Topping the sale at $8,430 was this Babe Ruth 1933 Goudey card.

Review by W.A. Demers

INDEPENDENCE, MO. — A 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth baseball card caught $8,430 to take top lot status in Carrell Auctions’ online-only auction, which ran September 30 to October 21. The original 1933 Goudey George Herman (Babe) Ruth baseball card was graded “2” or “Good” by the Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA). George Herman “Babe” Ruth (1895-1948) was an American professional baseball player whose career in Major League Baseball spanned 22 seasons, from 1914 through 1935. His fans nicknamed him “The Bambino” and “The Sultan of Swat” and his MLB career began as a star left-handed pitcher for the Boston Red Sox. His greatest fame, however, was clinched as a slugging outfielder for the New York Yankees. Ruth baseball cards are coveted because he is regarded as one of the greatest sports heroes in American culture; some considered him to be the greatest baseball player of all time. In 1936, Ruth was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame as one of its “first five” inaugural members.

Four of this sale’s top hitters were Goudey cards from a father-son collection, which began in 1933, the same year the cards were published. None had ever been up for sale at auction before. “The Babe Ruth card would have graded higher if the son had not carried it around in his pocket, showing it off to his school yard friends!” said Dr Tamara Carrell, the firm’s co-owner.

A Lou Gehrig 1933 Goudey card, rated PSA 3, was the second highest price card at $5,040.

“All of the value in this auction was on those two cards,” said Josh Carrell, his reference including an original 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig baseball card, PSA graded Very Good with a rating of 3, which took $5,040. “That’s a very good result on those two cards, no question about that.”

Henry Louis Gehrig, Jr, (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, Jr, 1903-1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball for the New York Yankees (1923-1939). Nicknamed “the Iron Horse,” Gehrig is widely seen as one of the greatest baseball players of all time.

This 1933 Goudey Moe Berg card, graded PSA 3, brought $936.

Fetching $936, a 1933 Goudey Moe Berg card was graded PSA 3. His player biography on Carrell’s website described Morris Berg (1902-1972) as an American professional baseball catcher and coach in Major League Baseball who later served as a spy for the Office of Strategic Services during World War II. He played 15 seasons in the major leagues, almost entirely for four American League teams, though he was never more than an average player and was better known for being “the brainiest guy in baseball.”

A 1933 Goudey Lloyd Waner card went out at $312. Lloyd James Waner (1906-1982) was nicknamed “Little Poison.” A center fielder, his small stature at 5 feet 9 inches and 132 pounds made him one of the smallest players of his era. Along with his brother, Paul Waner, he anchored the Pittsburgh Pirates outfield throughout the 1920s and 1930s. After brief stints with four other teams late in his career, Waner retired as a Pirate.

Lloyd Waner’s 1933 Goudey card, graded PSA 4, sold for $312.

Josh Carrell shared that all of the cards in this single-owner sale were sent out for grading. “There are so many forgeries of these cards — hundreds for every original card. The grading is important, but the authentication is at least as important, and it’s probably more important than the grading.”

The sale total for the 100-lot auction came to $19,835 with 90 registered bidders. It was 100 percent sold.

Next up for the auction house is a December 1-21 art and antiques sale.

Prices given include the buyer’s premium as stated by the auction house. For information, www.carrellauctions.com or 816-206-3163.