Babe Ruth, Mickey Mouse and Superman Lead Morphy’s November Collectibles Auction
Babe Ruth, Mickey Mouse and Superman will headline a wide-ranging Morphy Auctions sale next month, with vintage sports cards, early Disney toys, comic character memorabilia and antique banks all crossing the block during the company’s November 10-12 Toys, Sports & General Collectibles Auction.
One of the top sports lots is a 1933 Goudey #53 Babe Ruth baseball card graded SGC 60 EX 5. Morphy describes the low-series Ruth as a favorite among collectors and says the offered example is clean and in excellent to near-mint condition. It carries a $30,000 to $50,000 estimate. Another Ruth card, a 1932 U.S. Caramel #32 graded PSA VG-EX+ 4.5, is expected to bring the same $30,000 to $50,000 range. The card features Ruth against a deep red background and is centered approximately 70/30 both horizontally and vertically.
The auction also includes a 35-inch store-model baseball bat signed by Ruth in black fountain pen on a shaved area next to the burned-in signature. The autograph has been graded 7/10, and the bat comes with a full JSA letter of authenticity. Morphy estimates it at $15,000 to $25,000.
Disney collectors will have a shot at one of the sale’s more unusual toys, a circa-1920s or 1930s tin lithographed “Mickey the Musical Mouse” toy believed to have been made in Germany. Morphy says the example is the only known variation that includes Minnie Mouse and is one of only a few known overall. The all-original toy retains all three character heads and produces a “plink-plink” sound when a crank on the back is turned. The auction house describes it as one of the rarest Walt Disney toys it has handled, noting its strong original colors and very good to excellent condition. The estimate is $20,000 to $30,000.
Superman is represented by a rare 1954 Adco-Liberty lithographed metal lunchbox. Its artwork shows Superman battling a giant robot above a Gotham City skyline, with bright original colors and strong gloss still visible. The lunchbox does not include its original Thermos but carries an $8,000 to $12,000 estimate.
One of the more unusual pieces in the sale is an A.C. Williams two-faced cast-iron devil still bank. The near-mint example retains its original red paint and features visible teeth, a turned-up mustache and sharply detailed eyes. Morphy has placed an $800 to $2,000 estimate on the bank.
The November auction spans a much broader assortment than those headline pieces, with antique and vintage toys, sports memorabilia and general collectibles spread across three days. Morphy says a significant number of the higher-estimated lots will be offered on November 11, including the Babe Ruth material.
The Toys, Sports & General Collectibles Auction will be held November 10-12 at Morphy Auctions’ gallery in Denver, Pennsylvania, with bidding beginning at 9 AM ET each day.