(LOT 210)
"Scarce for the Grade" 1927 E126 #38 Babe Ruth "Series of 60" PSA 4 VG-EX - "POP 2"; Only 2 PSA Examples Graded Higher!
If you are seeking one of Babe Ruth's most exalted cardboard gems, look no further because this seldom-surfacing PSA 4 VG-EX 1927 American Caramel #38 E126 marvel stands as one of his scarcest 1920s baseball card issues. Manufactured in 1927 by the American Caramel Co. in Lancaster, PA., its unquestionable rarity is substantiated by PSA's census report listing only 22 other specimens, with only a single other example at this plateau and a mere two copies graded higher! Even the most advanced collectors struggle to assemble cards from this scarce set, let alone the #38 subject representing baseball's greatest all-time player.

George Herman "Babe" Ruth is our National Pastime's ultimate icon, such that he stands "above the game itself". Immensely contributing to this card's mystique is its 1927 issue year, with the only other mainstream '27 Ruth card being his York Caramel subject. It's no secret that the 1927 season will forever stand as Ruth's greatest triumph, when the "Sultan of Swat" led the Yankees to their second world championship via his record setting 60-homer campaign that literally turned the baseball world upside down. Similar to his highly coveted 1922 E121 "Photo Montage" issue, the E126 Ruth reveals a superimposed Ruthian stoic portrait image and classic batting illustration, with the E126 Ruth standing as the much scarcer card. It's no secret that Babe Ruth's 1920s black & white caramel issues are finally realizing price tags commensurate to their utmost scarcity, with several "VG-EX" issues fetching between $40K - $50K over the past six months.

The floodgates have officially opened for these Bambino caramel treats, with a bona-fide example of this pricing surge being a PSA 4.5 VG-EX+ 1922 Neilson's Chocolate Ruth recently selling for a staggering $91K in Memory Lane's Spring 2022 auction! While the utmost scarcity of any mid-grade E126 Ruth prevents us from utilizing benchmark pricing for this particular issue, collectors surely realize that any obscure 1920s Babe Ruth caramel subject stands as a near-perfect candidate to appropriately measure pricing points for a majority of these cardboard gems. One of the finest preserved E126 Ruth's on the planet, the awe-inspiring image emanates crystal-clear clarity and outstanding contrast. Accounting for the assessment is a faint stray wrinkle and even corner wear, with a majority of its attributes more consistent with an "EX" example.

Relatively clean surfaces, atypical near-perfect centering and the imposing "Sultan of Swat" central image all combine to emanate stellar aesthetics. The final compliment is the verso's bold American Caramel Company "Series of Sixty" advertisement, and most would agree that the mid-grade eye appeal is arguably superior to the VG-EX grade. It comes as little surprise that Ruth's 1920 black & white issues are beginning to realize stratospheric-like pricing points, and it was only a matter of time before these eclectic issues gained the respect they truly deserved, especially considering their utmost scarcity versus Ruth's significantly populated 1933 Goudey subjects. With that in mind, we cannot imagine a more formidable Babe Ruth cardboard heirloom than this "rare for the grade" E126 offering that was issued during the most celebrated season of "The Babe's" unparalleled career!

MIN BID $10,000