(LOT 2)
1933 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth PSA 8 NM-MT
RUTH ROYALTY!!! Presented here is a breathtaking PSA 8 NM-MT 1933 Goudey #144 Babe Ruth gem that has only been bested by five examples on the PSA census report. While only 1.8% of the more than 1,700 PSA encapsulated examples have achieved the 8 assessment, what makes this grand offering special is its near-perfect centering. Most enthusiasts would agree that finding an extremely well-centered Goudey #144 Ruth is a near-impossible feat. The T206 Wagner, T206 Cobb, 1916 M101 Ruth and 1952 Topps Mantle are among the most recognizable vintage baseball card images known in the hobby; the #144 Goudey Ruth merits inclusion alongside these cardboard masterpieces, especially considering its full-body batting illustration was originally captured by renowned sports photographer Charles M. Conlon.

The most coveted of all of Babe Ruth's cardboard keepsakes are the four different issues from the monumental 1933 Goudey Baseball set (#s 53, 144, 149, 181). Three Goudey subjects portray Charles Conlon's captured batting pose, with the most popular among the four as the #144 Babe Ruth full-body swinging pose. The familiar Charles Conlon pose also graces #s 53 & 149, but this #144 Ruth possibly resides as the Bambino's most coveted of all issues. Its immense popularity has now translated to an abundance of record-setting prices, including a lofty $483K sale for a PSA 8 example in December 2022.

Babe Ruth's unequivocal fame and baseball stature were achieved through his on-the-field achievements and evolved into world-renowned fame. Before swatting baseballs into Yankee Stadium's upper deck, he was buckling the knees of hitters as a Boston Red Sox ace southpaw, and had he continued pitching, he may have been enshrined in Cooperstown as one of baseball's premier all-time pitchers. His 714 round-trippers will forever stand as a mythical mark, and his remarkable power led to the revolution of baseball in the early 1920s!

Ruth's prominent Conlon swinging pose is highlighted by the stellar clarity, as well as a sparkling array of yellow, green and brown hues, all of which combine to elevate this sparkling Ruth image to a world-class level. The aforementioned superb centering is a feature for this subject, with the classic image often skewed for many a subject. Both surfaces reveal pack-fresh quality, and the right-angled corners have retained a majority of their original sharp formations. The overall aesthetics are beyond outstanding, and we are rarely afforded an opportunity to encounter, let alone offer, such a formidable example.

MIN BID $50,000
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