This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 3/23/2018
When you take a scarce collection like the multi-sport 1932 U. S. Caramel series and position the largest personality in sports history as the condition-sensitive last card of the set, you've created a combination that leads to one of the most coveted issues and toughest high-grade finds ever produced. By the time the U. S. Caramel collection was released, Babe Ruth was 37-years old but showing little sign of slowing down, batting .341 that year and about to complete his 7th consecutive 40+ homer season, though for only the third time in 15 years, he wouldn't win the home run crown (that honor went to Jimmie Foxx, who would win it again the following year as well). Having been miles ahead of everyone else in the game for so long, there was now a legitimate argument for 24-year old Foxx and 29-year old teammate Lou Gehrig as to who was baseball's current top dog. But for all the legends in the U. S. Caramel set, neither the cards of Foxx nor Gehrig nor Cobb nor even golfing great Bobby Jones can lay a finger on the Ruth card for overall popularity. As the last card of the set, it's population at high grade is in line with many others from the series though far more submissions have found their way to PSA. It's population at the grade of PSA 8 is lower than any of the quartet of Ruth cards in the 1933 Goudey series, even the iconic "yellow Ruth", the last four of which have easily topped the $100,000 sale mark. As for the card itself, there's really no wondering how it achieved such a high grade and likely rates as one of the best representatives at the NM/MT level. We've certainly never seen another as well-centered, perhaps just a whisker toward the top edge of perfection with side to side centering that is spot on. The blood red backdrop of the central image is bold and consistent with absolutely no variation in shade while the corners register above grade overall where an argument could be made that the left two endpoints are in the MINT to GEM MINT range. Flipping over to the reverse, you're greeted with a lightly toned canvas that houses deep black print bio on the reverse. Interestingly, the bio lists Ruth at 39 years old. Then again it also claims Ruth weighed 210 pounds, so, you know. This is one of the hallmark pieces of the 1930s, worthy of consideration for any world-class collection.