Affordable Babe Ruth cards?
 

I've been thinking about adding a few affordable Babe Ruth cards to my collection. I'm thinking examples that can be found with nice eye appeal in the 1-3 range for $1K or less. I know this eliminates most of the key cards, but '32 Sanella and Bulgaria are 2 that I've added to my list. There are a few Exhibits that might fit the bill as well. What else fits this criteria?

I really like the 1929 Club Shonen Ruth for the money. I picked up one earlier this year for under $200 in an auction...it was diamond cut, but I was shocked to get so lucky. I think you should expect to pay $500, but could probably find on for that.

It has a similar photo to the Churchman, which can also be purchased in the range you are looking at, but I like the Shonen better.

For the cheap, I like the Brown and Bigelow playing cards...they aren't contempt pious, but the are old.

I also like the club shonen in the $500 range...it's a pretty "card" and is likely much more scarce than goudey ruths!!!!!

Take a look at the 1929 Churchman card. There are multiple reasons you should add it. First, it is a tobacco card. Ruth doesn’t have too many tobacco issues. Secondly, the card legendarily shows Ruth smashing a home run. Third, 1929 is the year that the Yankees started wearing numbers. So, this is Ruth’s first card in which he iconically began wearing number 3. Finally, it is still relatively cheap.

The churchman image is the same as the shonen. The fact that it's not an american issue will always hold it back.

The Kashin card is pretty affordable. Haven't seen it come up as much as it used to though.

more churchman love
 

The churchman is great - old-school tobacco card printing look and size, great horizontal action shot from a well known photo, from 1929, and cheap (because Ruth isn't named on the card). Even if it wasn't the only one I could afford, I'd still think it was the coolest Ruth card.

There is another English tobacco card that looks the same but without "churchman cigarettes" on it. The brand escapes me at the moment.

https://hosting.photobucket.com/albu...ps0e73b2a6.jpg

The Churchman image was released in early '29 without naming Ruth as the batter which raised some question as to who it was, the Shonen card was released in August of '29 naming Ruth as the batter and putting the matter to rest. I've always been curious about how that same image ended up on both sets. Did the owner sell the image to Churchman and Shonen? Seems like a fascinating story.

This is a valid point. The Churchman is a foreign issue, but so is the Shonen which you promoted earlier in this thread.

There are several reasons the Churchman is superior. First, the Shonen card isn’t even a true baseball “card.” It is a postcard. There is a difference between a baseball tobacco card and a baseball postcard. The Churchman is a T-206 type/size card with a front and back. The Shonen was created to write on and to mail to friends/family, etc.

Secondly, as a postcard, the Shonen card is larger. So, if you buy a graded one, you will receive a larger, cumbersome slab. Again, the Churchman is T-206 size and comes in a regular slab.

Third, the Shonen’s color and picture is not as sharp as the Churchman. The Churchman has crisp colors and the image is sharper. Finally, the Shonen is in Japanese, whereas the British Churchman is in English.

The main knock on the Churchman is it doesn’t say Babe Ruth anywhere on the card. There, however, is no argument that the image is not Babe Ruth. The swing, uniform etc. scream Ruth. This has kept its value down.

To each his own, but I’d rather own the Churchman.

I like the Bulgaria card, as it has a good photo of Ruth in uniform. I also like the fact that Max Schmeling is only identified by his last name, while the Babe is identified with both first and last names. And with "Schmeling und Babe Ruth", he gets second billing.

Brian (front mine, back not mine)

I can certainly appreciate your points! And yes...the shonen is obviously japanese(not american) as well! Fact is any non american issue has lagged american issues traditionally. While this may change...I think they will always lag to some degree in value/desirability.

I know this is a card forum, so my opinion is probably in the minority, but why are you looking for a card? You can get cool photos or ephemera of Ruth for much less. Below are a couple of examples. I paid 100.00 for the 1926 booklet and around 200 for the Be a Star booklet. Both of these are much scarcer than almost any Ruth card. To me, I get much more enjoyment out of these types of items than I do a small piece of cardboard. I also have snapshots of Ruth (including a great one in uniform shown below). I got it for about 300 (maybe less). There are also career contemporary books featuring Ruth, Quaker Oats premiums, and other items that to me are much cooler than a (relatively) common card and are usually much cheaper too.

Alan

I'd go with the Goudey Premium. The size and contrast make them impressive in person.

This question comes up from time to time, and I typically give the same answer: 1935 Goudey

It's an American Goudey gum card from his playing days and can still be had for a good price. The prices on these have gone up over the last couple of years (just like everything else) but you can still grab a PSA/SGC 1 grade for under $1000.

The fact that he's not listed as a Yankee, and he shares the card with three other Braves are the contributing factors that keep this card priced lower (although according to the pop reports, there are less of these than the 1933s...especially with specific back images).

I picked this "beauty" up about a year ago for $300. Having a nail hole through the middle also helps keep the price down :)

Attachment 421126

On the non-card front, illustrations from newspapers can come cheap. Here is a cool 8" x 10" caricature of him clipped from a September 4th, 1932 newspaper that I picked up multiple years back for about $5. I assume it would be substantially more now, but still inexpensive.

Brian (Ruth as Roman charioteer...classic. I always wanted to share it on here)

Players, perhaps. And Ruth buttons and pins, such as Mrs. Sherlock, are pretty affordable.

Thanks for all the replies, fellas. To narrow the focus, I'm only interested in contemporary cards, exhibits or postcards.

I'm telling you, the Kashin is your card. Easily the best image and an actual card issue with his name on the front.

So to change things up a little… Why don’t we start listing cards of Ruth from his playing days that can actually be hard for less than $1000?

Ill name a few:

Poor conditioned strip
Quaker premium photo
Shonen club
Sanella
Bulgaria


Maybe frojoy
Maybe ruths candy
Maybe kashin
Maybe beaten mud 30’s exhibit 4 in 1

I agree with Bryan...

Assuming it fits your criteria, I think the Goudey Premium cannot beat (for the money).

The other one like churchman...
 

In 1930 British American Tobacco released the same card as the churchman’s in the same sports of the world collection. The only difference on the front is that there is no “churchman cigarettes” apparently, this issue is more rare, but it sells for a similar price.

I agree with the Goudey premium, if you can still find one for under $1k. The last couple I've seen have gone for more than I would have expected. I would add other premiums like W554 and butterfinger as well.

ok you guys and a few glasses of sauvignon blanc convinced me...I just added a churchman and another w ruth to my stable! f you're gonna drink and buy cards...tough to go wrong with the babe!!!

FYI, Churchman and Edwards are starting to creep up in cost. Some raw versions sold for $700+ on eBay today.

If you’re willing to go outside of contemporary cards there are some cool less expensive issues from Leaf to Look-n-see and probably the least expensive of all the 1962T babe Ruth story cards.

Another option would be his 1928 B&W cards in beater conditions. Interesting supply for lower end Ruth’s disappeared. Checked heritage and PWCC. May be seasonal, but plenty of cobbs. Leads me to think there’s more upside if people aren’t willing to part at these elevated levels. Particularly his foundry issues.

Damn sold all my Ruth goudey beaters for 1-2k each a few years back.... oh well. Probably more cherished where they are anyways.

Took my own advice:

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...e318ebf5_c.jpg

It's much harder to get a playing days Ruth card for under $300 these days. As others have mentioned, the Bulgaria and Josetti are still good priced options, but the eye appeal isn't as good because of another person on the card or that Ruth isn't in uniform. The Churchman, British American Tobacco, and Edward, Riggs cards look very nice, but are getting more expensive quickly. I think the Sanella might still be a good option to look into if you are willing to buy it raw. Here's one that recently sold for less than $150: Link. The W512 used to be the one to get if you wanted a cheap version because it's so ugly and plentiful. However, even that card regularly goes above $500 these days. If your budget is less than $100, probably your only option is the 1935 Quaker Oats pin (in metal), that can often be found for $85 or so ungraded. PSA does encapsulate these in case you prefer these authenticated. Be careful of the ungraded non-metal ones as there are quite a bit of counterfeit ones out there. I've also recently started collecting 1936 BF3 pennants although it's a generic player image and not Ruth, and slightly past his playing days. However, a cheaper option than many cards these days, and SGC also encapsulates them.

I just picked up a kind of a quirky item for around $50. 1920s stereoview with a picture of Ruth and Tom Mix. It is not flat, so you are not putting it in a top loader, but it is not huge so can be displayed without much issue.

1934 Quaker Oats Premium!

a year ago these were had for about $100...now they're more like $1000 in decent shape if u can find one!!!

Seriously?? Wow. I guess I screwed up selling mine a few years ago.