Babe Ruth Jersey Shatters World Record for Sports Memorabilia Auction

A Babe Ruth jersey has already broken the record for the most expensive sports object ever sold at auction, with the final sale expected to reach even higher heights.

A jersey belonging to American baseball legend Babe Ruth broke the world record on Thursday, July 25, for the most expensive sports object ever sold at auction, with the current highest bid at $13.3 million including commission and fees. This remarkable sale, organized by Heritage Auctions, won’t conclude until August 24, with experts predicting bids could soar to as much as $30 million.

The jersey is among a trove of Babe Ruth’s possessions being auctioned by his family, including family photos, hunting gloves, and a suitcase Ruth traveled with on a trip to Japan in 1934. The sale of this iconic Babe Ruth jersey already surpasses previous records for sports memorabilia. The former record holder was a baseball card featuring Yankees great Mickey Mantle, which sold for $12.6 million in August 2022.

The Babe Ruth Jersey is the new gold standard

In the realm of sports apparel, the previous highest auction record was set in September 2022 when a jersey worn by basketball legend Michael Jordan during Game 1 of the 1998 NBA Finals sold for $10.1 million at Sotheby’s. Before 2022, no sports item had ever surpassed the $10 million threshold, highlighting the growing strength of the sports memorabilia market.

This particular jersey holds significant historical value, as it was worn during a historic game against the Chicago Cubs in the 1932 World Series. The jersey is famously associated with Ruth’s “called shot,” where he allegedly pointed to the outfield, predicting where he would hit his next home run, which he then executed precisely. The Yankees went on to win the series in a four-game sweep, cementing Ruth’s legendary status.

As the auction continues, anticipation builds to see just how high the bids will climb, potentially setting an even more astonishing record for sports memorabilia.