(LOT 20)
Extraordinary 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth PSA 8 NM-MT – Only 2 PSA Examples Graded Higher!
PSA 8 BAMBINO!!! Along with the hallowed #53 Goudey Ruth offering, this truly remarkable PSA 8 NM-MT Goudey #149 marvel firmly resides as one of the Sultan of Swat's most celebrated cardboard gems. Stubbornly defying father-time for the past 89 years, the PSA Pop Chart lists only 1.8% of the approximate 1,100 encapsulated specimens at the hallowed sanctified 8 NM-MT plateau, with a paltry two examples graded higher! Indeed, only two PSA 8.5s have managed to best this world-class marvel, and we cannot imagine either of those 8.5 examples possibly surpassing the breathtaking visual appeal of this scarce for the grade offering. Of even greater significance is the excellent centering (only ever-so-slightly favoring the lower edge) of this virtually one of a kind heirloom, for it is no secret among sophisticated Goudey collectors that the #149 Goudey Ruth example typically exhibits poorly skewed images, a painstaking stigma for meticulous enthusiasts. To say the least, finding a well-centered #149 Ruth is a near-impossible task, substantiating why the superb positioning of Charles Conlon's iconic Ruth image immediately places this superior offering as one of the Bambino's most momentous cards.

Collectors have surely taken notice that the pricing points for high-grade #149 Goudey Ruth subjects have relentlessly surged synonymous to an uncontrollable tsunami, justified by the record-setting $540k public auction sale in the summer of 2021 for a PSA 8 #149 Ruth Goudey, as well as two $510k sales in Memory Lane's December 2021 and may 2022 auctions. Undoubtedly the floodgates have opened with regard to the true value for any high-grade Ruth Goudey specimen, with the staggering $4.2 million pricing point for a PSA 9 Goudey #53 Ruth paving the way. The prestigious Goudey Gum Company issued their landmark set a year after Ruth's iconic "called-shot" in Game #3 of the 1932 World Series. The 1933 campaign would mark Ruth's 20th big-league season, with Ruth eclipsing the .300 batting mark (.301) for the 17th and final time of his unparalleled career. His 34 home runs and 114 runs batted in would also represent the final time this colossal slugger would breach the 30+ homer/100+ runs batted in marks, with Ruth ending his remarkable 22-year MLB tenure two years later with the Boston Braves. His incredible diamond achievements and electric persona will surely echo for eternity, as well as his unpretentious love for children, for no player before or after adored his captivated youthful fan base more than the flamboyant Ruth.

His unequivocal stature truly justifies why a myriad of collectors are obsessed with seizing the Babe's prized cards, and virtually none could be more desirable than a high-grade Goudey specimen revealing the previously mentioned near-perfect centering. The sports card market is currently experiencing a remarkable pricing uptick for the most coveted cardboard keepsakes, with the four 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth subjects proudly stand tall as the some of the most hallowed collectibles on the planet. After a significant period of tobacco and candy related manufacturers releasing sports cards to promote their popular brands, the Boston, Massachusetts based Goudey company started issuing bubble gum and baseball cards in their sealed wax packs for the 1933 campaign. Indeed, a new era was born in the collectibles field, with a seemingly infinite number of enthralled kids counting their pennies and storming their local mom & pop candy stories to purchase Goudey baseball card packs in a passionate effort to capture their most exalted diamond heroes. Of course, we would assume that the most coveted cards for these young baseball fans were any of the four Ruth subjects, with all of these Sultan of Swat bubble gum cards depicting him with his majestic lumber.

The defining aspect of the #149 Goudey Ruth is the legendary half-body swinging pose originally struck by none other than illustrious photographer Charles M. Conlon. It is this pose that also graces two other Ruth Goudey subjects (#s 53 & 144), and the Babe's majestic swinging image is a testament to his immortality as he watches another mighty wallop sail towards the grandstands. The imposing red/orange setting is nearly immaculate, a fitting backdrop for Ruth's immortal batting pose, and the fine centering is a critical attribute rarely seen on any of the #149 Goudey Ruth subjects, in this case only revealing a negligible partiality towards the lower edge. Crystal-clear clarity, outstanding contrast, razor-sharp corners consistent with the grade, and pack-fresh surfaces are the final compliments substantiating the seldom encountered assessment. To reiterate, we cannot imagine either of those two PSA 8.5s boasting superior eye appeal and technical attributes versus this timeless keepsake that has defied insurmountable odds by retaining virtually its entire original factory issued attributes.

The three aforementioned $500k+ sales of other PSA 8 NM-MT #149 Goudey Ruth's is an undisputed testament to this card's incredible prestige, and we can only assume that the pricing points for both this sanctified offering as well as other high grade Ruth Goudey subjects will continue escalating to unprecedented heights. While it is a nearly impossible task to predict the future, what we can say with full certainty is that Babe Ruth's world-class cards have unlimited investment potential. The past several years have surely proven that concept for a majority of Ruth's most coveted cardboard mementos have taken-off in value similar to an ICBM missile. With that notion in mind, only a handful of the iconic Ruthian cards could possibly fill that role better than this PSA 8 gem that via its awe-inspiring aesthetics and world-class assessment stands as a bona fide collectible for future prosperity!

MIN BID $100,000
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