Collecting baseball cards is almost as American as the sport itself and though card collection has dipped in popularity over the decades, there is still a passionate community of baseball obsessives who are tapped into the hobby.
Other Rare Baseball Cards
The T206 Honus Wagner card was long thought to be one of the rarest cards ever because of its limited production. The card was published by the American Tobacco Company and even came with cigarettes attached (different times). Legend has it that Wagner, the legendary Hall of Fame shortstop, hated the idea of his likeness being used to promote tobacco sales and halted production. One of these cards sold in 2021 for north of $6 million.
Similarly, a 1952 Mickey Mantle card sold for $5 million in 2021. It wasn’t even his rookie card! Mantle’s rookie card sold for over $12 million.
Even recent players have some incredibly rare cards to their name. The Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Draft BDPP89 Superfractor sold for $3.9 million in 2020. The Angels’ superstar outfielder wasn’t even 30 years old at the time of auction.
Collectors will drop colossal amounts of cash on collectible cards if their rarity is deemed worth it. But, one card—thought to be rarer than them all—is finally set to hit auction. For avid card collectors and hobbyists, it is a card that trumps all of the others before it.
What Is the Rarest Baseball Card Ever?
The 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is going to be up for sale for the first time ever. It is thought to be one of only ten in existence. Experts have it priced at over $10 million.
The card depicts a 19-year old George Herman Ruth. Long before his slugging days, the card reads: “Pitcher.” The face of the card is tan and red and depicts rookie Babe Ruth for the first time as a young, fireballing pitcher for his hometown team, the Baltimore Orioles. The back of the card lists the Orioles’ schedule.
The card was attached to a newspaper and because Ruth was essentially a nobody at the time, hundreds of the cards went straight to the can after the paper was read. Imagine that—a paper that costs less than a nickel included a card that would one day be worth millions.
The lore of the card goes much deeper, though. The card was originally picked up by a Baltimore-area paper boy named Archibald Davis. Since, it has been passed down through the same family.
The card will be auctioned off at the Robert Edward Auctions’ Fall Auction—running from November 17 to December 3.
If you got the cash, you can register to bid on the card here.
The Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card is the most coveted baseball card in history. For fans of the sport, it’ll be a long time before you see a card even half as important hit the market.
Peter Candia is the Food + Drink Editor at New Jersey Digest. A graduate of The Culinary Institute of America, Peter found a passion for writing midway through school and never looked back. He is a former line cook, server and bartender at top-rated restaurants in the tri-state area. In addition to food, Peter enjoys politics, music, sports and anything New Jersey.
