The baseball card market never sleeps! That’s especially the case when a rare vintage piece of cardboard suddenly becomes available. A 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card has headed to auction, and the price tag could be staggering.
According to Hannah Hoffamn at WBalTV.com, this rare piece of baseball history might fetch upwards of $7 million when the gavel finally drops.
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The Auction That Has Collectors on Edge
Heritage Auctions is orchestrating what could become one of the most significant baseball card sales in recent memory. The bidding had already climbed to $2.8 million ($3.4 million with the buyer’s premium), but many believe that could just be the beginning. The auction house projects this card could ultimately command as much as $7 million. That’d place it among the most expensive baseball cards ever sold.
What makes this particularly fascinating is the card’s recent journey. Before finding its way to the auction block, this piece of history spent time on display at The Babe Ruth Birthplace and Museum in Baltimore, giving fans a chance to see it up close.
This isn’t the card’s first rodeo at auction, though. It was previously sold in 2023. Now it’s available again, this is just more proof that even the most coveted collectibles will change hands when the price/valuation is right.
What Makes This Babe Ruth Rookie Card So Rare
Only 10 of these cards are known to exist, folks. Think about that for a moment. Ten. In the entire world. And it’s a card from 1914, showing a 19-year-old George Herman Ruth as a pitcher for the Baltimore International League Orioles, long before he became the Sultan of Swat.
This card captures Ruth at the absolute beginning of his legendary career, before the Yankees, before the home run records, before he became arguably the most famous baseball player who ever lived. In this image, he’s just a kid playing for his hometown minor league team. The historical significance is incredible.
The card’s scarcity stems from its age and the limited production runs. In 1914, baseball cards weren’t mass-produced — these were specialty items, usually included in tobacco products or sold in small batches. Survival rates for cards from this period are very low, making authenticated examples like this one virtually priceless to serious collectors.
Recent Babe Ruth Memorabilia Making Waves
The Ruth memorabilia market has been on fire lately, with collectors willing to pay lots of money for pieces connected to The Bambino.
Game-worn jerseys have sold for millions, with one Ruth jersey from the 1932 World Series going for $24.1 million (seriously). His signed baseballs routinely clear six figures, and even relatively common Ruth cards from later in his career can sell for tens of thousands of dollars in high grades.
The appetite for Ruth collectibles reflects not just his legendary status in baseball history, but also the broader trend of sports memorabilia being viewed as alternative investments.
Why This Card Could Reshape the Market
Looking at the bigger picture, this auction could be a potential turning point for pre-1920s baseball cards. If this 1914 Ruth rookie hits that $7 million mark – or exceeds it – we could see a renewed focus on cards from this era.
I feel like we’re witnessing the evolution of collecting in real-time. These aren’t just cardboard rectangles anymore – they’re documenting the origins of America’s pastime. When you hold a card showing Babe Ruth as a teenager, you’re literally holding a piece of 1914 in your hands. That connection to history is irreplaceable. And, very expensive.
The question now is simple: will someone be willing to write a check for $7 million or more to own one of only 10 examples of this card? Based on how the market’s been trending when it comes to anything Ruth-related, I’d say the odds are good. We’ll just have to wait and find out.
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