A 1914 Babe Ruth rookie card, originally published in the Baltimore News, recently fetched a staggering $7.2 million, including the buyer’s premium, shortly after midnight on Monday. This transaction marks the third-highest amount ever paid for a sports card, coming close to the record of $7.25 million set by a T206 Sweet Caporal Honus Wagner card in August 2022.
This particular letter now holds the distinction of being the most expensive Babe Ruth memorabilia item ever sold.
In 1914, a 16-year-old newspaper delivery boy from Baltimore named Archibald Davis collected baseball cards of his beloved Orioles, who were then part of the International (minor) League and appeared in the daily newspapers. Among these cards, he had a special fondness for one featuring a 19-year-old pitcher named Babe Ruth, who was born on Emory Street.
Davis’s collection consisted of a total of 15 cards, and these prized items have been passed down from generation to generation within the family. Over the course of 107 years, these cards were often used as toys by children who were unaware of their significant value. In 1998, the family generously donated the cards to the Babe Ruth Museum and Birthplace House in Baltimore. These cards remained on public display until 2021, at which point they were quietly sold in a private transaction.
The 1914 Babe Ruth Card
Brian Dwyer, president of Robert Edward Auctions, which facilitated the sale, noted that the Babe Ruth card was generally in good condition. He explained that the museum had preserved it for more than twenty years, which had greatly contributed to its current condition. Dwyer noted that, to their knowledge, only ten similar cards are known to exist.
To provide some context, it is worth noting that PSA, a card grading service, has evaluated more than 1,500 1952 Topps Mickey Mantles and 32 T206 Sweet Caporal Honus Wagners for grading.
Significantly, both the Topps Mantle and the T206 Wagner have extensive lore, each having rewritten the record books for sports cards in recent years with multiple copies. In contrast, the Baltimore News Babe Ruth, despite its remarkable rarity—being the only known copy with that grade and one known copy with a higher grade—does not have the same legendary status. However, in the late 2000s, it was considered the most valuable sports card.
Brian Dwyer noted that Babe Ruth’s story is steeped in mythology, pointing out that he was admitted to St. Mary’s Industrial School. Dwyer explained that Babe Ruth remained in state care, under the custody of the priests at St. Mary’s Industrial School, until Jack Dunn, then owner and manager of the Orioles, recognized Ruth’s talent and assumed legal guardianship of him. According to Dwyer, the significance of this letter lies in Babe Ruth’s experience of being in state custody for more than two-thirds of his life, with little knowledge of the world and an uncertain future—a reality that the letter symbolizes.
According to Dwyer, the existence of Babe Ruth’s rookie card was not widely known until the 1980s—a surprising revelation for a figure who, as Dwyer pointed out, needs no formal introduction.
Dwyer mentioned that when they sold Wagner’s record for $6.6 million in 2021, they encountered people—even at the National Sports Collectors Convention—who approached them and asked, “Who is Honus Wagner, and why should we care?” According to Dwyer, the striking contrast is that no one questions who Babe Ruth is, recognizing his importance to the game, the fan base, and American culture. Dwyer emphasized that Ruth transcends everything, expressing the belief that Ruth’s card is the most significant and has not yet had its moment in the sun, so to speak.
For the first time in ten years, a Babe Ruth rookie card is being offered for sale.
Dwyer noted that the previous transaction for one of these Babe Ruth cards in 2013 totaled $450,000. He noted that acquiring one of these cards has been comparatively more difficult than buying an NFL team over the past decade. P.J. Kinsella, REA’s director of communications, further stated that it could be more than a decade—and possibly longer—before another one of these cards comes up for auction.
Babe Ruth’s 1914 Season
Significantly, during that particular season, Dunn made the decision to trade Ruth to the Boston Red Sox. Subsequently, Babe Ruth played a pivotal role, leading the Providence Grays to the International League title that summer. In 1915, he posted an impressive 18-8 record as a key pitcher for the Major League Red Sox, becoming one of five pitchers on the Boston roster to record 15 or more wins.
Kinsella expressed his amazement at the card’s existence, calling it miraculous. He explained that Babe Ruth spent only a few months with the Orioles and had left for Providence by the end of 1914. Kinsella considers it remarkable that Babe Ruth appears on this card, without any foreshadowing of his future prominence. He highlighted the precision with which they were able to include him on the set.
The Babe Ruth card received a grade of 3 from the card grading company SGC (Sportscard Guaranty Corporation). It is worth noting that the three most expensive sports cards ever sold—the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card for $12.6 million, the Wagner card for $7.25 million, and, now, the 1914 Baltimore News rookie Babe Ruth card for $7.2 million—were all submitted for grading by SGC.
Unique Features of the Card
An extraordinary 1914 card has been discovered featuring the iconic American sports figure Babe Ruth during his early years, often known as “The Bambino.” At age 19, Babe Ruth was a player for the Baltimore Orioles, representing his hometown when the team was in the International League. Later that same season, in 1914, he made his Major League Baseball debut with the Boston Red Sox.
The 1914 minor league baseball card shows a young Babe Ruth with a boyish appearance, in which his unmistakable broad nose stands out. In the image, he is wearing a dark cap and a dark jersey. As a left-handed pitcher, Babe Ruth is seen holding a small glove in his right hand, typical of the equipment used at that time.
Brian Dwyer, president of Robert Edward Auctions in New Jersey, noted that this is the second-highest price ever achieved at auction for a business letter and the third-highest price ever paid for a business letter, according to FOX Business.
Early in his career, Babe Ruth dominated as a pitcher before transforming into the legendary slugger known as the “Sultan of Swat,” a persona that continues to define his legacy.
His notable trade to the New York Yankees after the 1919 season is widely recognized as having sparked the “Curse of the Bambino,” an event that significantly altered the fortunes of both franchises for generations.
Subsequently, the Yankees won their first four of their historic 27 World Series titles with Babe Ruth in their lineup. After their young star left, the Red Sox endured a notorious 86-year championship drought.
Dwyer emphasized that the letter was highly valuable due to its rarity, as it is one of only 10 known to exist. Furthermore, Babe Ruth’s enduring and iconic image in American culture—nearly a century after his last baseball game—contributed significantly to its value.
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