An exceedingly rare and highly sought-after 1915 Boston Red Sox team postcard, which notably includes Babe Ruth in his debut season, is set to be featured in an upcoming auction later this month. This piece of baseball memorabilia is one of just ten such graded postcards known to exist, making it a remarkable find for collectors and enthusiasts alike.
The auction house, Heritage Auctions, is poised to present this item, which is notable for being the highest-graded example of any Babe Ruth rookie year card, in its highly anticipated February Platinum Auction. This particular card has received a PSA rating of 6 and carries a pre-sale estimate that suggests it could fetch upwards of $1 million.
The postcard itself depicts the Red Sox team, labeling them as the “American League Champions,” a title that hints at the card’s issuance time frame, possibly before or during the 1915 World Series. Babe Ruth is prominently featured in the back row of the team photograph.
During that year’s World Series, the Red Sox played their games at Braves Field, the stadium belonging to the city’s National League team. This choice was made due to Braves Field’s larger seating capacity compared to Fenway Park, which was a relatively new construction at the time.
On the postcard, each member of the Red Sox team is identified by surname and playing position. Notably, Ruth is shown 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 on the heels of the recent sale of a 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card, which sold for a staggering $7.25 million. Interestingly, both the 1914 and 1915 cards have the same graded population of ten each.
Heritage Auctions has described this 1915 postcard as one of the most significant trading cards ever to be offered in the hobby’s auction market, underscoring its rarity and historical value.
Prospective bidders and interested parties should note that the auction bidding is set to commence on February 2nd, marking a significant event for baseball history collectors and fans of Babe Ruth alike.