A piece of baseball history was recently revealed in Danvers, Massachusetts, as a 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card emerged from obscurity. This valuable find hails from Ruth’s early days as a pitcher for the Boston Red Sox and is part of the sought-after promotional series from Morehouse Bakery in Lawrence. The discovery of this rare gem has set the vintage card collecting world abuzz with excitement.
Narrating the fascinating turn of events, Jeff Gross, a passionate collector based in Newburyport, shared the tale of the remarkable unearthing. The journey started at a family estate sale in Danvers, where Gross engaged in a casual chat with a visitor regarding baseball cards.
Gross recounted asking the visitor if he possessed any Babe Ruth Morehouse Bakery cards, to which the reply was affirmative. The individual, opting to remain anonymous, divulged that his father had amassed a collection of the Morehouse Bakery series. This collection, consisting of over a hundred cards, had been stored away for decades, and hidden within were two coveted Babe Ruth rookie cards.
“This card features Babe Ruth in 1916, portraying him as a slender left-handed pitcher for the Red Sox, quite distinct from the home-run-hitting Yankee legend we revere today,” noted Gross, emphasizing the historical significance of the find.
The allure of the Morehouse Bakery cards lies not only in their rarity but also in the advertising imprints adorning the reverse side. PJ Kinsella from Robert Edward Auctions underscored the uniqueness that these advertisements lend to the collection, ultimately enhancing its value.
Describing the distinctiveness of the Morehouse Baking ad on the card’s back, Kinsella remarked on the exceptional nature of this discovery. A well-preserved Babe Ruth rookie card from this series is estimated to command a price of at least $500,000 when it heads to the auction block.
Gross, leveraging his seasoned expertise as a collector, is lending a hand to the card’s owner in navigating the sale process. With the auction slated to commence on Friday, Gross plans to mark the occasion by hosting a bid-watching gathering for the card’s owner and spouse.
Amid the revelry, Gross humorously reflected on the windfall, jesting, “Someone inquired if the owner realizes they’ve hit the jackpot, and I responded, ‘They certainly do now.'” To add a touch of whimsy, Gross teasingly suggested to his wife the prospect of continuously organizing yard sales in the hopes of stumbling upon the subsequent million-dollar collection.
This discovery contributes to a year rife with remarkable baseball card revelations in Massachusetts. Earlier in 2024, during a home demolition in Chatham, an unopened pack of 1952 Bowman baseball cards was stumbled upon. This untouched pack, brimming with potential, could similarly be valued at up to a million dollars.
For now, the spotlight squarely rests on the Babe Ruth rookie card—a precious artifact harkening back to baseball’s golden era and embodying the enduring thrill of unearthing hidden treasures.
At Baseball Card Castle in Cranberry, the fervor and fervent search for new card arrivals persist, setting the scene for an exciting chase in the world of card collecting.
Jeff Patton, the proprietor of the store, encapsulated the escalating excitement, remarking on the unique odyssey unfolding. The anticipation of collectors is palpable as they eagerly embrace the opportunity to test their luck in obtaining prized cards.
Customers like Joe Balcik from Monroeville approach the pursuit with optimism, buoyed by the promise of substantial rewards. Meanwhile, Georgia Krastek from McCandless, a die-hard Pirates fan with a personal mission, encapsulates the fervor that propels collectors forward in their quest.
The unconventional offer from the Pirates organization has transformed what was once a niche hobby into a widespread phenomenon, attracting a diverse array of participants enthralled by the prospect of a prized card.
As Patton astutely observes, the enthusiasm extends beyond traditional collectors, with a new wave of families and individuals joining the fervent quest for these elusive cards, united by a shared aspiration for greatness.
While the holy grail card remains elusive, the collective dream persists among every collector who eagerly opens a pack in the hopes of embarking on their own extraordinary journey of discovery, bonding fans, families, and enthusiasts in a common pursuit of the extraordinary.
