An exceptionally rare and highly sought-after 1915 Boston Red Sox team postcard, featuring Babe Ruth in his debut season, is going up for auction later this month. With only ten graded postcards of its kind known to exist, this piece of baseball memorabilia is a remarkable find for collectors and enthusiasts.
Heritage Auctions, the auction house, will present this item in its highly-anticipated February Platinum Auction. What makes this particular card stand out is that it is the highest-graded example of any Babe Ruth rookie year card. It has received a PSA rating of 6 and has a pre-sale estimate suggesting it could fetch upwards of $1 million.
The postcard showcases the Red Sox team, labeled as the “American League Champions,” indicating it was issued before or during the 1915 World Series. Babe Ruth is prominently featured in the back row of the team photograph.
During that year’s World Series, the Red Sox played their games at Braves Field, the stadium belonging to the city’s National League team. This decision was made because Braves Field had a larger seating capacity compared to Fenway Park, which was still a relatively new construction at the time.
On the postcard, each member of the Red Sox team is identified by surname and playing position. Ruth is shown standing next to Carl Mays, another rookie pitcher. Mays would later join Ruth in playing for the 1920 New York Yankees and is infamous for a tragic incident in which his pitch struck and killed Cleveland player Ray Chapman in August of that year. The card also features Hall of Famers Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper.
This auction follows the recent sale of a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card, which fetched an astounding $7.25 million. Interestingly, both the 1914 and 1915 cards have a graded population of ten each.
Heritage Auctions describes this 1915 postcard as one of the most significant trading cards ever to be offered in the hobby’s auction market, emphasizing its rarity and historical value.
Prospective bidders and baseball history collectors, as well as fans of Babe Ruth, should take note that the auction bidding will commence on February 2nd. This marks an important event for those interested in owning a piece of baseball history and celebrating the legendary Babe Ruth.
