Vintage MLB cards signed by baseball legend Babe Ruth are expected to raise hundreds of thousands of dollars in an online auction ©Getty Images

Vintage baseball cards signed by legendary players including Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig are set to earn a New Jersey family a small fortune via auction.

The cards were among a collection of baseball memorabilia left to his family by James Micioni, a lifelong fan of the game, who died in March aged 97, CBS Sports reports.

A Ruth card from 1933 is one of the most notable items from the collection and is expected to sell for more than $100,000 (£80,000/€88,000).

'Uncle Jimmy', as he was known, had six in his collection and all are signed by the Major League Baseball hero.

Lou Gehrig was an All-Star in seven consecutive seasons ©Getty Images
Lou Gehrig was an All-Star in seven consecutive seasons ©Getty Images

The collection also includes a 1933 card signed by Gehrig card and a signed Jimmie Foxx card from the set.

The Professional Sports Authenticator authenticated and graded the collection.

Experts are calling it one of the most amazing baseball collections in history and will add an "Uncle Jimmy Collection" pedigree on the label in the auction.

The collection is being auctioned off online as 2,000 separate lots by Wheatland Auction Services.