Babe Ruth 100th Anniversary Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/19/2014
Offered is the highest graded extremely rare H. Weil Baking Co. advertising reverse Babe Ruth rookie card. Issued in 1916, these cards were sold to various manufacturers used the standard M101-4 images of the iconic Babe Ruth Boston Red Sox to advertise their brand. Companies such as Sporting News, Globe Clothing, Famous & Barr, Gimbels, Standard Biscuit, and in some instances, “blank backs” with no advertisement found. Also, there are some advertising backs of which only a handful are known. All releases, whether blank back or manufacturer status, are now categorically regarded as the prestigious “Babe Ruth” rookie card.
The current combined SGC and PSA population report for Babe Ruth related examples of 1916 Weil Baking cards stands at a total of four, a significantly low number of examples. As an interesting side note, all four examples reside in SGC holders, and not a single PSA represented Babe Ruth Weil Baking card exists. Presented here just happens to be the highest graded example of this monster Babe Ruth rookie card, in a very pleasing SGC 60 EX 5 holder. Again, this is the highest graded example of the ultra-scarce Babe Ruth rookie card with the scarce Weil Baking reverse. There is no evading the fact that a rookie card of the great Babe Ruth is arguably ones of the ultimate collectible within the entire industry. With only 91 graded examples of the 1916 Ruth rookie card graded in total by SGC and PSA, this card is comparable even to the majestic T206 Wagner as it relates to hobby significance and scarcity. But, with only four graded examples of the Weil Baking reverse, and at the highest grade, this card would be similar to a Wagner with a scarce reverse (such as Broadleaf), and be that reverses highest graded example.
True there is a certain mystique regarding the Wagner card, but there is also intrigue and mystique regarding Babe Ruth, too! The Bambino literally saved baseball, and a confluence of events around 1920 certainly helped project Ruth and the National Pastime into the national spotlight. Just think about the monumental impact that Babe Ruth has bestowed upon our National Pastime. He was the greatest baseball player of all time, the best two-way player this game has ever seen. He was undoubtedly the greatest slugger of all time, and in 1920 his home run total of 59 eclipsed the home run total of every other American League team! Ruth was also arguably the greatest pitcher of his time, and if not due to his prowess as a slugger, the Sultan of Swat might have been known as The Sultan of Sling! IN fact, Ruth was 6-1 in head to head matchups with Walter Johnson, including winning four 1-0 games. But, Ruth was the player who solely saved the game of baseball in the early 1920’s in light of the Black Sox scandal, bringing the spotlight back onto the field and away from the courtroom dramatics. Babe Ruth was above the game itself and daily newspapers hired sportswriters to exclusively cover him! For one fortunate collector, a superior Babe Ruth rookie card is presented here in a SGC 60 EX 5 holder. This incredible Ruthian pitching pose in his first major Red Sox uniform!
The card is framed by slightly off center borders, but is considered “well-centered” relative to the issue. These relatively lean borders are mostly free of unobtrusive print, and although the reverse contains some light toning, the “Weil Baking Co” print advertisement is 100% complete and very bold. Ruth’s image is crisp and features strong registration, with his not yet fully rotund face clearly recognizable. The edges are all straight, with light rounding in the upper left corner and light corner touches on the other three. This is a very sharp looking card, completely commensurate with the assigned grade, the highest known graded example in the hobby. This is a tremendous opportunity to obtain a baseball card which may be the hobby’s next crown jewel. Off all the Babe Ruth cards available on the market, including the various gum and candy cards of the 1930s, this 1916 Weil Baking card is clearly tops them all in scarcity, signicance, status and overall appeal, as it is the greatest player of all time’s Rookie card. How great is it to say “Ruth Rookie?”Although we have stated earlier there are a total of 91 Babe Ruth rookie cards appearing with various reverses, most already reside in advanced collections, and only a handful may come up for auction on a year to year basis, and the prices for these specimens increase every time. To top it off, this is not one of the relatively “easier” Ruth rookies to locate, but one with a very scarce back – the Weil Baking Co back – and the highest graded example known to the hobby. An exceptional opportunity to advance your world class baseball card and/or Babe Ruth collection.
This lot has a Reserve Price that has not been met.