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Hidden Baseball Treasures: Babe Ruth Cards Fetch Over $120,000 in Stark County Auction

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An attic in Northeast Ohio turned out to be a gold mine for baseball card enthusiasts — and for one lucky family. A stash of vintage cards, including a handful featuring the legendary Babe Ruth, sold for more than $120,000 in an online auction managed by Stark County’s Kiko Auctions.

The sellers, who prefer to keep their identities under wraps, unearthed the cards from an old cigar box after their parents passed away. Turns out, Mom and Dad weren’t just hoarding dust and memories — they were sitting on some serious collector’s loot.

Auctioneer Jack Kiko, who’s no stranger to interesting finds, confirmed that the family was well aware the cards were valuable. And he wasn’t kidding.

According to the Canton Repository, which did a deep dive into the auction results, the sale started on May 28 and wrapped up on June 2. Out of 623 lots on the block, more than 600 were baseball cards, including a hefty stack of 1933 Goudey Big League Gum cards — a set that’s practically baseball card royalty.

For those not up on their baseball card lore, the 1933 Goudey set was the first time anyone decided to stick a piece of gum in with the cards. A sticky move that paid off. The set is loaded with Hall of Famers, and that gum probably lost its chew years ago.

When the bidding dust settled, the winning bids totaled $120,699. Throw in a 10% internet premium and a 6.5% sales tax, and buyers coughed up over $140,000 to take these paper treasures home.

One bidder, judging by their user ID, likely walked away with the lion’s share of the collection. The star of the show was a 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth card with a red background that snagged an $8,000 bid. Altogether, five different Ruth cards sold for $35,250 before fees and taxes.

Collectors know that the 1933 Goudey set is a cornerstone of the hobby — a cardboard Mount Everest. It’s no surprise the Ruth cards got so much attention, even if none of the cards had been graded by a professional sports authenticator. That means buyers took a gamble on condition, but in the world of vintage cards, sometimes that’s part of the thrill.

So, from a dusty attic in Ohio to the virtual auction block, these cards proved once again that baseball and a bit of nostalgia can go a long way — at least to the tune of six figures.