth Goudey subjects (the #53, #144 & #149 Ruths depict a similar batting pose). In fact, this #181 image, to the best of our knowledge, is unique to the card industry and not utilized on a single other Babe Ruth cardboard issue. Of course, the most captivating concept for this exalted offering is the seldom seen "NM-MT" assessment that places the card as one of the most significant "Sultan of Swat" cardboard keepsakes extant. Virtually every aspect of this Cooperstown worthy memento is synonymous with a pristine card starting with a brilliant Babe Ruth "sitting/half body" image depicting vivid resolution and sparkling hues.

The "unique" Ruthian pose literally projects itself in "3D" style, primarily due to a nearly unimprovable tranquil green background and its unparalleled clarity. Atypical for this subject, the centering is virtually perfect, and only a minimal trace of favoritism towards the upper edge is evident. Additional superlatives include clean borders, right-angled corners, impeccable surfaces, and the verso's bold green typography. In lieu of the staggering pricing points currently being realized for the most coveted sport cards, projecting a final pricing point for this "scarce for the grade" marvel is an extremely difficult task. Yet, what we can safely say is that an anticipated bidding war will surely develop, with a considerable number of elite enthusiasts ready to wage battle for this Cooperstown worthy masterpiece. Indeed, any PSA 8 Goudey Ruth subject defines the sheer essence of everything this colossal slugger truly represents. Our National Pastime's uncontested "king of kings", the Babe's amazing batting and pitching exploits are a testament to his immortal stature, and if you maintain the "faith of a child" philosophy, the ultimate dream of owning such an incomparable Bambino memento is now a bona fide reality!

MIN BID $50,000
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