(LOT 1)
Extraordinary "POP 1" PSA Mint 9 Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey #53 – The SOLE & HIGHEST GRADED EXAMPLE on the Planet!
The finest sports cards in our illustrious hobby have been experiencing unfathomable pricing surges over the past year, spearheaded by a PSA Mint 9 '52 Topps Mantle and a LeBron James 2003-'04 Exquisite Collection Rookie Card both fetching a staggering $5.2 million! Indeed, it is no longer a far-fetched "dream" for highly coveted rare sport cards to realize seven-figure+ values with some other miraculous-like prices including $2.5 million for an "Auth" T206 Wagner, $3.8 million for a "1/1" Trout Bowman Chrome Rookie Refractor; a 2000 Playoff Contenders Tom Brady Rookie realizing $2.3 million, and a PSA 7 M101-5 Ruth rookie privately selling for nearly $3 million! Clearly, the premier and rarest sport cards are now viewed as not only collectables, but as bona-fide investment commodities, with hobbyists yearning to capture the next remarkable cardboard keepsake. Courtesy of the sensational Thomas Newman collection, that "Queen Mary" memento has officially pulled into port, with this extraordinary PSA Mint 9 '33 Yellow Goudey #53 Babe Ruth standing tall as the SOLE and HIGHEST GRADED example of its kind!

BOTH the PSA and SGC population reports do not reveal a single other Mint 9 specimen, with this unprecedented marvel besting all of the other 1,500+ encapsulated examples. There are simply no suitable adjectives to appropriately complement this "1 of 1" marvel that has eluded enthusiasts by being safely tucked away in Tom's collection for a vast number of years. It is no secret that the 240-subject 1933 Goudey Gum landmark issue suffices as one of the most prestigious pre-war sets in the hobby. Babe Ruth's fascinating popularity ultimately led to the Cambridge, Massachusetts' Goudey Gum Company including four different cards of the great Bambino in their inaugural issue, three of which portraying the renowned Charles Conlon Ruth batting image (subjects 53, 144, & 149). The #53 yellow background subject unquestionably resides as the most desirable and valuable specimen, substantiated by its superior pricing points that literally leave its three other peers "in the dust". Considering its "1 of 1" Mint 9 assessment, it merits a rightful place alongside any of the hobby's exalted baseball cards including the T206 Wagner, the 1914 Baltimore News Ruth, and a PSA Mint 9 '52 Topps Mantle; a "must-have" for the hobby's most elite collectors.

This amazing offering truly stands as one of the most significant sport cards for the grade; synonymous with the "Sultan of Swat's" pinnacle standing as our National Pastime's greatest all-time player. What could possibly be more satisfying than owning a hallowed Babe Ruth card issued during his playing days that holds an undisputed niche as the "king of the hill" on the PSA and SGC "Pop" Charts. The "Babe" exemplifies everything baseball represents, and it is no wonder that each and every day, his popularity increases profoundly. While both Aaron and Bonds have surpassed his 714-home run total, there remains an unequivocal mystique tied to the "Bambino's 714 mark. His pitching exploits with the Boston Red Sox combined with his uncontested batting achievements have earned him the rightful nod as baseball's greatest all-time baseball player, justifying why he was a 1936 Hall of Fame charter member. It is an astonishing concept that Ruth would have been an immortal Hall of Fame pitcher had he not abandoned the pitching rubber to pursue his destiny as the game's greatest slugger. Baseball will never see the likes of him again, a nearly perfect icon with a combination of sheer playing excellence and personality that prompted a seemingly infinite number of enchanted young fans to storm their local candy stores in 1933 with the hope of pulling a Babe Ruth card from a Goudey Gum wax pack. While we will never know the extremely fortunate baseball enthusiast who bought this #53 Ruth card for a handful of pennies, what we do know with 100% certainty is that the card has miraculously defied "father-time" by retaining virtually all of its original factory issued attributes.

Pack fresh, to say the least, this world class offering mesmerizes its viewers, highlighted by Ruth's grandeur image emanating ultra-sparkling facial hues, crystal-clear clarity and a radiant yellow background. It literally appears as if the Bambino has just walloped a baseball towards the furthest confines of any ballpark, with the iconic Charles Conlon batting image revealing Ruth donning his classic Yankee pinstripes as he completes his mighty swing. The immaculate-like surface exhibits blinding white borders and superb centering, with only the slightest hint of favoritism towards the lower edge. The four blistering sharp corner tips result in pristine right angles, no obtrusive blemishes are apparent, and the final exclamation point is a super clean verso depicting bold green typography affixed to a super clean surface. In fact, had it not been for some extremely mild dis-colorization near the upper left corner (a border attribute certainly evident on other high-grade Goudey's), this unfathomable offering just might have been considered for a PSA "upgrade" review for purposes of achieving a PSA Gem Mint 10 assessment. A true cardboard blazer, it has rightfully earned the pinnacle Mint 9 valuation, the only #53 Goudey Ruth subject worthy of this hallowed grade that has outdistanced over 1,500 of its inferior peers.

Our utmost compliments to the previous owners who meticulously "passed the baton" and preserved this revered gem since its original 1933 issue date. The hobby has defined an overwhelming mystique for low population prestigious cards, and considering this momentous Ruth offering stands alone as the finest of its kind, we cannot even begin to speculate on its "true" value. What we can predict is that this museum worthy masterpiece's availability will suddenly prompt a bidding frenzy among the hobby's elite unlike anything we've ever seen. This notion is soundly substantiated by the fact that unlike this "unique for the grade" rarity, there are some 60+ T206 Wagner's, 10 Baltimore News Ruth's, 6 PSA Mint 9 '52 Topps Mantles, and even 3 PSA Gem Mint 10 '52 Topps Mantles extant. Yet, incredible as it may seem, both PSA and SGC have only awarded a single 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth the hallowed Mint 9 grade, with this supreme offering most likely your final opportunity to seize the one and only "9" for your prized collection and eternal bragging rights. Arguably the most significant "Sultan of Swat" heirloom on the planet, its unequivocal "Pop 1 – Highest Graded" stature hoists its earth-shattering popularity to the top of the cardboard list, boldly standing tall as the perfect testament for George Herman Ruth's incomparable legacy!

MIN BID $500,000
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