A pocket watch owned by legendary slugger Babe Ruth was recently sold at an auction on May 18 for $650,108, according to a report by Bloomberg. The buyer was not revealed.
The pocket watch was made of gold and was given to Ruth as a gift during the 25th anniversary of the opening of the Yankee Stadium in 1948, just two months before he died, according to SCP Auctions in an article by ESPN. The Longines watch was presented to him and his jersey No. 3 was retired on the same day. The seller was Tom Stevens, his grandson, who got the jewelry in 1974 as his college graduation gift. The sale was one of the highest prices ever bid for an artifact owned by Babe Ruth and also among the highest ever paid for a piece of jewelry.
Over 1,000 sports artifacts were auctioned by SCP, garnering a total of $4.5 million. SPC is an auction house based in Laguna Niguel, California. Dan Imler, vice president of SCP Auctions, said, "Once again, Babe Ruth carried the day." Another baseball collectible, a jersey worn at a game and signed by Sandy Kourfax also sold for $268,664. Satchel Paige's induction ring into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971 sold for $259,642.
The Yankee Stadium is known as "The House That Ruth Built". During his career, thousands of fans from different parts of the United States would flock to New York just to watch him hit home runs. Ruth died of throat cancer.
In February 2014, another pocket watch owned by Babe Ruth sold for $717,000 at an auction in New York City, writes Big Story. The 14-karat gold watch had a pentagonal shape and came from the 1923 World Series after the New York Yankees won over the New York Giants. It was given as part of a set to Ruth and was bought by an anonymous buyer who bid via telephone.