The Best Babe Ruth Autograph Cards Ever Made
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Babe Ruth plays a central role in the inception of autographs in sports. Before "The Great Bambino", it was uncommon for baseball players to sign autographs. Babe’s popularity, social nature, and accessibility led to countless autograph opportunities for fans. “The Sultan of Swat” revolutionized autograph culture in sports.
While some prefer “on card” autographs where the players signs directly on the card, many collectors love cut autographs for their rarity and connection to history. Cut autographs come from checks, letters, or other official documents, which provides a tangible link to a player’s life beyond their playing career.
This article will highlight the very best ‘cut autograph’ cards of Babe Ruth and rank them by highest sale price.
RELATED: Shohei Ohtani is this century's Babe Ruth and their cards
6. 2003 UD SP Legendary Cuts Green Autograph #BA Babe Ruth Cut Signature Card (#1/1)
Card Appeal: While many high-end collectors would be turned off by the fact that the autograph is in pencil, there are some that may appreciate the uniqueness of a pencil auto. (Most collectors would love any Ruth auto, even in crayon.) Also included on this card is an all-time great Ruthian quote, “If I’d just tried for them dinky singles, I could’ve batted around .600.” The Great Bambino still did OK in that department, hitting .342 lifetime. (And for those who argue that Ruth hit against plumbers and garbage men, the Babe went 214 for 632 vs. Hall of Fame pitchers during his career, which is a .339 batting average.)
Price: $32,400, sold 1/8/2022
5. 2004 Playoff Prime Cuts Timeline Material Signature Combo #TL-4 Babe Ruth Signed Relic Card (1/1) - BGS GEM MINT 9.5
Card Appeal: This card includes a unique “G.H. Ruth” autograph, making it more valuable than the more common “Babe Ruth” auto. The Bambino’s legal name, George Herman Ruth, was usually only used on official documents like bank checks or contracts. Also included in this card are two game-worn jersey patches of Ruth. The fact that this 1/1 is a Gem Mint BGS 9.5 adds to its value.
Price: $35,400 sold 3/30/2024
4. 2005 SP Legendary Cuts Quad Babe Ruth, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Jimmie Foxx Auto 1/1 PSA 8
Card Appeal: SP made some truly awesome autograph cards in the early 2000s, but this one is the best of them all. It features four of the greatest players of all time, including the Baseball King (Ruth) and the Baseball Card King (Mantle). Very few cards exist with autos from both Ruth and Mantle. The other autos are just gravy.
Price: $63,000, sold 2/20/2022
3. 2004 Donruss Timeless Treasures Home Away Gamers Signature #HA-1 (Babe Ruth Signed Game-Worn Relic Card) BGS 7.5, Auto 9
Card Appeal: This card has an embarrassment of riches as it includes the rare “G. H. Ruth” auto and two game-worn jersey patches. One patch includes the iconic Yankees home uniform pinstripe, and the other patch is from a gray away uniform. This one is truly one of a kind.
Price: $103,200, sold 8/20/2022
2. Topps Definitive Collection Dual Autograph Cut Signature Babe Ruth Shohei Ohtani Dual Autograph
Card Appeal: Despite playing 100 years apart, a dual auto of these two legends makes sense. Ruth and Ohtani are considered by many to be the two greatest baseball players ever. What makes this card truly extraordinary is that Ruth and Ohtani could both dominate on the mound and at the plate. The card pictures both players batting, and a similar card exists of Ruth and Ohtani pitching.
Price: $113,460, sold 1/25/2024
1. 2020 Panini Flawless Dual Cuts #FDC-RG Babe Ruth/Lou Gehrig Dual-Signed Card (#1/1) – BGS 9
Card Appeal: Dual autos continue to rise in popularity, and this card is one of the few that rivals the 13-million-dollar Jordan/Kobe dual auto card. In some ways, this card is better than the Jordan/Kobe since Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig were actually teammates. There has never been a more dynamic duo in baseball history and there probably never will be.
The fact that Ruth and Gehrig signed the same “cut” makes this more appealing. The autographs are symbolic of their true relationship and personalities as Babe’s auto is bold, loud, and boisterous and hangs over Gehrig, while Gehrig’s auto is subtle, quiet, and less noticeable than Babe’s.
Price: $127,200, sold 2/8/2023
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com