This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 10/16/2015
By the time the Goudey Big League Chewing Gum series rolled into existence, "The Bambino" had already made a mockery of the baseball record book, shattering previous marks with 652 lifetime home runs and over 2,000 RBI while also posting a .349 batting average and a 93-46 record from his pitching days. It's no wonder that Goudey elected to include his likeness on four distinct issues to christen its inaugural baseball card set. Every vintage collector has their favorite, whether it's the yellow Ruth, green Ruth, red Ruth, or full-body Ruth. And while most collectors believe the #53 yellow Ruth, due to the vulnerability of the bright backdrop, is far and away the toughest of the four to find in a PSA 8 holder, the reality is that the #149 red Ruth, like the one offered here, is really almost as difficult, reporting a total of just 19 graded PSA 8 with two higher as opposed to 15 graded PSA 8 with one higher on the yellow Ruth. Proudly featured is one of the world's finest examples of the famous red Ruth from the groundbreaking 1933 Goudey Gum set, arguably one of the greatest pop-culture remnants from the Great Depression. The first superior characteristic that immediately draws in the onlooker is the centering, often a point of contention with Goudeys. Not in this case though, as the framing of Ruth's iconic likeness is superb, just a hair toward the northeast corner but well within parameters for the assessed grade or higher. The artwork depicting Ruth, having just completed his legendary swing, is delivered with admirable sharpness while the rich, blood red background is bold and consistent, offering nothing unusual or unwanted in the way of stray print. Each corner meets the qualifications for the rarely distributed grade with the upper right endpoint potentially qualifying for the next highest grading tier. Unlike many specimens at this level of distinction, the outstanding features are not limited merely to the front side of the pasteboard. Intense green print is applied to the card's reverse, sharply contrasting with the cream-white canvas and accentuated by the light red transfer of ink from the front of the card, a hallmark trait of the Goudey series. We're quite confident that if your search for a stunning NM/MT 1933 Goudey Ruth card has led you to this beauty, you'll be extremely satisfied to see your journey end with a winning bid here!