An exceedingly rare and highly sought-after piece of baseball memorabilia is set to be featured in an upcoming auction later this month. The 1915 Boston Red Sox team postcard, which notably includes Babe Ruth in his debut season, is one of just ten graded postcards known to exist, making it a remarkable find for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
Presented by Heritage Auctions, this postcard is recognized as the highest-graded example of any Babe Ruth rookie year card and has received a PSA rating of 6. With a pre-sale estimate suggesting a price tag of over $1 million, it is expected to generate significant interest among bidders.
The postcard itself depicts the Red Sox team, labeled as the “American League Champions,” indicating its issuance time frame, possibly before or during the 1915 World Series. Babe Ruth can be seen prominently featured in the back row of the team photograph.
During the 1915 World Series, the Red Sox played their games at Braves Field, the stadium belonging to the city’s National League team. This decision was made due to Braves Field’s larger seating capacity compared to Fenway Park, which was still a relatively new construction at the time.
The postcard showcases each member of the Red Sox team, with surnames and playing positions included. Notably, Ruth is depicted standing next to Carl Mays, another rookie pitcher. Mays would later join Ruth in playing for the 1920 New York Yankees and is infamously remembered for a tragic incident in which his pitch struck and killed Cleveland player Ray Chapman in August of that year. The card also features Hall of Famers Tris Speaker and Harry Hooper.
This auction comes shortly after the sale of a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card, which fetched a staggering $7.25 million. Interestingly, both the 1914 and 1915 cards have the same graded population of only ten each.
Described as one of the most significant trading cards ever to be offered in the auction market, this 1915 postcard holds tremendous rarity and historical value. Heritage Auctions encourages prospective bidders and interested parties to mark their calendars for the auction bidding, slated to commence on February 2nd. This event promises to be a significant moment for baseball history collectors and fans of Babe Ruth alike.
