View Full Version : I am not sure what to think of this Ruth...
The rarest Ruth and only 65k.....sounds like a deal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Rarest-Babe-Ruth-ever-1928-Sweetman-Co-Babe-Ruth-Yankees-HOF-PSA-3-POP-1-/140820288726?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item20c98b14d6
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HRBAKER
11-18-2012, 07:47 PM
The rarest Ruth and only 65k.....sounds like a deal.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/The-Rarest-Babe-Ruth-ever-1928-Sweetman-Co-Babe-Ruth-Yankees-HOF-PSA-3-POP-1-/140820288726?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item20c98b14d6,
It's on ebay so it must be true.
Exaggeration in an auction description, never.
It's on ebay so it must be true.
Exaggeration in an auction description, never.
The seller is usually a very good seller, and anyone can ask what they want to, but I would almost feel bad if someone bought that card for 65k only to find out it's worth approx. 1/20th of that (and I think I am being generous).
lancemountain
11-18-2012, 08:53 PM
I love the auctions with insane BIN prices then they charge shipping as well :confused:
sdkammeyer
11-18-2012, 09:08 PM
WOW!
I have also seen quite a few of his auctions and they always seem pretty legitimate.
"I am not sure what to think" either :)
Sean1125
11-18-2012, 10:16 PM
An SGC auth fetched roughly $4k.
I figure that one is either trimmed or altered in some way.
In comparison, how much does a copy of a card graded numerically "3" fetch over an authentic (possibly altered) copy?
I would like to educate myself a bit, what sort of ratio between other similar cards are you looking at for your price determination? Is there another card that has an authentic copy and then a numerically graded copy - how much of a premium did the numeric copy get?
Anyway I don't think he is making any false statements "only one by PSA", just a bit misleading.
Pup6913
11-18-2012, 10:26 PM
He states its a 1/1 which is misleading. Any chance this was the SGC A card?
glchen
11-19-2012, 12:26 AM
This is indeed the same card that was sold in a Sterling Auction for roughly $4K as SGC Authentic here: Link (http://sterlingsportsauctions.com/LotDetail.aspx?inventoryid=11576). When I asked Brian about this card, he guessed that it was Authentic due to a very slight trim on the bottom edge. If you compare the photos from the Sterling auction to probstein's auction, you can see that it is the same card. Therefore, the card is a 1/1 because it is the "only" card in both the SGC and PSA pop reports.
Peter_Spaeth
11-19-2012, 07:36 AM
Sometimes the crack-out game works out well. :)
HRBAKER
11-19-2012, 08:53 AM
Sometimes the crack-out game works out well. :)
Yes, very Art Shellian don't you think.
So that card brought $3680 in the Sterling Auction. To me, that was a strong price for it in that grade (AUT). And I don't think the seller is doing anything really bad but that is just some asking price.....
Here are a few others with different backs but still similar-
Tharps-
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-Tharps-Ice-Cream-6-Babe-Ruth-Yankees-SGC-40-3-/130802755586?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item1e7473a802
and a Harringtons
http://www.ebay.com/itm/1928-Tharps-Ice-Cream-6-Babe-Ruth-Yankees-SGC-40-3-/130802755586?pt=US_Baseball&hash=item1e7473a802
.
Shoeless Moe
11-19-2012, 11:21 AM
I'm surprised he doesn't have a Best Offer button.
So he wouldn't take $58,000 for it?
Bocabirdman
11-19-2012, 11:40 AM
I'm surprised he doesn't have a Best Offer button.
So he wouldn't take $58,000 for it?
Couldn't it just simply be a finger-farted decimal point?
theuclakid
11-19-2012, 11:57 AM
this seller primarily sells cards on consignment...as this one probably is....I have met and talked with Mr. Probstein at length, and I have found him to be intelligent and honest....I have had nothing but excellent service and communication from him...his listings dont waste words, that is true, and that can be refreshing....I highly recommend him...as to the cards value....who knows....the consignor in most cases dictates the buy it now price and probably has no clue, but does not want to chance the auction format....Bruce Perry
EvilKing00
11-19-2012, 12:11 PM
knowing the seller, he is a very good one, the sale price on this card and the text i can only assume it comes from the actual seller who he is selling it for.
As for saying its the rarest babe ruth card ever i dont think so, as i can only assume (im not a pro like some of you guys here) but isnt ruths 1914 card the rarest? - http://baberuthcards.net/Rookie-Card
Exhibitman
11-19-2012, 12:34 PM
"Rare" and "valuable" are two not entirely related things. Sometimes rare correlates more with "obscure" than with valuable. The 1914 Ruth has caught on with collectors so it is rare and valuable.
I have lots of rare things but sadly for me very few of them are valuable...
glchen
11-19-2012, 01:43 PM
My guess is that the seller knows that Spence does not have that card in his Ruth collection, so is hoping that he pulls the trigger.
this seller primarily sells cards on consignment...as this one probably is....I have met and talked with Mr. Probstein at length, and I have found him to be intelligent and honest....I have had nothing but excellent service and communication from him...his listings dont waste words, that is true, and that can be refreshing....I highly recommend him...as to the cards value....who knows....the consignor in most cases dictates the buy it now price and probably has no clue, but does not want to chance the auction format....Bruce Perry
That is all fine but if someone gave me a card worth, say 5k, and asked me to start it at 50k, I wouldn't do it. He does have the option to say "no thanks, that is a 5k card on it's best day, and I don't think putting it at 65k OBO would be good for you or I"........ Rick is in fact honest and intelligent, from the few times I have communicated with him and all I have read about his company. A very fair person.
Peter W Thomas
11-19-2012, 02:10 PM
As the owner of the raw card, I knew that it was trimed when I bought it about 20 years ago. I had it graded just prior to consigning it to Brian, maybe I shoud have offered it on ebay at a bargin price of $32,500. I agree with Leon on the value. I was very pleased with the Sterling sale which I belive was more than 15 times what I paid for it. I may need to go deep into my closet and see what else I can find.
ethicsprof
11-19-2012, 06:51 PM
I definitely think you should take the deep look and see what other treasures you may have. Given your long journey of collecting some of the best things out there,
I suspect that you will be pleasantly surprised!
Just don't take that deep look psychoanalytically as the sessions are still much too expensive and often last a lifetime! :)
all the best, Peter
Barry
My guess is that the seller knows that Spence does not have that card in his Ruth collection, so is hoping that he pulls the trigger.
You might be right and I admit I have dangled a carrot like this before too. On mine, the whale didn't bite......and a few years later the same card sold for 3-4x what my exorbitant asking price was, so who knows! And I hope this thread didn't make anyone think I was saying the seller is doing anything illegal or even unethical. I have stuff I offer for high prices too. I just thought this one was really high, especially with the others (with different backs) also currently listed, so commented.