Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey Card Sells for $76,000 at Auction

A Babe Ruth baseball card from the 1933 Goudey set fetched $76,000 on Saturday night in a Goldin Auctions sale.

The card received a near-mint grade of 8 from PSA, making it one of the finest known examples of the rare card. Only seven have received a higher grade. It was described as such:

"Of the four Babe Ruth cards included in the 1933 Goudey set, No. 181 offers the largest center image of the Bambino. In the detailed casting of his face, seen only on No. 181, the observer is allowed to actually view the components of the legend's unique persona. Determination tempered by kindness, and flamboyance justified by confidence, are visible in the perfectly textured face of Ruth as displayed on this superb collectible."

Two other Ruth cards, a separate 1933 Goudey and a 1933 World Wide Gum, were also available in the auction. 

The Sultan of Swat is one of the greatest players in MLB history, and his resume includes seven World Series titles and the rare distinction of winning both the American League ERA title (1916) and batting title (1924). His 714 home runs rank third all time behind Barry Bonds (762) and Hank Aaron (755).

In 2019, a game-worn jersey of his from the time period between 1928 and 1930 sold for $5.64 million, setting a world record for most expensive sports memorabilia piece ever.

Ruth, an inductee in the first National Baseball Hall of Fame class in 1936, died in 1948. He played for the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees and Boston Braves during a 22-year MLB career.