1957 Topps Brooks Robinson Rookie Card #328 PSA NM/MT 8 Card
As a Baltimore native, certain people from the city are held at a high caliber. Brooks Robinson is one such person. Robinson played for the Baltimore Orioles from 1955 until 1977 as a third baseman. During his career he made 268 homeruns, with a batting average of .267. We still celebrate Robinson to this day, and we even have a statue of the player right outside Camden Yards on Eislen Street.
This 1957 Topps Brooks Robinson #328 rookie card is outstanding. This was the first Topps set to feature photography, and this sets rookie cards are some of the most sought-after cards released. This PSA NM/MT 8 presents extremely well, and looks brand new. Prices on this card have dipped in the last two years, but have started to slowly climb back up. In May 2023 Heritage sold a PSA 8 example for $4,800. This card could go for slightly over $4,000, which I think is a fair price for this card.
1871 Mort Rogers Photograph Scorecard Ross Barnes #43
I've been around collectibles a long time, and everyday I learn something new about them. This scorecard caught my eye immediately, and for good reason. Per Heritage this is one of the rarest scorecards out there, and seldom does one come up for sale. From the description on the item;
Many of the surviving examples have been trimmed down to the photographic image area, sacrificing the second page entirely, and clues to the quantity of original subjects exist only in the numbers printed above the "Mort Rogers Base Ball Photographic Card" cover text. We are aware of one numbered as high as "48."
Baseball historian John Thorn notably unearthed a news item in the July 7, 1871 edition of the Cincinnati Daily Gazette regarding Rogers' sale of the scorecards at a reunion game featuring the 1869 Cincinnati Red Stockings. Excerpted text:
"A new invention in the score card line, and one that is destined to supersede all other such arrangements now in use, made its appearance on the Union grounds in the games of Monday and Tuesday. It is an ordinary large sized score card, with a photograph of some prominent ball player pasted on the outside of each. The whole arrangement is very neat and complete. Mr. Mortimer Rogers, of Boston, and a member of the Boston base ball club party, is the originator of the device."
There're likely fewer than 100 of these still around, and finding one in this condition is rare. This item could very well go for over $35K, and if you were to sell this, I have no doubt you would see a good return on this item.
1916 Famous & Barr Co. Babe Ruth #151 PSA VG-EX 4
Very little needs to be said about Babe Ruth. Arguably one of the most well known figures in baseball, Babe was born in Baltimore in 1895 and did play for the minor-league Baltimore Oriole's. He is likely well known for playing for the New York Yankee's, but he did play for the Boston Red Sox as well. He is one of the most celebrated figures in sports to this day.
This 1916 Famous & Barr Co. card is one of the rarest baseball cards out there;
But this is no "ordinary" Ruth rookie variant, if any such card could ever wear that adjective. Only seven examples of the #151 Ruth rookie with a "Famous & Barr" back exist in the full PSA population, with this example ranking at dead center of that tiny population. Consistent toning of the ancient paper provides the most apparent evidence of this relic's advanced age, as the corners are remarkably sharp for the grade.
I absolutely believe this card will go for over $400,000, and will keep climbing in value.
Between the 1871 scorecard and this rookie card, this auction is probably one of the best ones I've seen on Heritage in a long time. If you like antique baseball cards do not sleep on this auction! If you just appreciate American history, this is a great auction to watch.
