The fall auction at Robert Edward Auctions is garnering attention well before its conclusion on December 3, thanks to a rare piece of baseball history featuring none other than Babe Ruth. This particular item of interest is not the well-known 1914 Baltimore News card but rather a scarce 1921 Frederick Foto card, showcasing the legendary baseball figure. With competitive early bids driving up its value, the card has already reached an impressive amount of $110,000 as of Sunday evening.
What makes this Frederick Foto card even more enticing is its obscurity compared to the already scarce Baltimore News card. Only six of these cards are known to exist from the past century. This card holds a grade of 2 from SGC, indicating its rare vintage condition. It has seen a significant increase in value over the years, starting with a sale brokered by REA for $42,000 back in 2015—a fraction of its current bid.
The 1921 Frederick Foto card series, which featured both major and minor league players, remains shrouded in mystery to this day. A complete checklist for the series has not yet been confirmed. The cards in the series are not numbered, making it even more challenging to determine a full set. However, experts estimate that the series comprises over 100 cards.
The Frederick Foto Service of Sacramento, California, is credited with issuing these cards. Unfortunately, the production quality of these cards was less than ideal. Player photographs were simply glued onto cardboard, with the front showcasing the player’s name, team, and the Frederick Foto brand. The reverse side of the cards is blank. The size of the cards is generally in line with tobacco cards from that era, but inconsistencies are common, possibly due to crude production techniques or subsequent trimming. These variations often result in cards with disproportionately large white borders.
The exact dating of the 1921 series has been a topic of debate among collectors. While most agree that the cards were issued in 1921, there is disagreement about the precise timing.
The Babe Ruth card from this series holds particular significance. It features Ruth with the ‘N.Y.’ insignia of the New York Yankees but, intriguingly, depicts him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. This detail adds to the card’s rarity as one of the earliest cards showing Ruth associated with the Yankees.
In addition to its team depiction, the card showcases a unique photograph of Ruth that cannot be found on any other card or in any other type of media. This makes it a singular representation of the baseball legend and adds to the card’s allure and historical value.
The auction for this rare slice of baseball memorabilia will conclude on December 3, and it is already shaping up to be an important event for collectors and historians alike. The bids for the 1921 Babe Ruth card are expected to continue to rise, as enthusiasts eagerly vie for the chance to own a piece of baseball history that combines Ruth’s early years with the Red Sox and his iconic tenure with the Yankees.
