Two of the greatest hitters who ever lived share the frame on this beloved key card from the landmark 1959 Fleer Ted Williams set. The near-perfect PSA MINT 9 example holds the highest grade in the PSA population report.

The set marked Fleer’s first sports card issue since 1923, and its 80 cards were devoted entirely to chronicling the life and career of the Splendid Splinter. Card #2 stands as one of the set’s signature entries. It shows the young Williams beside his boyhood hero, the two legends gripping a bat to decide who would hit first in a hitting contest held at a military charity event at Braves Field on July 12, 1943. The bottom caption fittingly reads “Ted’s Idol – Babe Ruth.” That pairing of the Bambino and the last man to hit .400 has made it a perennial favorite with vintage collectors.

Along with #1, #68 and #80, the Ruth card ranks among the most sought-after cards in the issue, and examples at the MINT 9 level are especially desirable for advanced set builders. Out of nearly 1,300 in the PSA pop, only 33 others have achieved this grade.