How Much is a Babe Ruth Card Worth?

Although he died in 1948, Babe Ruth still is among the greatest figures in American sports history. As the years go by, only Michael Jordan and Muhammad Ali can compare with Ruth in terms of popularity and notoriety and it will be interesting to see if those great stars will still command legendary status 60 years after their death as Ruth does. The memorabilia industry loves anything with Ruth's signature on it and in particular the sports card collecting industry holds Ruth's name in great esteem.

  1. History

    • Babe Ruth was the dominant player of his era, bashing 714 home runs in leading the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to dominance in Major League Baseball. Ruth started his career as an outstanding pitcher before concentrating o the outfield after he was traded to the Yankees by Red Sox owner Harry Frazee in 1918. The Red Sox were the dominant team in baseball until he was traded to the Yankees and New York took over that role after he arrived in the Bronx. Fans of all ages were enamored with Ruth's power and outsized personality and have always wanted to collect anything with his baseball career. Uniforms, bats, balls and gloves are always sought after and Ruth's signature on a photograph is also considered quite valuable. However, the Babe Ruth rookie card of 1914 is the second-most valuable baseball card as it is worth about $511,000.

    Significance

    • The cards that were issued during Babe Ruth's playing days (1914-1935) are very rare. Some are worth $10,000 or more, but that is determined by the condition of the card. If it is torn or frayed, the card can be downgraded significantly, but if it has been kept under glass and is in pristine condition, it is worth whatever the buyer will spend. Those who collect Ruth items have been known to "overpay" market value because of Ruth's importance in baseball and American history.

    Effects

    • Ruth's impact on the collectible market can help drive up the prices of other superstars as well. Since Ruth is perhaps the most famous American athlete of all-time--ESPN listed him as the second-most significant athlete of the 20th century behind Jordan but ahead of Ali--he still has a telling impact on the collectible market. Ironically, the value of his cards and other memorabilia may be driven by non-collectors. Opinion makers who write columns and issue commentaries, comparing actors, politicians, athletes and anyone famous to Ruth by saying that "so-and-so is the Babe Ruth of his field." Those comparisons may not be fresh, but readers and listeners immediately understand the significance when someone is compared to Ruth.

    Geography

    • It would seem plausible that Ruth's popularity would be greatest along the east coast since he was born in Baltimore and played the majority of his career in New York and Boston. But there is no such "east coast bias" when the subject is the great slugger. Baseball fans of all ages, hometowns and ethnic backgrounds hunger for Ruth cards and memorabilia and keep the market bountiful.

    Expert Insight

    • Even though Babe Ruth's home run records have been passed by players like Roger Maris and Henry Aaron as well as others, nothing has ever knocked Ruth from his pedestal as baseball's most important player ever. Jackie Robinson, who broke the color line and became the first African-American player in the Major Leagues, may be just as important. However, baseball was in danger of losing its grasp on the American public after the Chicago White Sox threw the 1919 World Series to the Cincinnati Reds and Ruth gave the fans someone to believe in. His ability to thrill crowds with the home run throughout the 1920s saved baseball and enabled future stars like Joe DiMaggio, Robinson, Mays, Aaron, Sandy Koufax, Mickey Mantle, Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Ken Griffey Jr. to thrive.