When it comes to baseball card collecting, few names command as much attention as Babe Ruth. Things reach another level when one of his cards hits the auction block with his authentic signature on it, too.
Robert Edward Auctions is displaying an autographed 1933 Babe Ruth card from the legendary Goudey set in their Fall Catalog (h/t to Sports Illustrated’s Matt Schilling).
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
What Makes This 1933 Babe Ruth Card Special
The card itself has been graded PSA FAIR 1.5 with an MK qualifier. Ruth’s signature earned a PSA/DNA NM 7 grade, though. When we’re talking about vintage baseball cards, the quality of the autograph typically matters more than the card’s condition, so that’s good news for the person selling this bad boy.
As you can see above, the 1933 Goudey #144 shows the Sultan of Swat in the follow-through portion of his iconic swing. While this is the most common of Ruth’s four appearances in the set (Goudey double-printed it), adding an authentic signature changes the perception.
When REA offered a similar signed example in Fall 2020, it sold for $66,000. But given the current market’s appetite for authenticated Ruth autos, this piece of cardboard has already pushed well beyond that mark.
Why the 1933 Goudey Set Remains Baseball Card Royalty
Certain sets transcend their era, and the 1933 Goudey baseball card set is one that’s accomplished that.
Released during the Great Depression, this was an incredible gamble that paid off. The Goudey Gum Company packaged baseball cards with bubble gum. While that doesn’t sound crazy to us now, this was the first baseball card set ever sold in that manner. So, they pioneered an approach that eventually defined the hobby for generations.
The 240-card checklist is a who’s who of baseball’s golden era. Nearly 28% of the entire set features a Hall of Famer, including legends like Lou Gehrig, Jimmie Foxx, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, and four different Ruth cards. The cards featured full-color illustrations set against bold backgrounds in red, green, yellow, and blue. Most also include that distinctive “Big League Chewing Gum” banner.
The legendary Napoleon Lajoie card #106 adds to the mystique. Goudey didn’t include it in the original run, forcing collectors to write complaint letters. The company finally mailed out #106 in 1934, often with paper clip indentations.
Recent 1933 Goudey Sales Show Strong Market
The current market signals are bullish for 1933 Goudey cards. In August 2023, a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #144 graded PSA NM-MT+ 8.5 sold through Heritage Auctions for $1,597,500. That’s an ultra-high grade example without an auto, which shows the ceiling for this card in top condition.
REA’s February 2023 Encore Auction saw a 1933 Goudey #181 Babe Ruth graded VG 3 sell for $15,600. Heritage has previously sold signed 1933 Goudey Ruth cards for over $50,000, with authenticated autos fetching big numbers.
The REA Fall Catalog Auction runs through December 7. At the time of this writing, the current top bid is checking in at $120,000. With authenticated Ruth signatures on vintage cards becoming increasingly rare, this might be one of those opportunities that won’t come around again for a while.
How This Fits Among Vintage Babe Ruth Cards
To appreciate this signed 1933 Goudey, we need context within Ruth’s broader card landscape.
Ruth’s 1914 Baltimore News rookie card represents the holy grail, with one selling for $4.06 million recently (it sold for $7 million in 2023). His 1916 M101-5 Sporting News rookie card and a rare 1915 Boston Red Sox team photo postcard featuring Ruth both fetched six figures, as well.
The 1933 Goudey Ruth cards occupy a sweet spot in this hierarchy. They’re not as rare as his pre-rookie or true rookies, but they’re accessible to serious collectors while representing an iconic moment in card history.
Ruth personally handling this card while signing them obviously sets it apart from others. While the Bambino was a prolific autograph signer, on-card autographs don’t surface frequently. He signed thousands of photos and baseballs, but actual trading cards bearing his signature are legit rarities.
This REA offering bridges multiple collecting categories: it’s a signed Ruth card, a 1933 Goudey from one of the hobby’s most celebrated sets, and a well-preserved autograph that’s nearly a century old. That all makes it special, and it’ll be fascinating to see what the winning bid ends up being.
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