Babe Ruth is one of the most iconic and celebrated figures in the history of baseball, and his baseball cards are highly sought after by collectors. Here are the top 5 Babe Ruth baseball cards (plus a bonus!), along with their significance and some fun facts:
1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth
Few people realize that Babe Ruth grew up in Baltimore. This card is often considered Ruth’s rookie card and is extremely rare. It features a young Babe Ruth during his time with the Baltimore Orioles before he joined the Major Leagues. There’s a blue and red version.
This card has a simple design and was produced cheaply. Only a handful of these cards are known to exist, and they are highly sought after by collectors. In 2021, a PSA-graded 2 example sold for over $6 million, making it the second most valuable baseball card ever.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $6,000,000
1916 Sporting News Babe Ruth
For those who can’t afford the million-dollar price tag of Ruth’s rookie card, his major league rookie card is slightly more attainable. This card is from Ruth’s early years with the Boston Red Sox. It’s significant because it features Ruth as a pitcher, and it’s one of his earliest Major League cards.
Unlike the other cards on this list, the 1916 Sporting News card is black and white, and it has the best photography of any card on this list. The card’s value varies depending on its condition, but high-grade examples can command six-figure sums at auction.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $500,000
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
This is one of the most iconic Babe Ruth cards and is part of the famous 1933 Goudey set. The set includes four different Babe Ruth cards, each showcasing different poses. While the card still sells for the price of a decent car, having different versions does help its overall price. Ruth’s teammate, Lou Gehrig, is also famously depicted in the 1933 Goudey set.
These cards are notable for their colorful design and different card options, although the yellow version is arguably the collectors’ favorite. The value of these cards varies based on the specific card and its condition, with high-grade examples often fetching over $100,000.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $30,000
1933 Sport Kings Babe Ruth
This card is from the 1933 Sport Kings set, which features athletes from various sports. It’s significant for being part of a multi-sport set and is highly collectible among both baseball and sports card enthusiasts.
The card shows a smiling Ruth and lists him only as a baseball player, not a Yankee. You can actually find decently-centered examples of this card, so corners and creases are the main issue with this card. High-grade examples can be worth several thousand dollars or more.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $5,000
1935 Goudey 4-in-1 Babe Ruth
This card is from Ruth’s final season as a player with the Boston Braves. It’s considered his last card as an active player and it’s a sentimental favorite for collectors. The 1935 Goudey set is also known as the “puzzle” set, because each card has a grid containing four players. On Ruth’s card? His Braves teammates: Marty McManus, Ed Brandt and Rabbit Maranville (HOF). The backs of the card shows a piece of a photo, which – when combined with the other cards – completes a puzzle. There are four different backs for Ruth’s card, so you can collect one or all of the variations.
While the card loses some value because Ruth is not featured alone, the card still looks great and laying out the small set as a complete grid is an absolute joy. This is one of the most reasonable Ruth purchases you can make.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $500
1948 Leaf Babe Ruth
We said “5 Must-Haves” so why are we listing six? Because many of the solo Babe Ruth cards are out of the price range of all but the most deep-pocketed collectors, so here’s a bonus: the 1948 Leaf Babe Ruth may not have come out when he played, but it’s still vintage, and existed (barely) in his lifetime.
The card itself is bright and bold, but a well-centered version is difficult to find. As with any older card, it’s also subject to folds and fuzzy corners.
Estimated Low-Grade Value: $4,000
Collecting Babe Ruth Baseball Cards
Keep in mind that the values of these cards can fluctuate significantly based on factors such as their condition and market demand. In recent years, some Babe Ruth cards have sold for millions of dollars at auction, making them some of the most valuable and collectible sports cards in the world.
