2019 October Legends Closing October 19
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/20/2019
This one of a kind double-sided advertising display was issued by Fleer in the summer of 1961 to promote its baseball card issue. One side pictures a large colorful portrait image of Babe Ruth while the other features an illustrated advertisement of the "Double Bubble Gum" package above a caption that reads "More Profit Per Linear Foot With [Double Bubble Gum]." The cardboard display measures (16 x 24 inches) has a small hole punched along the top border and was apparently meant to hang from the ceiling, where both sides could be viewed. What is most interesting about this piece is the fact that while the design of the Ruth side of the display is identical to the company's card issue that year, the image of Ruth is actually different from that featured on his card (#75). The advertisement does have a crease across the center where it had been folded since being removed from display, but the crease as well as some minor paper-loss on the reverse which hardly impacts the display on such a piece of this size and substantial importance to the Hobby. Also significant is the caption next to Ruth, which reads "a record to beat *..." A corresponding asterisk along the bottom border prefaces the printed notation "60 Home Runs in 154 Games." That asterisk was a clear reference to the raging controversy that season regarding Roger Maris' pursuit of Babe Ruth's hallowed single-season home-run record which had fallen that year in 1961.
Fleer had began to gain traction in the sports trading card market late 1950's with the Ted Williams Set and followed up with a series of issues in the early 1960's with the 1961 set boasting a colorful red white and blue theme and offering a set that consisted of Hall of Famer's like Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Cy Young and others who had not been present on main stream issues since the 1948 Leaf set. This advertisement is truly one of the only ones known if not the only one still in existence, and features a key over-sized rarity in one of the games biggest names in Babe Ruth. With the popularity of unopened Wax packs and vintage baseball card advertisements, this piece has it all. truly a remarkable item which is nearly impossible to put a value on and may be the only time it appears in public auction for some time to come.