Pre-War Ruths on a budget?

[Woundedduck]

I'm to the point in my collection where I feel I need to add a Babe Ruth. However, most are out of my price range. I'm hoping to target something in the $100 - $200 range. I'd possibly save up to $400 for the right card. I don't mind low condition 1s or even As to try to get down to my price range. I know there are Sanella's that are very reasonable as well as a 1929 Churchman's that seems around there. However, I don't know what else can be had in my price range if in lower condition. I'm not a fan of the strip cards, but I'd love to see any scans of lower end Ruths so I can decide what card I should start to target. If you don't have any lower end Ruths, I'd still love to see some of the higher end stuff, so show em if you got em . Thanks.

[Batter67up]

You could likely get one of these in your price range. It is a 1932 Bulgaria.

[iggyman]

Here are three that come to mind.......

1937 Dupont Babe Ruth Premium 1947 NBC Premium "Cavalcade of America" (~$125 -$200)

1937 Dupont Ruth.jpg1937 Dupont Ruthb.jpg

1934 Quaker Oats Premium (~$100)

1934 Quaker Oats Ruth.jpg

1934 ButterFinger Premium (~$225 - $300)

Butter Ruth Sale.jpg

Lovely Day...

[ullmandds]

personally...I'd go with the early 30's oversized premiums...they are beautiful images and are undervalued in my opinion?!

Exhibits have taken off big time this last year or so!

[Matthew H]

1935 Goudey 4in1 is a nice card IMO

[Woundedduck]

I absolutely love that Quaker Oats premium.

[glchen]

This 1926-29 Exhibits Ruth (Pose) sold for $300 bin on ebay a couple of weeks ago (not me), which I think was a pretty good deal: Link. It has an erasure, which is the reason for the Authentic/Altered grade.

I purchased the beater E120 for ~$300 off of ebay also.

[glchen]

You've said that you don't like strip cards, but if you raise your spending limit to $250, you have a bunch of different options for beater strip cards of Ruth (but as usual, you need to wait for a good deal). Looking at my records, here are some that I got:

W514: $215
W516-1: $240
W520: $180 (ripped in half, but taped together)
Schapira (portrait): $220
Schapira (over the fence): $210
W551: $180 (chunk of paper loss on front)
W575-2: $225 (corners ripped off)
W512: $110
W511 #1: $180

These are all prices for complete beaters (and where I was able to find a good deal) and nicer examples will be more expensive. As others have said, Josetti, Bulgaria, and Sanella also offer good options for cards between $100 and $200. Many people have said that they like the Sanella for its colors and the pose.

[peterose4hof]

I've always liked the ButterFinger Premiums and I think they are a great deal for the price.

[phikappapsi]

Personally I'd just add a mid grade 1932 sanella. I think it's one of the prettiest color Ruths in the pre war era. Hugely undervalued right now

[ullmandds]

I have to disagree about the sanellas being undervalued...they are paper thin...like stamps...and are very plentiful...and are quite common.

[brob28]

Don't have a picture to post as I'm at work, but I think an R315 in 1 or Auth would fall in your price range.

[peterose4hof]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I have to disagree about the sanellas being undervalued...they are paper thin...like stamps...and are very plentiful...and are quite common.

I agree. There seems to be a neverending supply of these coming out of Germany.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Batter67up

You could likely get one of these in your price range. It is a 1932 Bulgaria.

I paid $50 for my VG-EX Bulgarian.

[t206blogcom]

Don't forget about strip cards...

My W512 Ruth

[ullmandds]

Some of the best ruth bargains out there is fro joys. Real ones can be had for 2-300 routinely.

[HRBAKER]

Have they stopped printing Sanellas yet?
Edit to add: I think it is a beautiful looking "card" but far, far, far from undervalued.

[Jaybird]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

Some of the best ruth bargains out there is fro joys. Real ones can be had for 2-300 routinely.

I agree. Some good looking cards and with the work that Greg (Clutch Hitter) has put into these, people should feel more comfortable...

Not mine anymore...

[Chris Counts]

I vote for the Butterfinger — just be careful with it because they're very brittle. I went through the same process of seeking a "budget" Ruth card and settled on this 1934 Goudey premium for $500. It was marked down because it's missing its easel on the back ...

[ethicsprof]

I have the sanella, bulgaria, quaker oats premium, and the butterfinger and
must say that the butterfinger is my fav, with respect to the 'lower' priced
Ruth's. The linguist part of me likes very much the sanella and bulgaria
and the little leaguer part of me loves the My Pal from Ruth on the Quaker Oats.
all the best,
barry

[phikappapsi]

Originally Posted by ullmandds

I have to disagree about the sanellas being undervalued...they are paper thin...like stamps...and are very plentiful...and are quite common.

They only seem common because of the recent discoveries, so a ton of them came up for sale all at once, there are still fewer of them than some of his goudeys.

Once the market flattens, and all this inventory is absorbed into new collections the cost will shoot up.

That said, if you are just considering the card, and not the speculative investment, it really is a gorgeous front. Yes the stock was incredibly thin, but if you get a decent grade and have it in a TPG holder, the card itself is beautiful.

[ullmandds]

Recent Sanella discoveries???? Not sure what you're referring to ...but...I still disagree that they are not uncommon...and there seems to be a never ending supply coming from Germany.

Regardless...the sanella is certainly a low cost ruth option!

Originally Posted by phikappapsi

They only seem common because of the recent discoveries, so a ton of them came up for sale all at once, there are still fewer of them than some of his goudeys.

Once the market flattens, and all this inventory is absorbed into new collections the cost will shoot up.

That said, if you are just considering the card, and not the speculative investment, it really is a gorgeous front. Yes the stock was incredibly thin, but if you get a decent grade and have it in a TPG holder, the card itself is beautiful.

[phikappapsi]

By "recent discoveries" I mean the hoards of sanellas coming out of Germany. Eventually that influx will slow down, they're really prevalent right now, but again, the total number of them out there is still lower than other high $ Ruths. So eventually, the dollars will go up as the demand absorbs some of the supply

[GregMitch34]

Never been any claims of forgeries of the Sanellas? Are our grading companies really astute re: scarce foreign issues? Of course the Sanella, being so thin, might cause challenge for fakers--or not.

[bbcard1]

I love everything about the Sanellas except the pose. Wish you could see a little more of the Babe's face. Probably the reason I continue to pass on them.

[DaveW]

I like the 1929 Kashin card of Ruth. I'm at work, so I don't have a scan available now - but they are relatively easy to find (usually a few on EBay). I got a fairly nice (maybe VGEX) one last year for about $350.
Good luck,
- Dave

[Leon]

All good choices so far. I haven't picked up a Sanella Ruth yet as I am in no rush. I too don't see them ever being anything but common...at least for the foreseeable future. The only thing rare about them might be the box they came in. I mean how many folks would save a Margarine box for 80 years?

[phikappapsi]

Love the box Leon, I also love the "story" of the sanellas. These guys "lived" through the carpet bombing of Germany WWII. To me it just adds to the fun. But I'm a fan of the sanella card to start with, so I'm biased.

[drc]

I think a Senella is a great Ruth card for someone on a budget. I had one and thought it was a nice looking card.

[ullmandds]

I ditto the sentiment the sanella is a low priced ruth option...but if you had a pile of period ruth cards...strips, caramels, exhibits, fro joys, goudeys...any ruth card i can think of and the sanella and, by feel anyone can tell the sanella is not like the others...and the image is cartoony and looks little like ruth!!!

Might i add a notion for the shonen postcard...also common...but reasonably priced...cardboard stock...and features a dazzling "the natural"esque image!!!

I have owned the sanella but traded it away...but i still have my shonen.

[ethicsprof]

I do understand the criticisms of the sanella card.
I must say that when one looks at the photo on which this card is based, it is much easier to appreciate the beauty of the card. Fogel, Oser, and Yee's great book A Portrait of Baseball Photography discusses this photo quite well on pages 24-25.
all the best,
barry