Fresh off the record-breaking sale of a PSA Mint+ 9.5 Babe Ruth single-signed baseball, which realized a staggering $388,375 in Heritage’s 2012 Platinum Auction, the World’s Largest Collectibles Auctioneer has its sights set on another single-signed Sultan of Swat milestone. Coming up in October 25-26 Signature Auction #7065, HA will be offering, quite possibly, the finest “early” Ruth single on Earth.
Serious hobbyists recognize that the ultra-high grade examples that have been skyrocketing in the collecting market almost always date to his retirement years. It is widely known that Ruth dropped the quotation marks around “Babe” soon after his historic 1927 sixty home run season, properly concluding that the moniker was no longer simply a nickname but a brand name synonymous with baseball brilliance. Collectors therefore properly place a significant premium on the considerably less common early model, which may be as much as one hundred times rarer than the unpunctuated style.
From that thin early supply, none have surfaced that could compete with the aesthetics of this one, which properly garners a 9/10 autograph grade from the folks at PSA/DNA, and an 8/10 rating for the ball itself, presumably based mainly on the slightest hint of toning well clear of the ball’s focus. Our catalog imagery should properly indicate that the ball presents effectively “as new” from any reasonable viewing distance.
This is not a baseball for the collector looking to check a box on a list, but rather for the uncompromising hobbyist who understands the appeal (and investment potential) of owning an unequivocal example of the market’s fundamental building block. An estimate of $120,000+ has been placed on this hobby treasure. Bidding starts in early October at HA.com/Sports.
