[hcv123]

While completely agree no Goudey Ruth card is "rare" by any stretch, there are 1376 PSA graded #144's an additional 584 graded by SGC and likey a bunch more raw ( I would argue it is likely the large majority of these have been graded by now.). Probably also need to reduce the #'s for resubmissions a bit as well. That leaves under 2K examples graded and another ?? 100, 200, 300 raw? If we round up to even say 2500.
The demand for this card is off the charts. It is the "poster child" for baseball card collecting! If you polled just the people attending the national and asked how many would like to one day own this card, I suspect it will quickly surpass 2500. Now add in all the collectors that aren't at the national - 2500 all of a sudden doesn't look like that many cards! The price appreciation that this card has seen goes to support the same conclusion - supply and demand at work - When demand is greater than supply it drives price up - as price rises, it draws more supply into the market place, until there is an equilibrium of a price at which supply=demand.
While the other Goudey Ruth's are in shorter supply, they are no where near as in demand as the #144.
Most collectors who want 1 Ruth card want the Goudey batting pose.