CGC Cards Grades Iconic 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson and Babe Ruth Cards

CGC Cards™ recently certified and graded two of the most coveted cards from the legendary 1948 Leaf baseball set: a rare Jackie Robinson rookie card and the most sought-after post-retirement Babe Ruth card in the hobby. A collector submitted a 1948 Leaf #79 Jackie Robinson rookie card that earned a grade of CGC 5. In this condition, an example like this is easily worth five figures.

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This is the only universally recognized rookie card of Robinson's iconic MLB career. It is the gem of the 168-card 1948 Leaf baseball set, which was the first post-World War II series to feature color images. Leaf skipped several of the card numbers though, so the master set only contains 96 actual cards. While Robinson's rookie card stands out, the historically important vintage set also features MLB icons Satchel Paige, Warren Spahn and Bob Feller's rookie issues. The set highlights several MLB veterans like Joe DiMaggio, Ted Williams and Stan Musial, but it also pays tribute to retired MLB icon Babe Ruth.

The same collector also submitted a 1948 Leaf #3 Babe Ruth that earned a grade of CGC 3.5. A card in this condition is worth thousands of dollars on the market today due to its connection to the last year of the baseball legend's life. While sick with cancer, Ruth paid his last visit to Yankee Stadium on June 13, 1948, leaning on a bat for support as the team retired his No. 3 jersey number. The Sultan of Swat passed away less than two months later in August 1948. For many collectors, this is a tribute card that is equally as relevant as many of Ruth's cards from his playing days.

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It could be argued that Robinson and Ruth are the two most important players in MLB history. Each are icons of the game that have had a lasting impact on and off the field to this day. Ruth's accolades are lengthy, and few players' resumes compare. He was the home run king for decades (714), earning 12 AL home run titles, while also leading the AL in RBIs five times. With a career batting average of .341, the 1923 AL MVP and 1924 AL batting champion is one of the greatest hitters ever. Add in the fact that he's a seven-time World Series champion, and the titles and individual records solidify Ruth as a baseball legend.

Robinson played for the Brooklyn Dodgers from 1947 to 1956 and is one of the most revered players in league history. This is particularly evident each season on "Jackie Robinson Day," when every player on every team wears the second baseman's famous No. 42 jersey number. His impact on pro baseball and American society as a whole cannot be overstated, as the California native broke the color barrier, becoming the first-ever Black player to play for a Major League Baseball club. He went on to become a six-time All-Star, the 1949 NL MVP and a 1955 World Series champion. Robinson's on-field accomplishments also earned him a place on the Major League Baseball All-Century Team, and he was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1962.