Poll: Final Hammer Price - 1914 BN Babe Ruth vs the 1952 Rosen Topps Mantle

[mrreality68]

I think and hope it sells for more.
Estimate $15 million

Both cards iconic but so many Mantles at all grade levels and the difference from the 7’s on up is so little and so few Ruth.

I am also biased as a Ruth collector. But so many Mantles both in selection and quantity out there. And the ‘52 though amazing looking and considered iconic it is his second year card.

Baltimore news 1914 Wow

[ullmandds]

i think the ruth will sell similarly to the mantle...in light of the timing...values are down a little since the mantle sale.

[frankbmd]

These threads about the price of cards that the overwhelming majority of us can never bid on or afford should be coded.

If you have ever purchased a card for more than $100,000.00 post your comment in green.

If you haven’t ever purchased such a card, then post you opinion in red.

If you don’t know how to change the color of your post, I’m not interested in your opinion either.

Those who are willing to have skin in the game matter or they are fools.

[raulus]

I'm not really convinced that the general cardboard market has an impact here. Does anyone really think that the bidders will set their max bid based on how the general cardboard market has been trending lately? I'm not seeing it.

This seems like a relatively straightforward competition. A crazy rare item, (arguably?) a rookie card, of the game's most well-known player. Get all the biggest fat cats from our world with virtually limitless resources together and they start bidding. It's anyone's guess when they will stop.

Given all of the advertising around this auction, it's not like a serious potential bidder is going to miss it. So it's really just a question of how high the last 2 bidders are willing to go, and when does the underbidder finally tap out?

The final price will likely boil down to psychology and how emboldened that underbidder is feeling at the moment. There are theories around here that crazy rich people are disciplined and not susceptible to the same sorts of emotions and passions as us commoners. But I would argue they're just as human as the rest of us. Trouble with the wife (or mistress), a drop in their company's stock price, a lawsuit that just took a turn for the worse, and the bidder is likely to be just a little less determined. But a few of them will go nuts because they decide they can't live without this piece. Since their bank account balance starts with a B, they won't be constrained by petty resource limitations like us mortals.

Personally, given how infrequently these come onto the market in any condition, I'm taking the over. I wouldn't be surprised if it hit $20M, and it might even blow that away.

[uniship]

My guess: $17,750,000

[brunswickreeves]

Originally Posted by raulus

I'm not really convinced that the general cardboard market has an impact here. Does anyone really think that the bidders will set their max bid based on how the general cardboard market has been trending lately? I'm not seeing it.

This seems like a relatively straightforward competition. A crazy rare item, (arguably?) a rookie card, of the game's most well-known player. Get all the biggest fat cats from our world with virtually limitless resources together and they start bidding. It's anyone's guess when they will stop.

Given all of the advertising around this auction, it's not like a serious potential bidder is going to miss it. So it's really just a question of how high the last 2 bidders are willing to go, and when does the underbidder finally tap out?

The final price will likely boil down to psychology and how emboldened that underbidder is feeling at the moment. There are theories around here that crazy rich people are disciplined and not susceptible to the same sorts of emotions and passions as us commoners. But I would argue they're just as human as the rest of us. Trouble with the wife (or mistress), a drop in their company's stock price, a lawsuit that just took a turn for the worse, and the bidder is likely to be just a little less determined. But a few of them will go nuts because they decide they can't live without this piece. Since their bank account balance starts with a B, they won't be constrained by petty resource limitations like us mortals.

Personally, given how infrequently these come onto the market in any condition, I'm taking the over. I wouldn't be surprised if it hit $20M, and it might even blow that away.

This!

It’s a rounding error for the crazy rich with a MUCH steeper upside by acquiring. Imagine just 2 of the many Fortune 500 CEOs who wants this on display at their HQ or personal collection. Imagine the international investor or royal with endless capital. Imagine 1 of hundreds of PE firms clamoring for this. Imagine a loaded movie star with power and influence?

The question isn’t how much will this go for, but will this or a PSA 10 1952 Topps Mick be the first $100MM card we witness in our lifetimes?

[BobbyStrawberry]

An hour in and it's already at $4.5 million.

[raulus]

Originally Posted by BobbyStrawberry

An hour in and it's already at $4.5 million.

Before the juice, natch.

Bidding increments are at $250K? Won’t take long to get to $10M+…

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by brunswickreeves

This!

It’s a rounding error for the crazy rich with a MUCH steeper upside by acquiring. Imagine just 2 of the many Fortune 500 CEOs who wants this on display at their HQ or personal collection. Imagine the international investor or royal with endless capital. Imagine 1 of hundreds of PE firms clamoring for this. Imagine a loaded movie star with power and influence?

The question isn’t how much will this go for, but will this or a PSA 10 1952 Topps Mick be the first $100MM card we witness in our lifetimes?

The world has always had a lot of uber wealthy people but how many of them ever spend on baseball cards? Why would it happen now, on this card? Not the first Balto News Ruth by any stretch.

[brunswickreeves]

Fair enough, but not sure last time this was offered to the public, so with the recent crazy run up and proliferation of cards as an asset mindset, unlike Wagner T206 with 60+ copies typically offered 1 up annually, this Ruth is much more scarce and of a player with better public name id, so poised to smash records.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by brunswickreeves

Fair enough, but not sure last time this was offered to the public, so with the recent crazy run up and proliferation of cards as an asset mindset, unlike Wagner T206 with 60+ copies typically offered 1 up annually, this Ruth is much more scarce and of a player with better public name id, so poised to smash records.

Who knows, all speculation, but my speculation is that the uber wealthy outside the hobby are buying art and race horses and real estate and whatever and don't venture into sports collectibles and likely won't. I think the buyer of the Ruth will be within the hobby.