Florida doctor’s Babe Ruth card aims at world record. Here’s how much it’s worth

The global COVID-19 pandemic saw a resurgence in sports card collecting.

Now a new record could fall next month when an auction is held selling Dr. Thomas Newman’s collection. according to Reuters. Newton, of Tampa, passed away from COVID-19 at the age of 73 in January, according to WFLA.

The crown jewel of Newman’s surviving collection is a 1933 Babe Ruth card that is expected to sell north of $5.2 million at an auction, held by California’s Memory Lane Inc., June 21-July 10.

Should the card exceed that total in next month’s auction, it would break the current record of $5.2 million that went in January when actor-entrepreneur Rob Gough bought a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 9 card, according to Barrons.

Newman’s collection of sports memorabilia has spanned 40 years and it includes more than 1,000 vintage and modern baseball, football and hockey trading cards, according to Reuters.

The 1933 Ruth card that is expected to break the existing single sports card sale price is “one of a set of four Goudey Ruth cards with a yellow background that debuted the first modern gum card issues, with a limited number sold with a stick of gum,” according to Barrons.

Newman’s son, Stewart, told Reuters that his dad got the Ruth card 15 to 20 years ago from a dealer, and turned down several offers over the years to sell it.

The rating system for trading cards is from 1-10, with 10 graded as mint condition. The 1933 Ruth card is a 9. Other cards in Newman’s collection up for auction include a 1952 Mickey Mantle rookie card as well as Ty Cobb, Lou Gehrig, Honus Wagner, Cy Young and Ted Williams, according to WFLA.

“There are some amazing one-of-a-kind pieces that we, as a company who have been doing this over 20 years, have never seen before,” Memory Lane Auctions president JP Cohen told Reuters.

Added Newman’s wife, Nancy: “He would want it to be an investment for the family’s future.”

“He would probably love this. He wouldn’t have asked for it, he wouldn’t have brought attention to himself... [but] I am sure he is looking down and is very happy with what’s happening with the collection.”