(LOT 208)
1921 Exhibits George H. Babe Ruth PSA 4 VG-EX
Black & white Babe Ruth Yankee cards from his early 1920s playing days in the "Big Apple" are among the hottest collectibles in the hobby, with record setting prices being recorded each and every day. Unfortunately for hobbyists, the number of available Babe Ruth baseball cards from the early 1920s is few and far between, justifying why his exalted 1921 Exhibit "Hands on Knees" subject resides as one of his most highly coveted cardboard keepsakes. Furthermore, other than his 1920 "Headin' Home" theatre cards, few people realize that Babe Ruth's 1921 Exhibit subject (along with his 1921 Oxford Confectionery issue) stands as his inaugural Yankee card with Ruth donning his new Yankees uniform!

In 1921, Chicago's Exhibit Supply Company issued its first of many postcard sized baseball cards sold in "penny arcade" vending machines. Measuring approximately 3-3/8" x 5-3/8", this inaugural Exhibit Supply set was comprised of 64 subjects, and synonymous with virtually every 1920s issue, the "cream of the crop" card is Babe Ruth. Presented here is one of the more formidable '21 Exhibit Ruths on the planet, a superb PSA 4 VG-EX marvel that has only been bested by 15% of the total PSA encapsulated copies. The Bambino's extremely popular "hands on knees" pose has basically remained unscathed over the past century, as Ruth showcases his "NEW YORK" road grays in the classic "hands on knees" image.

Crystal clear clarity and stellar contrast are additional awe-inspiring attributes, no glaring creases and/or surface blemishes are evident and the even corner wear is consistent with the grade. Minor flaws include modest toning along the upper region as well as additional toning on the blank-back. As collectors surely realize, locating mid-grade cards from the early 1920s is an excruciating task, let alone one representing one of the "Sultan of Swat's" most coveted Yankee cardboard issues. Fresh off the heels of his magnificent inaugural 1920 Yankee season in which Ruth clobbered 54 round-trippers, it came as little surprise that the Exhibit Supply Co. included Ruth in their landmark 1921 set. In typical Ruthian fashion, "The Babe" would break his own homer record in 1921, walloping 59 dingers, knocking in 168 runs and posting a miraculous 1.359 OPS while out-homering virtually every MLB club.

Leading the Yankees to the 1921 American League Pennant, the "Curse of the Bambino" was here to stay, with Boston Red Sox owner Harry Frazee's ill-advised sale of Ruth to the Yankees for the then colossal sum of $125,000 haunting Beantown for some 90 years. A super "scarce for the grade" early offering of baseball's undisputed all-time player, this extremely desirable Exhibit stands as one of the most coveted of all Babe Ruth New York Yankees cards, with recent pricing points reflecting $20K-$25K at this aesthetically pleasing assessment. One of the inaugural Babe Ruth cardboard illustrations portraying his fashionable New York Yankees uniform and ultra-rare fielding pose, it merits a final resting place in any world-class Ruth compilation!

MIN BID $5,000