There are Babe Ruth items, and then there are Babe Ruth items. A 1921 Babe Ruth photo (an original news photograph certified PSA/DNA Type 1) is available at Heritage Auctions. The top bid is $27,000 ($32,940 with buyer’s premium) as of this writing, but the guide value is at $100,000 and up.
What separates this from a standard vintage photo is the paper trail. This specific image served as the source for two separate 1920s baseball card issues. That doesn’t come around often, and when it does, the attention of serious collectors is piqued.
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The Auction Details
Heritage’s 2026 Spring Sports Catalog Auction (#50085) proxy bidding ends on May 16, and the auction runs through May 15–17. As mentioned above, Heritage had labeled the guide value for this item at $100,000-plus. So, they’re clearly anticipating action to heat up as the calendar flips to May and we get closer to the hammer falling.
Bidding works through Heritage’s Signature Internet Extended Bid format: normal bidding runs until 10 PM CT on closing night, followed by a 30-minute extended window on a lot-by-lot basis. If you’ve bid on a lot during normal bidding, you’re eligible to keep going in the extended phase. This format rewards collectors who do their homework ahead of time rather than scrambling at the last second.
What Makes This 1921 Babe Ruth Photo Special to Own
PSA/DNA’s Type 1 designation of the above photo means it’s an original produced at the time of the event — not a reprint or a later-generation copy. It’s the real thing from 1921, and it’s backed up by the authentication.
But the story goes deeper than the grade. This exact photo was used as the image for cards in both the 1921–24 Exhibit series and the 1921 Schapira Bros. Candy set. So, the image on those cards (which have been bought, sold, and collected for over a century) traces directly back to this photo.
Owning it means possessing the origin point of two separate Ruth card issues, which is some eye-opening provenance. For collectors who think about legacy and documentation, that connection to the broader hobby is exactly what elevates an item and increases demand.
A Century-Old Survivor
Honestly, the condition of this photo is hard to believe. We’re talking about a borderless, sepia-toned, approximately 6×8″ print that’s over 100 years old. Heritage also says they struggle to find any fault on the front. That’s incredible for anything, and especially for something from 1921.
The verso shows some light glue staining, which Heritage thinks might be the reason it survived in such incredible shape. The thinking is that it spent decades tucked inside a scrapbook, which shielded it from the light, humidity, and general abuse that destroyed others. Sometimes the “flaw” is what preserves it.
This is the kind of story that gets the attention of vintage collectors. Most original news photos from the early 1920s didn’t make it. This one did with its history intact and in incredible condition.
Where This Fits in the Ruth Market
Pre-war Ruth material at this level is legit rare. The combination of Type 1 authentication, documented card lineage, and century-old condition puts this in a category with very few true comparables. Heritage calls it “one of the finest Ruth photos we’ve presented to the hobby.” Given what they’ve moved over the years, that’s not a statement to take lightly.
High-grade Ruth items with strong provenance have a track record of outrunning their estimates, particularly when the documentation tells a story collectors can connect to. Since this one tells an amazing story, it wouldn’t be unreasonable to expect this to outperform the $100K+ estimate.
If you’re watching the Ruth market or just want to see where a piece like this lands, the May auction is worth following. Even if you’re not bidding at this level, it’s a reference point for the hobby, along with being a reminder of what the top of the market looks like when everything lines up.
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