And their continued popularity and demand prove that baseball cards still do hold great value. Its an extremely tough card to find in high grade. While his 1952 Topps card gets all the limelight, the 1951 Bowman card is Mickey Mantle's true rookie card and a fine one to behold. But since we are talking about "The Home Run King" in the year after he passed Babe Ruth on the all-time list, the odd, side-view photo cannot take away from the card's historical . Ruth was at the tail end of his career in 1933 but he still produced well enough to be named a starter in the All-Star game at Comiskey Park that year. But what most usually don't realize is that many pre-War and even high grade post-War vintagebaseball card valuescan be astronomical. An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000. In 2016, seven copies of this card were miraculously found in an old paper bag. At the tender age of 22, Sale made his full-season debut with the Sox as a high-leverage reliever. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Even in poor condition, they routinely sell for over $1 million. Cracker Jacks cards are wildly popular and the serious-looking Cobb is one of the keys to this set. In PSA 4.5 grade, it is estimated this card would reel in over $1 million. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? Top athletes from baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming, horse racing and even dog sled racing are showcased in the set. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Kershaw was more than up to the task, bringing home the Dodgers' first Cy Young trophy since Eric Gagne in 2003 with a banner year. Interestingly, this card was not originally part of the 1933 Goudey set. Anson was arguably the biggest star of his era but unfortunately, there are very few cards from those days that show him as a player. Natl along the bottom before the error was corrected. If you look at the bottom, Sherry Magees last name is mistakenly spelled Magie. The card is key for three main reasons: 1) 1952 was the first year Topps entered the sports card market so the set itself is wildly popular and even common cards in mint condition can fetch over $1,000. Being card #261 in the set, its not a high number card (#311 407) which means it is not as scarce as Mantles #311 card. Because they were distributed in packages of hot dogs, its extremely difficult to find them in high grade. Poor print quality and focus plague this short print card making high-grade copies nearly unachievable. However, the year ended on a bitter note. When the infamous T206 set was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League. 1986 Barry Bonds Topps Traded Rookie Card 6. His career ERA of 2.13 proves just how difficult it was to hit off of him. Within a year, the Mariners would press reset on the whole thing and end the Ichiro era abruptly, trading their longtime face of the franchise to the New York Yankees for a pair of relievers. Many believe the 1887 N172 Old Judge set to be the most important 19th Century set in existence. While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. The Green Ruth is the last of the four Babe Ruth cards to appear in the 1933 Goudey set. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. The 1912 Plows Candy E300 Mathewson features a large photographic image of the legendary pitcher of the Dead Ball Era framed by text reading. Exact prices are available to subscribers. And if you remember, the 1952 Mantle card is relatively more expensive than his 1951 Bowman card. So its no wonder that his 1948 Leaf rookie card is such and important piece of the hobby. Votto led the National League in doubles (40), on-base percentage (.416), and walks (110). This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. The Astros had seen enough and quickly called up Altuve, bypassing AAA entirely, to make his first Major League at-bat on July 20, 2011, against the Washington Nationals. This instantly recognizable card is easily one of Mathewsons most popular. Two great images of Banks are show atop a white border than can be notorious for showing print defects. However, as with any colored borders, the surrounding red borders of this card are susceptible to wear making it very condition sensitive. Cobb is pictured is his Detroit Tigers uniform leaning on his bat atop a multi-colored background. The cream of the crop. His massive upside in the future made his wildness in the present less worrisome. It was clear that Topps wanted to do something special for their 60th anniversary and they certainly delivered. The Braves had an 8.5-game lead in the NL Wild Card race at the beginning of September. Anthony Rizzo made his MLB debut for the San Diego Padres on June 9, 2011, against the Washington Nationals, going 1-2 at the plate with a triple and a run scored. The Angels recalled him for a home stand against the Baltimore Orioles on August 19, 2011, and he would finish the remainder of the season in the Majors. Mathewson won 30 or more games four different times in his storied career, attributing much of his success to a specialty pitch that was comparable to a screwball. Ungraded & graded values for all '23 Topps Baseball Cards. Key to the 1953 Topps set is the #244 Willie Mays baseball card. Its arguably the most visually pleasing and desirable of all the Ted Williams baseball cards in the hobby. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Before I get started, I just want to clarify some of the criteria I used in creating this list. Only a finite number of them still exist and as likely as it is that baseball will remain a very popular sport, collectors will do anything to get their hands on them. Theres only one single PSA 10 copy currently in circulation, however, which makes it extremely difficult to find even if you have that kind of money to spend. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. Babe Ruths card is the key and most valuable of the 32 card set. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko #8. Without further adieu, then, here are the 25 most valuable 1987 Topps baseball cards in reverse order, and with a couple of bonus runs tagged on for good measure 35 cards in all! Even though it is not Mickey Mantles official rookie card it is definitely his most important. As with any colored border, though, theyre susceptible to showing chipping and wear. Thus, Pujols was left out in a season where he finished fifth in the NL's MVP balloting. The most valuable baseball cards in the hobby can easily fetch six and seven figure price levels these days. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. The T206 set is special for many reasons but one of them is no doubt the numerous brand advertisements on the backs16 different backs in total. 1986 Topps Tiffany Rickey Henderson 2. While Posey would recover and play an MVP-caliber role for San Francisco's 2012 and 2014 title teams, his injury in 2011 forced the hands of baseball's decision-makers. And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. Martinez's career began with the Houston Astros when they drafted him in the 20th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of Nova Southeastern University. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. Read our methodology . 4 Hank Aaron #660. Just a year prior, Sale wasn't even a starter yet. Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner also appear in this set but Jacksons card is easily the most important and most valuable card in the set. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The 2011 Atlanta Braves had an excellent crop of rookie riches. We may earn an affiliate commission if you Its pretty much identical to his 1915 Cracker Jack issue except for the fact that the back of the 1915 version is turned upside down and was printed on thicker paper stock. Many in the hobby feel this card is overlooked in importance but what no one can deny is just how rare it is. He ultimately fell short of the incredible feat but still finished the season batting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs. While the "Cobb Back" T206 may be his most expensive card, this one is arguably his most popular among high-end collectors. Baseball Cards. Despite singling to right field off San Francisco's Matt Cain in his first at-bat, Goldschmidt stuck out nearly one in every three at-bats in 48 games that season. This is no doubt one of the most sought after cards of one of the games best pitchers of all time. Some argue that this is Mickey Mantles most beautiful card. Top 26 Most Valuable 1986 Topps Baseball Cards In The World 1. An SGC 2 Example Sold in August 2022 for $7,250,000. Buy on: eBay 1964 Topps Phil Niekro RC/Phil Roof RC #541 The Rookie Cards in 1964 Topps Baseball are led by a. Centering and chipping along the red bottom border are usually obstacles to achieving a higher grade. In comparison, Suzuki's lowest full-season OPS in the Majors to that point was .747 in 2008, over 100 points better than his 2011 mark. After winning the NL Cy Young Award in 2010 and leading the Philadelphia Phillies to within two games of a third-straight World Series appearance, Roy Halladay was a man on a mission in 2011. The question is: where do you start on this list? And with 103 RBIs on the year, he became the first Reds player since Dave Parker to post back-to-back 100-RBI seasons (1985-86). The potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. Error cards like Joe Doyles that make it into circulation usually end up being very popular with collectors and this one is no exception. Together with the Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb (Ty Cobb back), and Eddie Plank the T206 Sherry Magie error card is one of the rarest of the entire set. Any collector lucky enough to get his hands on Mathewsons card is sure to be ecstatic. Most Expensive Career highlights: Two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1958, 1959), 14 . But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. Rizzo soon earned a reputation as a guy capable of smacking 30 home runs and driving in 100 runs to become a fan favorite at Wrigley. Especially for high condition copies of the card. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. By 2008, Altuve moved from Venezuela to Tennessee to play for the Greeneville Astros, who were the Houston Astros' Rookie-level Appalachian League affiliate until 2017. And, unfortunately, Goudey mailed the card with a paper clip on it that left indentations on the card. The 1963 ToppsPete Rose rookie cardshows the all-time hit king along with Pedro Gonzalez, Ken McMullen, and Al Weis as one of 1963s most promising youngsters. The black borders are susceptible to showing wear and chipping but finding any card from the 19th century in high grade will undoubtedly be difficult anyways. But its also one of the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration. All of them are on this list of most valuable baseball cards so that speaks to their importance and desirability. Its so rare that only a handful exist and not many collectors have even seen one in person. This isBanks only recognized rookie cardin the hobby and along with the Hank Aaron and Al Kaline rookies, a key to the 1954 Topps set. However, there are a handful of his T206 cards that were produced with N.Y. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth: $4.212 million Freeman finished second in the NLs Rookie of the Year balloting, slashing .282/.346/.448 with 21 home runs, 32 doubles, and 76 RBIs. Shortcuts: Most Expensive , Cheapest , List by Card # He also posted what many believe to be the greatest single season for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. The glossy coatings of these cards present a bit of an issue with cracking at times but they are nonetheless some terrific cards. His 1951 Bowman issue is his only recognized rookie card and along with the Mantle rookie is the key to the entire set. Of all theWillie Mays baseball cards out there, this is his most important. Napoleon Lajoie was considered the best defensive second baseman of his day and won three batting titles, had 3,242 total hits and a .338 average. 0% A PSA 10 1954 Topps Banks rookie card sold for $142,836 in May 2012. As with most early candy or tobacco issues, this card with the image of the Georgia Peach ready to swing is the most valuable and sought after in the set. After winning 61 games in 2010, Seattle finished at 67-95 in 2011 for the franchise's sixth losing season in eight years. It should come as no surprise that the rookie card of the greatest player who ever lived would be on this list. These 5 by 8 cards were part of a redemption program where collectors sent in coupons in exchange for them. Once the owner of the career mark for home runs (755), Aaron possessed some of the strongest hands and wrists that produced some of the quickest bat speed the game has ever seen. A true baseball legend who spent most of his career in the Negro Leagues, Paige finally got his shot in the majors at the age of 42 with the Cleveland Indians. Ungraded & graded values for all '21 Topps Chrome Baseball Cards. 1984. While Ty Cobb might be the most desired player in the entire set, there is no doubt that Honus Wagner is also an incredibly sought after player as well. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. Wander Franco 2022 Topps Heritage Chrome Gold Refractor RC Rookie /5 (sold for $1,400) Wander Franco 2022 Wander Franco Heritage Real One Auto Red Ink (sold for $1375) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. But, there are two major glaring differences overall between Mathewsons cards. Centering issues, as well as dark print blotches in the yellow background, are usually the two key issues of this card. You could argue the imagery isn't the nicest in the hobby but it makes for an unforgettable card design. In 2012, Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale kicked off a stunning streak of seven-straight All-Star nods and seven-straight AL Cy Young finishes of sixth or better. One of the most popular 1930s sets, the 1933 Sport Kings R333 set consists of 48 cards in total. But what puts the Bat Off Shoulder relatively much higher on this list than the others is that you can find this card in PSA 9 Mint condition, unlike the others. Caramel cards are usually more scarce than tobacco cards since they were sold to children rather than adults. That milestone was part of a scintillating month for which Freeman captured NL Rookie of the Month honors while batting .362 with a .433 on-base percentage in July and leading all rookies with 38 hits. The young Florida native made 58 appearances out of the bullpen, finishing 17 games and saving eight. His incredible career makesStan Musial baseball cards extremely popular with collectors. Track your collection for free. The Boston Red Sox finished a game out of a playoff spot in 2011, losing out on an AL Wild Card spot to the Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 loss to Baltimore on the season's final day. The 23-year-old left walked a career-worst 41 batters in 50 innings pitched, issuing a ghastly 7.4 walks per 9 innings. Bowman did not include him in their 1953 set so that makes his Topps card of that year even more sought after. Either 10 Turkey Red Cigarette coupons or 25 Old Mill or Fez Cigarette coupons would earn you one card. , Bo Bichette, Luis Robert, Yordan Alvarez [SSP] #392, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Memorial Day Camo] #168, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Mother's Day Pink] #168, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Independence Day] #168, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. [Independence Day] #182, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Father's Day Blue] #168. The Tigers couldn't capitalize on Cabrera's otherworldly October and lost to the Rangers in the ALCS in six. The number of chase cards available to collectors may have seemed overwhelming at the time but, in retrospect, it was great to see Topps offer so much variety. And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 15 most valuable. Not many people outside of the baseball card hobby know who Joe Doyle is. In this video, we go over the top 3 most valuable Topps baseball cards from the year 1985. After a rough start at the plate, 21-year-old first baseman Freddie Freeman found his footing in the seasons final five months or so. If you asked collectors, most would probably say they prefer the portrait poses with the green portrait more preferred to the red due to its scarcity. Theres only one copy of the card currently graded in that condition, however. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215 VIEW ON EBAY Winner, winner chicken dinner. Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. Since starting his professional baseball journey with the Orix Blue Wave of the Nippon Baseball League in 1992, the legendary outfielder posted a .300 batting average or better for 19 straight seasons through the 2010 campaign. Theyre undoubtedly very condition sensitive. The centering can be so severe that it will cut into the text along the bottom. As the reigning NL Central champs sputtered to a 79-83 record and failed to make the playoffs, Chapman worked out the kinks in his delivery in 53 relief appearances. Collectors love the eye appeal of this beautiful pre-war set. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. Collectors go wild for it. The 35-year-old slugger posted an OPS over .900 for the first time since 2008 (.953), exhibiting a much more discerning eye at the dish. Seldom seen at auction, the 48 card set distributed by the American Caramel Co. of York, Pa. released some of the rarest type cards in existence. Read our methodology. Cobb was known as a ferocious competitor who was determined to be the best day in and day out. With five Silver Sluggers and three batting titles to his name in twelve MLB seasons, Altuve continues to be one of the best hitters in the game. Like the 1997 Bowman, Donruss, Fleer, Leaf, Score and Upper Deck sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. Estimated PSA 4.5 VG-EX+ Value: $1,100,000. Although kind of normal for Gehrig, his offensive production was extraordinary in 1934. Although not as popular as his 1948 Bowman rookie card, his 1948 Leaf rookie card is the tougher of the two. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? In high grade, this card can fetch big bucks. And he continued to struggle from there, finishing with a .163/.213/.279 slash line with one home run and six RBI before the team demoted him back to Double-A after twelve games. The 1914 Cracker Jack Mathewson is one of the great rarities in the hobby and easily the most difficult card to find in this amazing set. Altuve went 1-5 that game, but little did he know then he had kicked off a piece of Houston Astros history. What's worse was that his (relative) struggles were coming at a low point for the Mariners organization. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat. And that first season with the Red Sox in 2018 has been the greatest of his career so far. Demand for Clementes rookie card has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. The eye appeal is top-notch, as with most 1914 Cracker Jack cards. With so many greats, how do you choose between them? The reality was that Pujols was good to go. This card is a key classic in the hobby and is Aarons only recognized rookie card. This card shares its front design with several others of the era (Dockman & Sons, Nadja Caramels, etc.). and one of the best-looking cards of the 1950s in my opinion. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. George Close Candy cards are among the scarcer pre-WWI caramel issues and the Honus Wagner is one of the keys to the set. While not his most expensive baseball card, its arguably the most visually pleasing of them all. On the surface, the 1948 Leaf card with its use of color appears to be more attractive than the 1948 Bowman card. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Financial problems would cause Dunn to sell Ruths contract to the Boston Red Sox later that year, however. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 2020 Topps Both are not cheap but it is this version that is the more desirable and expensive of the two. That production boosted his legend and popularity making him one of the most highly collected players in the hobby. Collectors who take on the challenge of completing this set are no doubt in for an extremely tough challenge. 1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan RC Votto reached base in the team's first 27 games, finishing April with an eye-popping .370 batting average. Five Hall of Famers made their rookie card debut in the T206 set and Walter Johnson is one of them, a fact that makes this card even more interesting. Ungraded & graded values for all '06 Topps Baseball Cards. 1978 Topps Andre Dawson 72 PSA 10 Rookie Cup PSA 10 Image Credit: ebay While most of these newer A&G Topps cards were baseball players, you can also find other sports represented (wrestling, soccer, MMA, basketball, softball, beach volleyball, boxing, and car racing). Considered to be one of the more obscure Honus Wagner type cards its value continues to remain strong. Mays put up monster numbers over his career and shares the record for most All-Star Game appearances (24) with Hank Aaron and Stan Musial. He received 20 first place votes in the NL Rookie of the Year vote and his 129 vote points outpaced Atlanta's Jason Heyward who 107 vote points for his impressive debut performance. The postseason drought would only get longer, but Sale's transition to a starting role in 2012 was the dawning of a new ace on the Southside. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 1981 Topps #302 Dodgers Future Stars Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $225 When it comes to rookie season debuts, the Dodgers have developed a reputation for some of the finest on record. But, the fact that his is the last card in the iconic 407 card set gives it an extra bump due to the inherent difficulty in collecting the card. The card features a great image of Ruth and it remains one of his most desirable cards. #1: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000 Dimensions: 2-5/8" x 3-3/4" The most important post-war card in the hobby, price movements of the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle baseball card are often seen as an indicator of the health of the sports card market overall. So, to build this list, I only focused on the base cards from 2011 Topps and included some from 2011 Topps Update as well. Youll typically find that #160 shows whiter borders and a lighter blue background, too. Altuve was hitting an incredible .423 at that point but eventually cooled to finish with a .276/.297/.357 slash line. Fresh off a Rookie of the Year campaign and the first of three World Series titles in five years, young San Francisco Giants backstop Buster Posey was riding high by the Bay in early 2011. Another obscure and rarely seen card, the 1915 E106 American Caramel Honus Wagner Throwing variation is just as much of a classic. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. The 1917 Collins-McCarthy candy cards are some of the few card issues that were printed during the mid-teens of the 20th century. 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. 2. The White Cap variation is considered to be the most difficult of the three Mathewson cards, but the Portrait is the most popular. The card is subtle in design and imagery but remains a truly majestic card for any serious collector to consider. 3)Many high number cards were famously dumped into the ocean leaving even less of them in existence. #1. Over his remarkable career, Aaron made 24 All-Star appearances, a record shared with Mays and Musial and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. And because it features a close-up of Mantle, print defects on his face can also sometimes turn off collectors. We believe the following 10 cards will be tops in short-term return on investment over the next 1 to 2 years. The Say Hey Kidwas arguably the greatest all-around player to step on the field. The Big Train is a true legend of the game and this card is a great tribute to him. Matty was on the backside of his career in 1911 but still managed to lead the league in ERA (1.99) and put up 26 wins. In the postseason, Cabrera was predictably excellent. Neither makes a difference when it comes to value, though. Kimbrel led all NL relievers with 46 saves, pitching to a 2.10 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. Possessing an explosive triple-digit fastball with electric movement, Chapman struggled to harness his high-octane stuff in his first full year with the Reds. His five complete games and epic, generation-defining showdowns with San Francisco's Tim Lincecum were jolts of electricity for a Dodgers fan base desperate for a winner. However, #160 is the more difficult of the two to find in high grade so it generally fetches higher prices. Most expensive baseball cards in history Here is a look at the baseball cards that have exceeded a million-dollar price tag, including two by one of the sport's top active players: 1. 2010 and 2011 were two of the most emotionally draining years of Chipper Jones' Hall of Fame career. If you remember, during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, Babe Ruth made his famous Called Shot. Only 7 of the Ty Cobb cards have ever been submitted to PSA for grading which speaks to the rarity of them. The 1932 U.S. Caramel set is one of the most desirable and challenging prewar sets in the hobby. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Premium: 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco Photo Variation SP RC #215 After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards.