Imagine you’re in Ohio, in the unassuming setting of a typical family attic, the kind littered with old photo albums, holiday decorations collecting dust, and maybe a forgotten board game or two. Now, picture stumbling upon a mundane cigar box, the kind you’d expect to hold knick-knacks or perhaps old postcards from that one family vacation to the Grand Canyon. Yet, inside this box isn’t memorabilia from Grandma’s souvenir spoon collection; instead, it’s hiding what could be considered the Holy Grail for baseball card enthusiasts. Here lay a treasure trove, starring none other than Babe Ruth himself, valued at a staggering $120,000 at an online auction.
The storied journey from attic to auction block started when a pair of siblings were combing through their deceased parents’ belongings, likely dreading another day of sifting through items laden with memories and dust. Amid the sentimental chaos, they unearthed the cigar box. Unlike Pandora’s box, this discovery brought no trouble — just the thrilling potential that they were sitting on a jackpot. While the siblings preferred to remain anonymous in their role as modern-day treasure hunters, the sense of triumph in their find needed no public recognition.
Enter Jack Kiko from Stark County’s Kiko Auctions. Part detective, part showman, Kiko’s keen eye recognized the potential locked within these cards. Particularly, the 1933 Goudey Big League Gum set is for card collectors what the Mona Lisa is for art lovers: alluring and inarguably prestigious. With over 200 cards from this iconic series, sporting a who’s who of baseball legends, the collection was destined to draw intense interest.
The 1933 Goudey set is famous for having introduced a sweet twist to collecting by including a stick of gum with every pack. These cards aren’t just coated with sugar residue; they’re layered with history, capturing the spirit of early 20th-century baseball. Packing Hall of Famers in nearly every wrapper, this set became a cornerstone for serious collectors chasing nostalgia with every flip, shuffle, and trade.
Fast forward to the modern era, where bidders didn’t see Kiko wielding a gavel in person but adjusted their computer screens instead, clicking away from May 28 until June 2. The auction wasn’t just about peppermint nostalgia; it was serious business. When all was said and done, the auction grossed $120,699 in winning bids. Glamour numbers are fine, but let’s get down to brass tacks: post-Internet premium and sales tax, the grand total reached over $140,000. Both the sellers and buyers were left counting more than just baseball game statistics; they were counting their windfall and gains.
One can only imagine the electricity coursing through bidders during the auction’s climax, especially the lucky contestant who secured a crown jewel: a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card with its vibrant red background. With the virtual hammer tapping success at $8,000, this single card became the equivalent of hitting a home run. In total, five Ruth cards fetched $35,250 before the hammer became a calculator, adding fees and taxes.
Despite the fanfare, it’s worth noting that none of these cards were professionally graded. This introduces an element of risk that mingles with the thrill for collectors. The cards’ conditions left bidders rolling the dice, hoping what they held in their hands was worth its proverbial weight in gold. After all, the charm of vintage cards lies not just in their value but in the stories they tell and the mystery they hold.
Transcending the confined mustiness of an Ohio attic, these baseball relics made the leap to the digital bid room, watched by eager eyes from corners far beyond the Buckeye State. This tale underscores that the pulse of America’s pastime is still strong, resonating through an era where nostalgia glows as warmly as a summer’s afternoon, where the mere act of discovery can rival home runs of yesteryear. The event has surely left those siblings from Ohio—and everyone who’s ever daydreamed of attic riches—buzzing with the notion that indeed, some treasures are worth their weight in legends and dreams.
