Signed 1932 U.S. Caramel Babe Ruth Sells for $976,000 at Goldin

A one-of-a-kind signed 1932 U.S. Caramel #32 Babe Ruth card sold for $976,000 at Goldin, leading the Fall Vintage Elite Auction, whose lots began closing at 10:30 p.m. ET on October 10, 2026. That is an $800,000 winning bid after 26 bids, plus Goldin's 22% buyer's premium. Sports Collectors Digest reported on October 14 that it is the highest public sale for a signed U.S. Caramel Ruth, one of several records set for Ruth, Ty Cobb and Jackie Robinson.

The Babe Ruth Card That Led the Sale

Card

• 1932 U.S. Caramel (R328) #32 Babe Ruth
• Signed in black fountain pen, with "Sincerely" above "Babe Ruth"

Slab

• PSA Authentic for the card, with a PSA/DNA Mint 9 grade for the autograph
• PSA cert 25845657 on the label

Why it is unique

• Goldin's lot description for the October 10, 2026 sale calls it "the SOLE Babe Ruth autographed U.S. Caramel card"
• Goldin adds that, when the lot was listed, it was the only signed card from the 32-card U.S. Caramel set on PSA/DNA's population report

Sale

• Goldin Fall Vintage Elite Auction, closed the night of October 10, 2026 (US Eastern time)
• $800,000 winning bid after 26 bids, $976,000 with the buyer's premium

The Other Record Lots

Ruth was not the only record. These lots all closed the same night, per Goldin's lot records:

• Circa 1910 Ty Cobb "Cobb Sliding" Type I photo by Charles M. Conlon: $945,500 at Goldin after 30 bids. Goldin calls it the finer of only two PSA-certified Type I copies, and SCD reported it as a record for a PSA-graded Type I photo.
• 1949 Bowman #50 Jackie Robinson, PSA 9: $518,500 at Goldin after 20 bids.
• 1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson, SGC 9: $427,000 at Goldin after 18 bids. SCD reported both Robinson results as records for their grades.
• 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folder "Cobb Steals Third," signed by Ty Cobb, PSA 4 (MK) with a PSA/DNA 9 autograph: $396,500 at Goldin after 26 bids, a record for any signed Cobb card, per SCD.
• 1909-11 T206 Uzit Ty Cobb, Bat Off Shoulder, PSA 6: $208,620 at Goldin after 25 bids.
• 1938 Goudey Heads-Up #250 Joe DiMaggio, period-signed, PSA 4.5 with a PSA/DNA 9 autograph: $207,400 at Goldin after 31 bids.
• 1919 T213 Coupon Ty Cobb, PSA 9, Pop 1: $161,040 at Goldin after 24 bids.

Not every big price made SCD's record list. Also in the same sale, per Goldin's lot records: an 1890-92 John H. Ryder studio cabinet Cy Young rookie (PSA 1.5) at $427,000, a 1916 M101-5 Sporting News Babe Ruth rookie (SGC 1.5) at $292,800, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 3.5) at $268,400, a 1955 Topps Jackie Robinson (PSA 9) at $251,344 and a 1917 Boston Store Babe Ruth (PSA 3) at $244,000.

What It Means for Collectors

Our take: the signature is doing the heavy lifting. Counting Ruth, three of the record lots are signed cards, and all three carry PSA/DNA 9 autograph grades on cards graded 4 to 4.5 or only authenticated. In the same auction, an unsigned 1932 U.S. Caramel Ruth in PSA 5 sold for $92,727 at Goldin, against $976,000 for the signed one.

Check what is graded. "PSA Authentic" means PSA confirmed the card is genuine without giving it a number. The 9 on this Ruth slab grades the signature only.

For the biggest card sales across the hobby, see our list of the most expensive baseball cards, and for another big Goldin result this year, the $2.85 million Ohtani Logoman.

Where to Go From Here

Vintage records like these sit at the very top of the hobby. If you want to start collecting real, vaulted cards, the Polkastarter marketplace gives you a free mystery pack at signup, and every Lootbox lists its contents, values, and chances before you open.

Details checked October 17, 2026. Prices are past sale results and include buyer's premium. Nothing here is financial advice. Polkastarter is not affiliated with Goldin, PSA, SGC, Major League Baseball or the other companies named.

Sources

• Goldin: Unique 1932 U.S. Caramel (R328) #32 Signed Babe Ruth, PSA Authentic, PSA/DNA 9 Autograph, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Sports Collectors Digest: Iconic Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Jackie Robinson cards set records in Vintage Elite Auction, published October 14, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: Circa 1910 Ty Cobb Type I Original Photograph by Charles M. Conlon, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1949 Bowman #50 Jackie Robinson PSA 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson SGC 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1912 T202 Hassan Triple Folder Ty Cobb Signed Card, PSA 4 (MK), PSA/DNA 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1909-11 T206 Uzit Ty Cobb, Bat Off Shoulder, PSA 6, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1938 Goudey #250 Joe DiMaggio Period-Signed, PSA 4.5, PSA/DNA 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1919 T213 Coupon Ty Cobb PSA 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1890-92 John H. Ryder Studio Cabinet Cy Young Rookie PSA 1.5 (MK), sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1916 M101-5 Sporting News #151 Babe Ruth Blank Back Rookie SGC 1.5, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle PSA 3.5, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1955 Topps #50 Jackie Robinson PSA 9, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1917 Boston Store #147 Babe Ruth PSA 3, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026
• Goldin: 1932 U.S. Caramel #32 Babe Ruth PSA 5, sold October 10, 2026, accessed October 17, 2026