Lot # 3: Remarkable 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth PSA 8 NM-MT – Only 2 Graded Higher!

Category: Baseball

Starting Bid: $100,000.00

Bids: 34 (Bid History)

Time Left: Auction closed
Lot / Auction Closed




This lot is closed. Bidding is not allowed.

Item was in Auction "Spring Rarities 2022",
which ran from 4/29/2022 4:00 PM to
5/21/2022 7:00 PM




(LOT 3)
Remarkable 1933 Goudey #149 Babe Ruth PSA 8 NM-MT – Only 2 Graded Higher!

BAMBINO!!! Along with the hallowed #53 Goudey Ruth offering (number one lot), 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 nearly 1,100 encapsulated specimens at the hallowed sanctified "NM-MT 8" plateau, with a paltry two examples graded higher! Indeed, only two PSA 8.5s (there are no 9s or 10s) 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 near-perfect centering 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 skewed images, a prominent stigma of this particular Ruth subject. Excruciating to say the least, finding an extremely well-centered #149 Ruth is a near-impossible task, substantiating why the sensational positioning of Charles Conlon's iconic Ruth image immediately places this superior offering as one of the Bambino's most momentous cards extant.

Collectors have surely taken notice that the pricing points for high-grade #149 Goudey Ruth subjects have relentlessly surged synonymous to an uncontrollable brush fire, justified by the record-setting $540K public auction sale in the summer of 2021 for a PSA 8 #149 Ruth Goudey. No doubt, 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, 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 standing tall as 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 began 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 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 seemingly flawless, a fitting backdrop for Ruth's immortal batting pose, and the sensational centering is a critical attribute rarely seen on any of the #149 Goudey Ruth subjects. Crystal clear clarity, outstanding contrast, razor-sharp perimeter edging/corners consistent with the grade, and impeccable surfaces are the final compliments substantiating the seldom encountered assessment. We cannot imagine either of those two PSA 8.5s besting the eye appeal and technical attributes of this timeless keepsake that has defied insurmountable odds by retaining virtually all of its original factory-issued attributes. The aforementioned $540K sale of another PSA 8 #149 Goudey Ruth 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 near-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 with its extraordinary centering and overall awe-inspiring aesthetics that just might reside as the finest preserved example in our illustrious hobby!

MIN BID $100,000
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