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Babe Ruth pre-rookie card sells for $6M, becomes most expensive card sold

Chris Cwik
Staff writer
·2 min read
22

Babe Ruth is a record holder again.

A Baltimore News pre-rookie card of Ruth sold for $6 million, making it the most expensive card ever sold, according to Collectable.

The card features Ruth in the minor leagues. Ruth played in the International League with the Baltimore Orioles in 1914. The card features Ruth from that era. The card lists Ruth only as a pitcher. He received only 10 plate appearances as a hitter with the Boston Red Sox later that season.

The card is rare. Fewer than 10 are known to exist.

Fans who were unable to drop $6 million on the card may have a second chance at owning a piece of history. Collectable — an "investing platform and community for sports fans" — is selling $3 shares of the card to fans.

Collectable states fans can co-own the card, though one would imagine the anonymous buyer would own the majority of the card ... assuming that's a thing.

Fans hoping to spend $3 for a share and then receive the card in person might be disappointed. The card will be displayed at the Babe Ruth Museum in Baltimore.

Babe Ruth card breaks record held by Mickey Mantle, LeBron James

Sports card prices have been on the rise over the past couple years. Records are seemingly set every month. In April, a rare LeBron James card sold for $5.2 million, tying it for the record. The previous record was set by a Mickey Mantle card, which sold for $5.2 million in January.

Prices for rare sports cards have escalated since 2020. In August of that year, the record for the most expensive sports card sold belonged to Mike Trout at $3.93 million.

Given those rising prices, it's only a matter of time before Ruth's $6 million record is broken. Either that, or the trading card bubble bursts.

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