Summer Premium Card and Memorabilia Auction Closing August 7 & 9
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 8/8/2021
Graded NM-MT 8 by PSA. Hall of Famer. Among more than 1,180 copies recorded in PSA's census reporting, just seven examples have been placed at a higher, unqualified tier. Of the four Babe Ruth cards included in the 1933 Goudey set, number 181 offers the largest center image of the Bambino. In the detailed casting of his face, seen only on number 181, the observer is allowed to actually view the components of the legend's unique persona. Determination tempered by kindness, and flamboyance justified by confidence, are visible in the perfectly textured face of Ruth as displayed on this superb collectible. This is one of the hobby's favorite career-contemporary cards of the immortal ballplayer, and the bold, vibrant palette of colors and fantastic clarity in this superior example appear unaffected by time. A quick glance at this piece will affirm the card's incredible eye appeal and the accuracy of its laudatory "NM-MT" grading assessment. A longer look will allow those attributes to enchant the viewer. Clean white borders frame a vivid, well-focused image. All four corners are solid and nicely pointed. The card displays unusually good symmetry for the 1933 Goudey issue. The print resolution and overall crispness of Ruth's image on the front of this piece is dramatic, and its visual impact cannot be overstated. The card's reverse – showing deep-green printing on a field of bright white – is refreshingly bright. This is one of only a handful of baseball cards that legitimately aspires to transcend the hobby, and it stands as a classic treasure of paper Americana. Here is a formidable example of one of the great Ruth's most coveted cards, a classic in every sense of the word. Extraordinary Near Mint to Mint condition.