1939 African Tobacco "The World of Sport" (Large) #34 Babe Ruth SGC NM 84

Sold For:

$1,800

Year:

1939

Auction:

2017 Spring

Lot #:

1064

Category:

Prewar Baseball - 1930s and 1940s Cards

Graded NM 84 by SGC. This is one of just two examples graded at this level by SGC with only one higher. Extremely rare and high-grade example of this unusual Babe Ruth card featuring a real-photo image of the “Bambino” in a classic swing-thru pose from the 1939 African Tobacco “The World of Sport” Large-Series set. In the 1930s, several very high quality cards of Babe Ruth were issued in countries other than America. These cards get very little attention, simply because most collectors are not familiar with cards not issued in America, but they represent some of the scarcest and most interesting of all Babe Ruth cards. This striking card was one in a series of 100 cards featuring the top athletes of the day, with a different athlete representing each sport. Babe Ruth was chosen to represent baseball, and he is the only ballplayer in the set. Other sports featured in the set include boxing, golf, tennis, swimming, track, and soccer. This card is bright, crisp, and clean, with a flawless image, four sharp corners, and near-perfect centering. The reverse is clean with very light toning along the left edge (mentioned strictly for accuracy). This outstanding high-grade Babe Ruth card represents a remarkable value in comparison to gum cards of Ruth from the 1930s.
Reserve $300. Estimate $500+.