Here’s a very cool piece of baseball history: a 1925 Babe Ruth New York Yankees payroll check! Mastro sold it in its raw state in November 2001, but it was later slabbed in a PSA holder and sold via SCP Auctions for $26,701.20 in August 2020.
Here’s how Mastro described it in 2001:
Official New York Yankees payroll check, dated September 1, 1925, is made out to “George H. Ruth” in the amount of $4,598.84. The check has been signed on the front by Yankee owner Jacob Ruppert (9/10) and countersigned by General Manager Ed Barrow (8/10). Ruth has endorsed the check “George H. Ruth” (8/10) in black ink on the reverse. The check exhibits one vertical fold line and normal bank cancellation stamps (neither of which affect the Ruth signature), and is in strong Excellent condition. 1925 was definitely a year for Ruth to forget. He began the season laid up for almost two months with the “belly ache heard ’round the world.” and upon his return began feuding heavily with manager Miller Huggins. On August 29th of that year the entire situation came to a head when Huggins suspended Ruth indefinitely and levied a $5,000 fine on the great slugger. Ruth appealed directly to Colonel Ruppert but was met with little sympathy by the stern owner as he backed up Huggins 100%. On September Ist (the very date this check was issued and cashed by Ruth) he would return to Yankee Stadium in an effort to apologize to Huggins, but to no avail. Ruth would spend the day watching the game from the stands in Ruppert’s private box. A magnificent Ruth payroll check dating from the height of his most tumultuous season in the Bronx. LOA’s from Mike Gutierrez/MastroNet and James Spence/PSA DNA.
And here’s the back of the check, with Ruth’s auto, that Mastro included a photo of in the catalog.
Finally, here are the front and back of the check, now slabbed by PSA, via SCP Auctions.
Happy Collecting!