Goudey Ruth 144 altered

[IgnatiusJReilly]

Did you guys see the Ruth that went for $1600 on eBay today? Was that a hood deal? The borders and back looked too white to me. See pic below:

IMG_0702.jpg


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[IgnatiusJReilly]

Whoops. I put this in the wrong forum but thanks for moving it.

I am saving to buy a goudey 144 in the next few years, but I don’t yet know what to watch out for. I am planning to buy an sgc or psa graded version to minimize the chance of getting scammed on a high profile card like this, but any other advice would be greatly appreciated.

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[Leon]

The borders look too white from the scan. It could be bleached. Hard to say if it is/was a good deal but it still looks nice.

[conor912]

It's labeled as altered, so yeah, it's probably altered. Bleaching certainly a possibility. That said, I don't see $1600 as crazy for a decent looking altered Goudey Ruth. Just from the one grainy scan I can say if that card we're numerically graded it would probably be $5k, so if you're on a budget, then it might be a good way to go.

[LuckyLarry]

I purchased my card raw at last years National Convention from a trusted dealer. But why was there some kind of 1931 date stamp AND May 14 1931 written in ink on the back, when these are cards were printed in 1933? I still haven't figured that mystery out, and this "1931" puzzle was the main reason I sent it in be slabbed.

cost was $1,165

I guess my advice would be buy from someone you trust.

[conor912]

Originally Posted by LuckyLarry

I purchased my card raw at last years National Convention from a trusted dealer. But why was there some kind of 1931 date stamp AND May 14 1931 written in ink on the back, when these are cards were printed in 1933? I still haven't figured that mystery out, and this "1931" puzzle was the main reason I sent it in be slabbed.

cost was $1,165

I guess my advice would be buy from someone you trust.

Hmmm. Interesting. I could see someone in the 50's/60's with little knowledge or no recollection of the year of issue thinking it was 1931 and marking it as such...but a specific date? Odd, indeed.

[IgnatiusJReilly]

The altered Ruth sold quickly after it was posted. I thought the price was really fair but I couldn’t figure out how it was altered. My guess was bleaching on the front border and back. In any case, my hesitation cost me landing the card. With some more knowledge, I can be more aggressive. I would love to attend the national to buy from a live person, but I probably can’t go.

Here’s the original listing:

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?m...2F312627010360




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[conor912]

Wowsers. That back is glowing! Assume the alteration is indeed bleaching, the irony is that it was probably worth more beforehand. That thing needs a good tea bath 🙂

[nsaddict]

"May 14, 1931" on the back of Goudey Ruth #144

My guess, the person who wrote that was at the game where Babe smacked his first dinger of the '31 season at Yankee Stadium (vs Red Sox)

[hcv123]

Originally Posted by nsaddict

"May 14, 1931" on the back of Goudey Ruth #144

My guess, the person who wrote that was at the game where Babe smacked his first dinger of the '31 season at Yankee Stadium (vs Red Sox)

would it end up on a card issued a whole 2 years later?

[midmo]

Originally Posted by nsaddict

"May 14, 1931" on the back of Goudey Ruth #144

My guess, the person who wrote that was at the game where Babe smacked his first dinger of the '31 season at Yankee Stadium (vs Red Sox)

Except I think that happened April 14, not May 14.

[Promethius88]

Not looking to hijack the post but it is ironic I stumbled across this as I was about to post the same question on the same card.....well, not the same card but 33 Goudey Ruth #144. I picked it up yesterday and I had a couple of questions. The card comes from a trusted source. The original owner had it for a few years and probably purchased it this way then his family sold it to a LCS where it has been for I believe a couple years. Anyhow, it was sent to PSA and came back unslabbed as "altered". Now, I couldn't figure out what was considered altered as it has a small rip on a corner and a couple small creases. But as I woke up in the middle of the night I thought that it must have been some type of cleaning. That leads to my questions.
1. How can I get PSA to slab a card as "Authentic Altered"? I have sent in a 61 Topps Mantle before that someone erased a moustache off the Mick and asked for it just to be slabbed altered but it came back in a card saver both times.
2. Do you guys think the alteration on this is most likely washing or bleaching?

Thanks and again, didn't want to hijack the thread, just didn't want to make another post on the same card.

[Promethius88]

Can anyone offer an opinion or some advice?

[swarmee]

I just put "Slab all cards if Authentic" at the bottom of my order form.

[Republicaninmass]

I'm a little more methodical

I write

"If unable to receive a numerical grade, please holder as authentic"

[Promethius88]

I might have done that the second time I subbed the Mantle but it didn't work. Do you think that a call prior to submission would help?

[swarmee]

Originally Posted by Promethius88

I might have done that the second time I subbed the Mantle but it didn't work. Do you think that a call prior to submission would help?

No, just put a shipping hold on your order and check when the grades pop. Then confirm it got slabbed before removing the hold.

[Promethius88]

Awesome. Thank you both for your input!!

[Bigshot69]

Originally Posted by Promethius88

Can anyone offer an opinion or some advice?

I would guess they determined the hard erasure by Babe’s eyes was sufficient enough to deem the card altered. Just my 2 cents.

[Promethius88]

Originally Posted by Bigshot69

I would guess they determined the hard erasure by Babe’s eyes was sufficient enough to deem the card altered. Just my 2 cents.

That could be as well. Somehow I lost my loupe and can't get a good look at that part with my old eyes. That being said, that wouldn't stop it from being able to slab it "Authentic Altered", would it?

[Bigshot69]

Originally Posted by Promethius88

That could be as well. Somehow I lost my loupe and can't get a good look at that part with my old eyes. That being said, that wouldn't stop it from being able to slab it "Authentic Altered", would it?

I don’t believe so as long as PSA gave no indication that the authenticity was in question.

[petecld]

It is possible the card has the washed out colors from bleaching but why would anyone do that? It's more likely the card was kept on display and the sun faded the colors. I've seen it quite a few times over the years. But that wouldn't or shouldn't get it an altered.

Now it could just be me, but in the upper left corner and/or on the right edge (where the crease goes off the card) it looks like there might be some white added. That would get you an altered.