Hunt Auctions has announced the private sale of a bat used by Babe Ruth circa 1920-21 for $1.85 million, a record price for a baseball bat.
The previous record also belonged to a Ruth bat, one that sold privately for $1.68 million by Heritage Auctions last August. According to Hunt Auctions, the new record holder is the “only known example to offer photographic corroboration.”
The “Polo Grounds” bat, as it’s colloquially known for the stadium the New York Yankees played their home games in until 1922, is matched to a 1921 photo of Ruth swinging it.
In February 2018, collector Justin Cornett purchased the bat at auction for $400,800 through Heritage Auctions without a photo match. At the time, the estimation was that it was used sometime from September 1920 to March 1922. PSA/DNA photo expert Henry Yee eventually matched the bat to a photo of Ruth from 1921, increasing its value exponentially.
Ruth’s 1921 season notably established records for single-season home runs (59) and career homers (139). The bat received a perfect 10 grade from PSA/DNA Photo Authentication Services.