In a tale fit for a Hollywood blockbuster, a family roof rummage in Northeast Ohio uncovered a tiny piece of Americana buried under layers of dust—a collection of vintage baseball cards featuring none other than the legendary Babe Ruth. The saga unraveled in glorious detail at a recent online auction hosted by Stark County’s own Kiko Auctions, where the sports treasures fetched a sensational $120,000 before premiums and taxes muscled the total payout to above $140,000.
The unlikely find was unearthed by a pair of siblings, who prefer to remain nameless, while sorting through the labyrinthine relics of their parents’ estate. These savvy siblings quickly deduced that these timeworn slips of cardboard, housed clumsily in an old cigar box, were not merely token memorabilia but held something of far greater value.
Come auction time, the Canton Repository sharpened its pencils and crunched the figures, revealing an enticing catalog that kicked off on May 28 and hammered down the last batch by June 2. It boasted a can’t-miss lineup of 623 lots, focused heavily on baseball cards. Among these treasures, over 200 hailed from the iconic 1933 Goudey Big League Gum set—the veritable Holy Grail among card collectors.
Undoubtedly a big deal in the card-collecting universe, the 1933 Goudey set bolstered its allure with the ingenious inclusion of a stick of gum with each pack. A marketing marvel, the tactic cemented the set’s place in history and jam-packed it with Hall of Fame talent, drawing countless collectors into an unending quest to assemble the complete set.
As the virtual hammer rang through the digital realm, high bidders ended up shelling out some serious cash—$120,699 in winning bids alone. When the inevitable 10% internet premium and 6.5% sales tax were factored in, the lucky (or savvy) spenders ended up dropping over $140,000.
One bidder, whose user ID might suggest a mighty sleuth, appears to have bagged a major portion of the collection. Top of the pops was a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card, graced with an arresting red backdrop, that single-handedly commanded $8,000. In total, the quintet of Babe Ruth cards realized a hefty $35,250 before the tally of fees and taxes played their part.
The cards, while varied in condition, hadn’t trotted down the path of professional grading, introducing a layer of risk to the acquisitions. But in the world of vintage collectibles, it’s precisely this mingling of risk and reward that fuels the exhilaration coursing through collector veins.
From its unassuming attic resting place in Buckeye State, this storied collection reminds us all that relics of America’s pastime are far from passé. Dust-covered and sleeping gently within the confines of an old cigar box, they’ve springboarded into the digital-age auction fervor, holding steadfast to the hearts of fans and enthusiasts the world over.
Delightful echoes of nostalgia danced alongside these cards, painting the indulgence of an era defined by Polaroid-long summer days and the crack of the bat. It’s a testament to baseball’s enduring hold over the American soul—a legacy of wonder and tradition that continues to hit every auction out of the park.
As the gavel falls silent and new owners cradle their prizes, one can’t help but wonder what other forgotten treasures await discovery, laced with history in the attics of America, just waiting for their turn in the spotlight.
