A 25‑rupee piano, bought by Ellen Kelly in 1992, turned a 1916 Babe Ruth rookie card into a $130,053 auction victory after 27 years of silence.
The piano’s pedal crack revealed 112 old cards, all from 1916, and 23 bidders fought over the Ruth card. Auctioneer Steve Bloedow eyed the 2.5‑grade card’s eye‑catching centering as the key factor that sparked the bidding war.
Bloedow noted the card’s condition and the rarity of a Babe Ruth rookie pushed the price beyond expectations, turning a modest find into a headline‑making win for collectors.
The 112‑card stash also sold for $4,420 in a bundled deal, while the Ruth card’s sale dwarfs a 2009 Heritage auction record of $38,837. Kelly used the proceeds to aid her brother’s medical bills and buy a new truck.
Collectors now eye old storage spaces for hidden gems that could rewrite market records.