1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #149 PSA 8.5 NM-MT+ (PWCC-A)

This PSA 8.5 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #149 represents the first time in more than 14 years that an example of this magnitude is available for public auction. Of the four Ruth issues in the landmark ‘33 Goudey set, #149 has the lowest total non-Qualified PSA Pop. count with 1,148 such examples. Of those, this is one of only three to earn a PSA 8.5 grade, with none graded higher. PWCC–A Eye Appeal designation adds even more prestige to this offering, honoring its overall aesthetics including the well-preserved nature of the striking, deep blood red background for which this card is famous. That’s joined by remarkably fresh card stock and virtually 50-50 centering. These are attributes rarely seen in printings from this era, much less cards of monumental stars such as Ruth. As such, this is arguably the greatest example of one of the Great Bambino’s finest cards. This sensational offering of one of baseball’s most iconic printings resided ungraded in a collection for decades after being ripped from a pack more than 90 years ago. Upon the original owner’s passing, the card was sold in raw condition and then submitted to PSA for grading. The extraordinary example stood up to the company’s harshest grading standards to date, earning its PSA 8.5 holder to cement its status as one of the best Ruth cards in existence. Coming off his seventh World Series title, four of which came with the New York Yankees, the Sultan of Swat’s unprecedented popularity caused Goudey to print multiple cards of the slugger in its ‘33 set. Ruth appears on cards #53, #144, #149, and #181, all of which remain some of the most revered Ruths ever produced. The Goudey set revolutionized the trading card industry, raising the bar for sports collectibles with its high-quality artist renditions of players, eye-pleasing color splashes, more robust paper stock, and engaging bios that connected fans to players they often had only read about in newspapers. It was also the first set to include sticks of gum with cards, something that would become standard practice in the decades to follow despite causing damage to plenty of issues throughout the years. Such blemishes are nowhere to be found on this example. Only people who lived during the 22 years that Babe Ruth played baseball from 1914-35 could adequately describe the impact of this larger-than-life figure on American culture. A combination of skill, branding, empathy, and personality endeared him to a nation through challenging times as he became a global star. Few athletes in sports history have ascended to the same heights of popularity as the Colossus of Clout. That reputation endures amongst collectors, with Ruth cards some of the most-collected vintage issues in the industry. This example of Ruth’s ‘33 Goudey #149 is more than museum-worthy, with its PSA 8.5 grade eclipsing that of the printing displayed in the Smithsonian. Considering the player’s stature in sports history, the everlasting appeal of his collectibles, and this example’s jaw-dropping eye appeal and grade, there are sure to be plenty of collectors calling their shot in hopes of landing this incredible card. The certification number on this card has been checked against the third-party grader's online database and is active as of 11/05/24.