Bulgaria Ruth - HOT?

[Tao_Moko]

Has anyone noticed prices on the 1932 Bulgaria Ruth/Schmelling lately? Nice copies were sub $500 not long ago. It is during his playing years and prominently features Ruth. Also the 2 biggest sports figures of the time. I think it deserves some attention.

[albrshbr]

It's like every other card for the past 2 years. Look at the Churchman's baseball (Ruth)

[Exhibitman]

It's getting some respect. Recent sales:

eBay
PSA 8 $1,613
PSA 5 $911

REA
SGC 6 $690

[brianp-beme]

Double-sided Bulgaria Ruth cards are even hotter...why settle for two distinguished gentleman when you can have three all glued together?

Brian

[Snowman]

I think the Bulgaria and the Churchmans are both way undervalued still.

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I think the Bulgaria and the Churchmans are both way undervalued still.

meh...foreign issues...esp baseball have never been terribly popular/valuable.

I'm surprised how sanellas...and the variants have taken off seeing as these aren't really cards...atleast not to me. Another example of how the TPG'ers have created a market for some cards.

i believe churchmans...like many british tobacco are quite plentiful.

A rising tide raises all ships...no doubt...and any and all period ruths will/should continue to rise.

Heck even some non playing day ruths are commanding high prices...like the auction that ended here last night?

[mrreality68]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I think the Bulgaria and the Churchmans are both way undervalued still.

+1 Agreed but they have a slower upward curve but the prices are rising and as other Ruth Cards get more expensive people will be looking at these as the next "Affordable" for now options.

[kc19990]

Originally Posted by Snowman

I think the Bulgaria and the Churchmans are both way undervalued still.

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[conor912]

Churchman is a far superior image to Bulgaria, IMO.

[Tao_Moko]

The Bulgaria Ruth and other similar issues hit some middle ground for me. Not worth anything near a Goudey Ruth but still an actual card during his playing years. As mentioned above it's rapidly becoming one of the handful of issues that is even remotely affordable for the guy with less than $3k to spend. By the time they hit that realm then you enter the next tier and at some point no longer a less than $3k card. I have two and hope they do well though don't really have any reason to wish climbing prices either. Just seems the way things go. I've noticed an increase in passing and good to hear others thoughts. Good news for those wanting one is it will likely have a long time before it consistently hits the $3k+ mark and patience will still find a decent card in that $500-600 range with beaters for less.

[ullmandds]

I also prefer the churchman/shonen image over the sanella...bulgaria. And I agree that the demand for playing day ruths will only go up...all ruths for that matter! And the day may come when you look on ebay for sanella ruths and there ARENT 28 to choose from...like it used to be with t206 cobbs and goudey ruths!!!!

[Exhibitman]

Obscure Ruths were my thing 10-20 years ago, which is why I never purchased a 1933 Goudey. I just hope there is enough momentum on some of the obscure ones to get them into a place where I can trade into a Goudey.

[JMANOS]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124794272022 on a Churchman Ruth

plus its in his playing days

[Jstottlemire1]

The only negative to the Churchman that has steered me away from its purchase is it indicates no where on the card “Babe Ruth”

[JMANOS]

same pose but yes it doesn't say Babe Ruth. Its the most affordable Ruth card in his playing days without question.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Jstottlemire1

The only negative to the Churchman that has steered me away from its purchase is it indicates no where on the card “Babe Ruth”

I think that was intentional on Churchman’s part, to avoid having to pay licensing fees.

[JMANOS]

this does have his name on back but also is a foreign issue..not to difficult to find Ruth card

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I also prefer the churchman/shonen image over the sanella...bulgaria. And I agree that the demand for playing day ruths will only go up...all ruths for that matter! And the day may come when you look on ebay for sanella ruths and there ARENT 28 to choose from...like it used to be with t206 cobbs and goudey ruths!!!!

That Japan tour image was quite popular...

[Tao_Moko]

The Bulgaria has a pretty clear image of Ruth, at a game, with another super star athlete(not a bird, kid or generically implied). Identified as Ruth on the card and not just the flip. Those are key points for me in considering it's appeal. That is it's appeal as a foreign non baseball issue.

[brianp-beme]

Originally Posted by Tao_Moko

The Bulgaria has a pretty clear image of Ruth, at a game, with another super star athlete(not a bird, kid or generically implied). Identified as Ruth on the card and not just the flip. Those are key points for me in considering it's appeal. That is it's appeal as a foreign non baseball issue.

Same with me. As a bonus he is pictured in his baseball uniform. I prefer his Bulgaria card over the 1931 Josetti card that features him in a suit with Harold Lloyd, with only one of the Babe's hands on a bat connecting the image to baseball.

Brian - image from the internet

[GasHouseGang]

What do you think this obscure Ruth card might be worth now?

[ullmandds]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

What do you think this obscure Ruth card might be worth now?

pretty sure one of those recently sold for a few hundred?

[Mmcar]

What year and issue is that ruth from?

[Exhibitman]

Here's another obscure Ruth that should be poised for a big run, if you can find one:

[Tao_Moko]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Here's another obscure Ruth that should be poised for a big run, if you can find one:

Lol. I have a stack of Ruth boxing mutoscope slides that are going to be big bucks too. *They are cool though.

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by Mmcar

What year and issue is that ruth from?

I'm not sure, but the card shows Tom Mix and Babe Ruth. Since Mix started on the radio in 1933 and was popular into the 1950's, I would guess in the 1930's. I picked up the entire set and it includes the viewer and instructions but nothing has a date printed on it. Here are a few pictures of the set.

[Tao_Moko]

Originally Posted by GasHouseGang

What do you think this obscure Ruth card might be worth now?

The value here is in 2x Ruth handcut Keystone cards. Double your money on ebay at $250/ea. I'm joking, or am I.....mwah ha ha ha(evil laugh)

[JMANOS]

a comic type card from his playing days thats fairly obtainable...u know if that value goes higher Babe is HOT

[Exhibitman]

More Ruth crap, 1963 GAD:



PSA slabs these, BTW.

[Phil Arem]

Adam:
I picked up an R94 Ruth a few years back. I thought its issue date was 1929?

[GasHouseGang]

Originally Posted by Phil Arem

Adam:
I picked up an R94 Ruth a few years back. I thought its issue date was 1929?

I don't know when the cards came out, but according to IMDb the movie came out in May of 1927.

[BabyRuth]

Some more Babe Comes Home cards

[isiahfan]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

meh...foreign issues...esp baseball have never been terribly popular/valuable.

I'm surprised how sanellas...and the variants have taken off seeing as these aren't really cards...atleast not to me. Another example of how the TPG'ers have created a market for some cards.

i believe churchmans...like many british tobacco are quite plentiful.

A rising tide raises all ships...no doubt...and any and all period ruths will/should continue to rise.

Heck even some non playing day ruths are commanding high prices...like the auction that ended here last night?

For basketball PC'ers it is quite the opposite as far as pre ~1994ish goes...especially for stickers. Most of the 1980-1994 stuff is incredibly tough to obtain in original condition (wrappers/cards/stickers) and I would say is the most sought-after player items since basketball didn't have much going on from 1980-1986.

[Exhibitman]

Originally Posted by isiahfan

For basketball PC'ers it is quite the opposite as far as pre ~1994ish goes...especially for stickers. Most of the 1980-1994 stuff is incredibly tough to obtain in original condition (wrappers/cards/stickers) and I would say is the most sought-after player items since basketball didn't have much going on from 1980-1986.

Not sure I follow. Compared to any of the non-mainstream basketball from the pre-1980 period, anything made after 1980 is common. There's stuff in the catalogs I've never seen 'in the wild', or rarely seen. And, since we need a card:

[isiahfan]

Originally Posted by Exhibitman

Not sure I follow. Compared to any of the non-mainstream basketball from the pre-1980 period, anything made after 1980 is common. There's stuff in the catalogs I've never seen 'in the wild', or rarely seen. And, since we need a card:

What I am saying is...as a top PC'er of an 80's star basketball player...is that the foreign oddballs from 1980-early 90's are the most sought-after cards of such players (i.e. Greek paninis, Israeli elite stickers, Argentina stickers, gigantes items, French majeurs, all of the Yugo and Russian cards, Japanese and Chinese magazine stock cards, etc.). The early star cards, fakes, etc. are just much more plentiful.

[Exhibitman]

Ahh I see; that makes sense.

[Leon]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

pretty sure one of those recently sold for a few hundred?

Those stereoviews are fairly common. I would estimate less than 100 dollars on it.
But everything Ruth is going up...

and a boomerang from my first collection. Always like miscut cards...