Ruth issue to buy with a budget of $1500 (seeking experienced advice)
 

Thanks for looking. OK so basically I made a nice profit on a sale recently to an advanced player collector on a card I had acquired at a local show. It was hard to let go but I tripled what I paid for the card in profit, well not even a typical card, an advertising piece from a local distributor from back in the late 60's/early 70's. I would like to purchase a Babe Ruth item for what I had profited, from his playing years, but know very little of what would be most desirable. A fully intact card with disregard to the condition as long as not altered with nice appeal. What might you suggest..?, strip cartoon card, photo card , or does it even matter ? Thanks for the knowledge
Shawn

We kind of just did this thread...
https://www.net54baseball.com/showthread.php?t=276177

Sorry, I don't frequent this part of the forum too often. Thanks

5k is a little different than 1500. I'd get your favorite 33 Goudey in the best looking 1 you can find for the money.

For me easily the 1932 Sanella Type 3 in the nicest condition you can find for your $1500.

I'd buy an original photo of Ruth that you really like.

I think your going to need some luck to get a 33 Goudey for $1500 that is not pretty trashed. If you can, that would probably be the way I'd go, but you would probably have more luck looking at later exhibits, Kashins, and Sanella. If you like premiums, you could also go with R309 or W554.

This. Hands down

This....... Much more bang for the buck on a $1500 budget.

Ruth
 

or this -

don't listen to Ben!

48 Leaf, any Sanella's are about $250, Berk Ross, 61 Topps, Scoops, Look N See... All non-playing issues but you could probably get most if not all of them in nice condition for that $1500

La Presse

1933 Sport Kings Babe Ruth

Should be able to find a presentable albeit low grade example for $1500.

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Exhibits and notebooks are within your price range that look great and have upside. Type 1 photos are really good as well.

I've been asked this question a few times over the years, and my answer is always the same: I believe the 1934 Goudey premium has the best bang for the buck among Ruth cards. If I wanted to spend less, I might go with a snapshot. Here's mine ...

That's a nice one Chris

Shawn, I believe that you can acquire decent examples from both of these 1928 issues for $1,500.

No way. Foreign Ruth cards are definitely not the way to go. Nope.

Good choice.

Absolutely w514 ... check my post as to why!

I agree with Steve. No foreign cards and also no cartoonish strip cards. Even though I don’t collect postcards or photographs, I think if you like them they are a good choice. Otherwise, I would suggest buying nothing and saving a little more until you say have $5,000 to spend, and then your possibilities expand considerably. Don’t buy something just for the sake of spending the money, buy something that you can enjoy and be proud of.

I’m a huge fan of the 1935 Goudey 4 in 1.

Authentic Goudey gum card of the babe during his playing days (final year) and $1500 should be able to get you a nice looking 4 or 5 grade.

W517 either pose is nice and unless going for a very high grade you should have money left over.

Don't let them talk you out of a foreign Ruth:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...2e4fc9b01c.jpg

You can get many...great ruth cards for $1500:

-exhibits
-strips...that even look like babe
-lower grade e121 w/bird...maybe standing w/ball
-fro joys...u can afford 2 for $1500
-spalding
-W's from early 30's
-Goudey premium
-Quaker premium...like $200
-Quaker Flip Book

Countless options! Most much rarer than goudeys...just pick one you like.

Oh yeah, and my answer to this question is always buy the Kashin Ruth. It has an incredible image and is criminally undervalued if you ask me.

Agree with Packs. You could get a great Kashin Ruth for that money, or you could get a decent Ruth and Gehrig for $1500. Both have great images and are from their playing days.

Do not disagree with that.

Yes the 4 in 1
Its still a CARD! I echo the sentiment on this card, or well presenting goudey. Avoid postcards, photos, foreign etc. They were long frowned upon until the recent upsurge, overbought in my opinion. Though they do "look nice" oversized and not coming out of a pack just kill it in my eyes

The suggestion of a Kashin is good one. I would add the Butterfinger premium to the list.

Considering we just sold a presentable one at auction for about $450 and it's a great image I think this isn't a bad idea. You could get a rather nice one for over $1k

Thanks Pete, and all others for the advice. I will be on the hunt..

My advice is to get a Ruth card during his playing days with an image you love. The card should have nice eye appeal, and ideally have a number grade (and not Authentic or 1/Poor). Here are some of my suggestions, but in higher grades, in no particular order. I would say you should probably be able to get these cards in grades 2-3 for ~$1500 although I haven't checked on recent prices.


* 1933 Blue Bird

* 1926-29 Exhibits (Pose)

* 1926-29 Exhibits (Batting)

* 1929 R315

* 1931 W517 #20

The La Presse items are very under-rated in my opinion and also quite beautiful as well.

The La Presse is nice but it's more poster than card. I think if you're after a card you'll be let down by it.

For $1500, you could get both the Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig 1932 Butterfinger premium in great condition. In great condition, they run about $600-$800 each, routinely. But they are fragile. I was patient, and I got mine for $150 in an auction. It has two tears and an alteration in the top left corner, but it presents well.

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I agree with those above talking about a nice type 1 photo. I would also vote for the Kashin. I think it's extremely undervalued. The Blue Bird Ruth is a nice option. There was a small find of them a few years back so they are much more reasonably priced than they used to be. Plus it's the Conlon image.

You mention item, then say card. That's the first choice you have to make!

1928 Harrington's Babe Ruth can be found at a reasonable price

Nice choices Gary. I would definitely look for exhibits in lower grades, maybe a low grade R315. A low grade 1922 E121-120 would be nice but probably would have to stretch the 1500 range some, same as a low grade Goudey probably looking at 2k+. The Sport Kings in lower grade may be doable in that range.

I would wait and see what's out there check big auctions, and wait till one you really want comes up in your range.

How about a Shapira Bros Ruth?

I'd buy an original photo of Ruth that you really like.

This. Type I photo for sure would be my advice...

Photos are popular now but is it always going to be a good buy at a price like $1,500? I was picking up photos for almost nothing before they took off.

Depends on the photo.

I think you'd have to spend more than $1,500 now to get a photo that will keep value at that number later (which means overpaying really). Right now it seems like any old photo is going for seven, eight, nine hundred bucks. I don't see that kind of market sustaining itself though.

I would hold on and search for a 33 Goudey. If you look hard you should be able to find a low grade presentable card. I think you will feel better about your purchase and it will be a better investment.

the goudey is his rookie after all!

Still think it depends on the photo, you can definitely get some great shots of Ruth for under $1500 that I personally think will go up in value with the overall photo market still being so small relatively speaking. Agreed though that you need a good eye and need to be selective, like you I don't see every mediocre Ruth photo holding value.

Where on any ones post did it say that a 33 Goudey is his rookie? Take a pill.

beckett says so...you take a pill.

Just 'cuz it's awesome.

Barnstorming, 1927

I'm not much of a medication fellow, but if there were a pill I could take to inexpensively land a 1933 Goudey of Ruth, Rookie or No, I might just make a point to pop a couple down the gullet.

Brian

Blum's

Reasonable but it's been 5+ yrs since those were in the 1500 range from what I recall. I think you would have to add 500+ to the budget today. Still great cards and a great value though.

Here is a w626 of a Ruth pose that has never been seen yet as a card. It was under 500 bucks...

I like the Senellas. They're nice looking cards and an affordable price.

As packs previously mentioned foreign (Canadian) is not a bad way to go. Here is a 1934 World Wide Gum with great eye appeal on the front and a badly stained and slightly damaged back that went for $1600 last month. Some day collectors will finally realize that the World Wide Gum cards are a lot harder to come by and feature the same dang classic images as seen on the Goudey cards.

Brian

I've always been baffled by the price difference between the Goudey and WWG. This hobby lives and dies for rarity and variance but for some reason there isn't much interest in the rarity or variance of the WWG set.

I personally think it's because there is still something "foreign" about the WWG. They are definitely great cards. But the French writing makes it seem a little less "authentically American". And if I'm going to shell out over $1000 for a baseball card, I think it might bug me a little bit that it still seems like a foreign issue.

I definitely think that's the reason the Sanella cards are still relatively cheap...the German writing on the back makes them feel like less of a standard baseball card. Because the image on those is great.

I think the 1933 WWG has a variant with an English only back.

Yes, it is called Goudey R319 :)
This was posted in another thread but it fits the 1500 dollar range. From our BST a year or so ago...and it has a couple other no names in it too.

https://luckeycards.com/ruth2.jpg

I thought I remember there being an English only version of the 33 WWG cards. Maybe not.

Here you go: http://candimanauctions.com/moe_berg...was-lot10.aspx

English only variation
 

Here's an example of an english only back on the WWG Ruth...

Look at that.

Never seen that. Thanks. Learn something new everyday.

Woah. I’ve never seen that either. Do English WWG carry a premium over the French?

The W517 set has the choice of portrait and throwing pose cards, and both are attractive. W517 cards were issued in a strip, but they do have nice photos and my belief is that someday the Ruth cards will command a fair amount more because of the appealing images. I have always liked overall look of the throwing pose, partly because of the stadium background.

Brian (cards not mine)

W517 portrait is my # 1 choice I think, it just has that distinctive characteristic to it, thanks for everyone's advice and interest on this topic- shawn

I won't get into a debate if it counts as a baseball card, but the Babe Ruth (with Harold Lloyd) Speedy postcard is a good pick

https://immortalephemera.com//wp-con...ydbaberuth.jpg

1928 George Ruth Candy Co. Babe Ruth #2
 

Available for $1750 if you want some real bang for your buck

A decent Exhibit, Ruth candy or Fro Joy would be the way to go if you want the most value in a traditionally sized item. The 1933 Goudey premium is great but it is big.

Since this thread started I had these cards in mind. Having had all 3 in the past, and at least one now, I like them.

https://luckeycards.com/pf52frojoyruth.jpg

The "English Only" versions of the 1933 WWG Ice Kings (hockey) issue certainly carry a premium, so by extension the same theory might apply.

I believe the higher pricing is because there are theoretically less of them, and not simply because they are English only.

M101-7 Sporting News Supplements
 

M101-7 Sporting News Supplements don't quite fit the definition of a card but are still a great, period, Ruth image and can be had cheaper than almost any of the other issues.

I thought of this thread today while I was checking out the 2020 Topps Heritage checklist. The 2020 set is going to have French variation cards as short prints.