1921 E121 American Caramel (Series of 80) George (Babe) Ruth - Newly Discovered

Sold For:

$12,600

Year:

1921

Auction:

2020 Spring

Lot #:

736

Category:

Prewar Baseball - 1910s and 1920s Cards

Presented is an extremely pleasing E121 American Caramel card of Babe Ruth. This is one of the premier early Ruth cards and one of the very few dating from the early 1920s. This card is part of an exciting, fresh-to-the-hobby find of caramel cards, including twenty-one Lou Gertenrich cards, a 1914 Cracker Jack Mathewson, and a second E121 American Caramel Babe Ruth card, saved by the family of the original owner who lived in the Midwest, all consigned to this auction. While the image of Ruth is crisp and well centered, the card is graded GOOD 2 by SGC (submitted by REA) due to several unobtrusive creases. The reverse is clean with bold black text. One of several different cards of Ruth in the E121 set, this is one of the all-time classic Babe Ruth cards of the 1920s. Referred to on checklists as the Babe Ruth "George" variation, this popular card features Ruth in a full-length throwing pose. It is interesting to note that the young, but already very celebrated, Ruth is pictured on this card in a Boston uniform, though he is appropriately identified below as a member of the New York Americans. "Boston" (mostly covered by Ruth's throwing arm) can be clearly seen across Ruth's chest upon close examination. In fact, this photograph of Ruth is the very same image which was used on Ruth's 1917 E135 Collins-McCarthy candy card. Apparently the American Caramel Company was going to print and did not have the time to pursue an updated image of Ruth with his new team. This is an ideal example for someone who wants a very presentable example of this classic Babe Ruth card, from the heart of his playing days, without spending the tens of thousands of dollars that a higher-graded example would command. Reserve $2,500. Estimate $5,000+.