LOT #80014 |
Current Bid: $250,000
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 PSA NM-MT 8 -- MBA Silver!...
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Description
Only seven superior!
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 PSA NM-MT 8 -- MBA Silver! It is
perhaps our favorite image of the game's greatest figure, a status
it would retain even had it not been created for inclusion in the
first great baseball bubble gum trading card issue. It's a matter
of personal taste, of course--others might prefer the full form
posture of the #144 card, or the tighter focus on that image used
for #53 and #149, but the deft brush work, the delicate detail of
this #181 portrait sets this work apart from that which spawned the
other three Ruth representations of the 1933 Goudey set. It's the
most "honest" work, losing the soft focus that turns the other work
into an homage to a legend rather than a study of a man, one who
finds himself on the downward slope of a storied career here. The
deep lines on his face tell the tale of a life lived to the
fullest.But if the Babe is showing his age in this portrait, the card that showcases it barely does. Bright colors and slick gloss make the image pop, and you have to look very close to spot any signs of handling whatsoever. A marvelous representation of a card that remains one of the most important of the Bubble Gum Era. Graded PSA NM-MT 8 with an MBA Silver Diamond label.
Guide Value or Estimate: $400,000 - up.
View Certification and Population Details from PSA
Auction Info
2026 February 28 - March 1 Winter Platinum Night Sports Catalog Auction #50083 (go to Auction Home page)
Proxy Bidding Ends
February
28th
Saturday
10:00 pm CT
Auction Dates
Feb-Mar
28th-1st
Saturday-Sunday
Proxy Bidding Time Remaining
19 Days
11h 49m 32s
Bids + Registered Phone Bidders: 16
Lot Tracking Activity: 123
Page Views: 465
Buyer's Premium per Lot:
22% of the successful bid (minimum $29) per lot.
This lot is in: 1 -
Signature Internet Extended Bid Session - Extended Bidding - Platinum Session:
(Lots 80001-80155) - 10:00 PM Central Time, Saturday, February 28, 2026.
[Normal bidding closes and extended bidding begins at 10:00 PM Central Time the evening of the session. Details below.]
Exhibition Viewing Times, Title Page, Floor Session and License Information
Additional Location Info:
Heritage Auctions - Dallas
2801 W. Airport Freeway
Dallas, TX 75261
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