Auction Name: 2026 February 28 - March 1 Winter Platinum Night Sports Catalog Auction

Lot Number: 80019

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/50083*80019

1948 Leaf Babe Ruth #3 PSA NM-MT 8. Offered is one of the most recognizable images in card collecting history, classic yet years ahead of its time, looking more like an Andy Warhol painting than a typical baseball card. Printed the same year of Babe Ruth's passing, the 1948 Leaf card (sporting No. 3, just like Ruth's jersey number) is absolutely mesmerizing as it shows a haunting portrait of Ruth with an expression as difficult to interpret as the Mona Lisa. Artistic references aside, it's noteworthy that Leaf runs couldn't compare to Topps or Bowman in size, and the lion's share of Leaf Ruth cards still out there have been sent through the PSA grading service.

The PSA Pop Report reveals nearly 1,700 for this gem, with just five of the examples finding a perch above the offered example. Though there's not a single Gem Mint 10 in the bunch, a total of 41 specimens have earned the Near Mint-Mint grade. The bold colors of the presented card are just as bright as they were upon production, and the centering of the card is considerably better than most from this issue. Surfaces are clean and corners are sharp. A fitting farewell to the most important figure in baseball's glorious narrative. Graded PSA NM-MT 8.

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