His 1951 Bowman issue is his only recognized rookie card and along with the Mantle rookie is the key to the entire set. There are only a handful of known copies of this card in the hobby making it a rare and highly demanded issue. However, there are a handful of his T206 cards that were produced with N.Y. While he cooled off from that torrid pace, the now two-time All-Star was still one of the game's most feared hitters. With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards. It would fetch much more than that today. This is one of them. Most Expensive [2023 Topps] Baseball Cards 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. Natl along the bottom before the error was corrected. While his 1952 Topps card is more popular and more expensive, some collectors forget that this is the only recognizedMantle rookie card. 1987 Topps Baseball Cards - 25 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods During his rookie campaign, Posey slashed .305/.357/.505 with 18 home runs, 67 RBIs and 58 runs scored in 108 games (406 at-bats). Read our methodology . On the surface, the 1948 Leaf card with its use of color appears to be more attractive than the 1948 Bowman card. The 2011 Atlanta Braves had an excellent crop of rookie riches. The Reds' fall from contention cost Votto at the ballot box, though, as he followed up his 2010 MVP triumph with a sixth-place finish in 2011. 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. The sale smashed the record for most valuable baseball card at the time, beating the then-highest sale of a Honus Wagner T206 White Border card at $3.1 million. Because of his alleged participation in the Black Sox Scandal during the 1919 World Series, Jackson was banned from baseball during his prime. But whats not up for debate is whether its one of his most important. The card features a great close-up of the star pitcher surrounded by the famous T205 gold borders. Mathews had a prolific career as a feared power hitter and spent many years alongside Hank Aaron to form one of the greatest home run hitting duos the game has ever seen. 20 Most Valuable 1990 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards The 1912 Plows Candy E300 Mathewson features a large photographic image of the legendary pitcher of the Dead Ball Era framed by text readingPlows Candy CollectionandMathewson, New York Nationals.. Yet, it was the patient way Big Papi produced in 2011 that kicked off his late-career renaissance in style. The eye appeal is top-notch, as with most 1914 Cracker Jack cards. He ended the year with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 79 batters in 71.0 innings pitched. Most Expensive 2022 Topps card list & price guide. Interestingly, this card was not originally part of the 1933 Goudey set. Just a year prior, Sale wasn't even a starter yet. Centering that favors the bottom and slight angular cuts are usually the factors that prevent these cards from reaching higher grades. 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. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. George Close Candy cards are among the scarcer pre-WWI caramel issues and the Honus Wagner is one of the keys to the set. But its also one of the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration. 2005 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro And come the postseason, he was on another level, leading St. Louis from a 90-win Wild Card berth to a second World Series title in six years. Larry Doyle, a second baseman, played for the New York Giants of the NL at the time so most likely that is the reason for the mix-up. 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. The 1969 Topps baseball card set is well-loved in this hobby by many collectors for several different reasons. Most Expensive 2023 Topps Baseball Cards Most Expensive 2023 Topps card list & price guide. 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. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: $12.6 million 2. Arguably the greatest hitter of all time, Williams posted some truly jaw-dropping numbers over his career: a .344 batting average, a .483 on-base average and a .634 slugging average. Mathewson is the only player in both the 1914 and 1915 sets whose poses are entirely different. His 3,003rd hit (and last of the day) was an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead for good in the 8th. The base set from Bowman holds little value. Votto reached base in the team's first 27 games, finishing April with an eye-popping .370 batting average. The fancy gold borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. 17 Most Valuable 1973 Topps Baseball Cards Worth Money - Rob Paulsen Here are the most expensive baseball cards right now It's still a very unusual-looking card but is one that many collectors dream of owning. Most Expensive 2006 Topps card list & price guide. 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. The first Dodgers hurler to secure the NL pitching Triple Crown since Sandy Koufax back in 1966, Kershaw led the National League in wins (21), strikeouts (248), and ERA (2.24), the latter serving as the best mark for a starter in all of baseball. On it, Gehrig is shown with a huge bright smile atop a yellow background giving the card tremendous eye appeal. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. The future first-ballot Hall of Famer finished the year at 19-6 with a career-high 220 strikeouts and his best ERA since 1998 (2.35). 25 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. A PSA 10 1954 Topps Banks rookie card sold for $142,836 in May 2012. Also, many of the known examples are found with poor centering from top to bottom. 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. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. So, although not as desirable as the others, the fact that it exists in such great condition brings a steep price tag. Most Expensive Especially for high condition copies of the card. Its nearly impossible to describe the importance of Jackie Robinson to baseball and American history after breakingbaseballs color barrier in 1947. Mathewson appears three times in the T206 set with the Portrait, White Cap and Dark Cap variations. 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. It should be no surprise that this card is the key to the entire set with the Willie Mays and Jackie Robinson cards coming in second and third place, respectively. Most Expensive 2022 Topps 1st Edition card list & price guide. 30 Most Valuable Topps Tiffany Cards - Beckett News It just goes to show that scarcity and condition can have just as much of an impact on the value of a card as the player who is on it. Estimates place the number of front/back combinations around 5,500 which led to this set being nicknamed The Monster.. Mike Trout made his Major League debut on July 8, 2011, when the Los Angeles Angels called him up to replace speedy centerfielder Peter Bourjos who had injured his hamstring the day before. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Issued by the Mayo and Brother Tobacco Works of Richmond, VA, the set contains 48 different cards overall but Anson's is undoubtedly the most coveted. There are two varieties of these cards with one version featuring a tobacco advertisement on the back and the other a checklist. Ungraded & graded values for all '23 Topps Baseball Cards. The Iron Horseappears twice in the 1933 Goudey setwith card #s 92 and 160 to his credit. The most prevalent theory is that the card suffered from a poor printing plate, resulting in many of the cards being destroyed since they could not pass quality control. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC #7. Ungraded & graded values for all '06 Topps Baseball Cards. The card features a great image of Ruth and it remains one of his most desirable cards. National League manager Bruce Bochy was not looped in on Pujols' condition heading into the All-Star Game selection deadline, leaving the San Francisco Giants skipper little choice but to look elsewhere to round out the depth chart. So its no wonder that his 1948 Leaf rookie card is such and important piece of the hobby. While not his most expensive baseball card, its arguably the most visually pleasing of them all. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 15 Most Valuable 2011 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Over time, the Freddie Freeman rookie has remained the key card from the 2011 Topps base run, while rookie cards of Mike Trout, Jose Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo and J.D. ThisTed Williams card features a superb black and white image of Williams following through on his classic swing. 1986 Topps Tiffany Rickey Henderson 2. Interestingly, the same image is used on both cards. The 1939 Play Ball #92 issue is the Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card. 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. 2022 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Guide. 1991 Topps Baseball Card Checklist, Errors, Values - Gold Card Auctions 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 3)Many high number cards were famously dumped into the ocean leaving even less of them in existence. After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The most important post-war card in the hobby, price movements of the 1952 Topps #311Mickey Mantle baseball cardare often seen as an indicator of the health of the sports card market overall. Because they were distributed in packages of hot dogs, its extremely difficult to find them in high grade. The 10 Most Valuable 1975 Topps Baseball Cards Read our methodology . This is the other, less expensive, version of this card in the 1938 Goudey set. 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. However, he still put together a worthy encore to his 2010 breakthrough. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. Since its not his rookie card or his most scarce, the1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 isnt his most expensive card but it is arguably one of his most beautiful cards. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. Please note many of these cards have variations, which won't all be listed here. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! Most cards in the T206 set are not rare but the Honus Wagner cards are because they were pulled from production early. #4 Most Valuable Baseball Cards 2000s - Topps Finest For The Record #3B Ken Griffey Jr. Price for PSA 9 featured with Alex Rodriguez: $100 Price for PSA 10 Gem: $1,500 Player's History 13 times All-Star Ken is the son of Ken Griffey Sr, a famous baseball player and coach during his era. Most Valuable Rookie Card in Every Topps Baseball Set, 1952-2020 The Left Arm of God as he was known, Koufax possessed raw power that helped him once strikeout an astounding 382 batters in a season. There arent manySatchel Paige baseball cards in the hobby but this is a great looking card of the legendary pitcher. He ultimately fell short of the incredible feat but still finished the season batting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs. Before I get started, I just want to clarify some of the criteria I used in creating this list. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261 #5. 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. 1990 Topps #414 Frank Thomas Rookie Card Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175 Check prices on: Amazon Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card is supposed to look like when his full name appears at the bottom of the card. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. The famous Pittsburg Pirate shortstop is shown ready at the bat with his name Hans along the bottom border of the card. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards Johnson is considered by many to be the best pitcher of all time after turning in an amazing 12 seasons of 20 or more victories, including two with more than 30. In 2016, seven copies of this card were miraculously found in an old paper bag. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Cracker Jacks cards are wildly popular and the serious-looking Cobb is one of the keys to this set. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Two great images of Banks are show atop a white border than can be notorious for showing print defects. The 1932 U.S. Caramel set is one of the most desirable and challenging prewar sets in the hobby. The 48-card 1915 American Caramel E106 shows some nice artistic renderings of players of the National, American and Federal Leagues. 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. Followed by HBO documentary cameras during his rehab process, Jeter opened up about himself and his pursuit of baseball immortality in a way he'd never done before. 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. And if you remember, the 1952 Mantle card is relatively more expensive than his 1951 Bowman card. Its arguably the most visually pleasing and desirable of all the Ted Williams baseball cards in the hobby. Honus. To commemorate Posey's 2010 Rookie of the Year honor, Topps released this card in Series One packs and you can see the "2010 Rookie of the Year" along the bottom just above his name. Some collectors go for the base set. The potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. Halladay was given the ball for Games 1 and 5. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The card features a great image of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over his right shoulder atop a green background. However, since it's one of the most iconic cards of the modern era, I made an exception to include it (and some other 2011 Topps Update cards) on this list. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Each of the 30 unnumbered cards in the set feature an artist rendering of players atop colored backgrounds. 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 . 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 2006 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. 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. This card, the key to the 200-card M101-5 set, is often found off-center and features a variety of advertising backs, although most existing copies exhibit blank backs. While Sale was still working on controlling his pitch mix and hitting corners consistently (his 3.4 BB/9 is the second-worst of his career so far), he still showcased elite stuff. 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. Mantle is easily one of the most widely collected players in the hobby. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat. 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. Many collectors are happy to just be able to own one of these legendary cards in the first place, though. Votto led the National League in doubles (40), on-base percentage (.416), and walks (110). Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. Considered one of the toughest post-war cards to collect, Leroy Satchel Paiges rookie card is a key to this set along with rookie cards of Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial. Two hits shy heading into a July 9th home game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Jeter took his spot as the 28th member of the 3,000-hit club with a 5-for-5 day now etched in Yankees lore. Just be prepared to put up big money if you want one in high grade. Because of its position on the print sheet and the fact that many kids wrapped rubber bands around their stacks of cards (this one on the top), finding Pafko centered and in good shape is very tough. Then they went 9-18 in the campaign's final month, losing out on a playoff spot by a game to St. Louis with a season-ending five-game losing streak. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. This incredibly important card is beautiful in design, depicting nice artwork of Mantle ready at the bat. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth: $4.212 million While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. There are four different Babe Ruth cards in the 1933 Goudey set, #s 53, 144, 149 and 181. And by 2016, he'd solidified his place as a Cubs legend when he helped the franchise win its first World Series title since 1980, finally breaking the "curse" that had haunted them for over 100 years. Ungraded & graded values for all '20 Topps Baseball Cards. Read our methodology . Many collectors prefer the portrait versions of Cobbs T206 card and specifically the Green Portrait. The card is key for three main reasons: This card shares its front design with several others of the era (Dockman & Sons, Nadja Caramels, etc.). 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 2005 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. After 60 years in the hobby, Topps helped celebrate their "Diamond Anniversary" by packing so much into their 2011 Topps baseball card set. The Big Train is a true legend of the game and this card is a great tribute to him. 0% 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) Now that we got that out of the way let's get started Like a few others on this list, this card is technically part of the 2011 Topps Update set. So, if you're looking tosell baseball cards then you might want to check this list to see if you're sitting on something special. 1986 Topps Tiffany Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs Card 7. Baseball Cards. If you remember, during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, Babe Ruth made his famous Called Shot. 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. Things changed dramatically in the second game of a three-game Marlins sweep when Florida outfielder Scott Cousins barreled into Posey at home plate after tagging up on a sacrifice fly. Centering and chipping along the red bottom border are usually obstacles to achieving a higher grade. That PSA 10 copy sold for $717,000 in 2016. 2022 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Guide - Beckett News After seeing his batting average dip considerably in the previous three seasons, Ortiz posted the second-best full-season mark of his career thus far with a .309 finish. Altuve went 1-5 that game, but little did he know then he had kicked off a piece of Houston Astros history. Not many baseball cards possess as much elaborate and ornate decoration as those of the 1909 Ramly Cigarette T204 set. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. During the year, Jones passed Yankees legend Mickey Mantle with his 1,510th RBI, placing him second only to Eddie Murray for the most runs batted in by a switch hitter in MLB history. We are user supported. Hes also the only key player in the 1914 set on a horizontal layout. The Yellow Ruth, #53, is considered to be the toughest, closely followed by the #149 Red Ruth that shows the legendary slugger in an identical pose. Hoyer had originally drafted Rizzo in the sixth round of the 2007 MLB Draft while he was an assistant general manager for the Boston Red Sox and knew that Rizzo's performance in San Diego didn't reflect his true talent and abilities. 15 Most Valuable 1997 Topps Baseball Cards - Old - Old Sports Cards A PSA Gem Mint 10 #128 Aaron sold for $357,594 in 2012, a price that would easily be overcome in todays market. The 1917 Collins-McCarthy candy cards are some of the few card issues that were printed during the mid-teens of the 20th century. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. Overall, Topps did a great job with this set by balancing an excellent design with plenty of chase cards. Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. However, the gold borders of the T205 cards leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear. Contact him at [emailprotected]. He was also clutch, maintaining a sub-1.00 World Series ERA and twice being named series MVP in 1963 and 1965. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. After signing a three-year, $38 million deal in the offseason to remain in Cincy, the 27-year-old first baseman busted out of the gates in a full sprint in 2011. However, it just isnt as often found in high grade as #53. Remarkably, he still only finished fifth in the MVP race! And while they are keys to the set and arguably the most popularLou Gehrig baseball cards, they are still overshadowed by the Ruth quartet. Many believe the 1887 N172 Old Judge set to be the most important 19th Century set in existence. Top athletes from baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming, horse racing and even dog sled racing are showcased in the set. In this video, we go over the top 3 most valuable Topps baseball cards from the year 1985. After hitting .363 with 49 home runs and 166 RBI he would go on to win the Triple Crown. inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. 30. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. totaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. Prices are updated daily based upon 2021 Topps Chrome listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Identical in imagery to the 1933 Goudey #160 Lou Gehrig that you saw earlier on this list, this card does usually present whiter borders and lighter blue backgrounds than its #92 counterpart. During the offseason, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-player deal orchestrated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. He also topped 100 runs scored (111) and 100 RBIs (105) while playing in an AL-best 161 of 162 regular-season games. In the NLDS, the 102-win AL East champion Phillies faced a molten-hot St. Louis Cardinals squad that had fought back from a massive Wild Card deficit in September. But it wouldn't take Goldschmidt much longer to mold into the incredible talent he is today. However, the year ended on a bitter note. Let's be clear: most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. 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. A mixture of bad timing, poor communication, and an always-controversial roster rule kept Albert Pujols out of the 2011 MLB All-Star Game, ending his streak of consecutive Midsummer Classics at eight. It should be no surprise that Ty Cobb's 1915 Cracker Jack card carries an enormous price tag with it, given his iconic status in baseball history. In PSA 4.5 grade, it is estimated this card would reel in over $1 million. DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. It is by far the most important of allHank Aaron baseball cards. The Best Baseball Cards to Buy in 2023 - MoneyMade The card is subtle in design and imagery but remains a truly majestic card for any serious collector to consider. In early 1914, Jack Dunn of the minor league Baltimore Orioles signed Ruth to a professional baseball contract. This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. His aggressive play on the field and his generous ways off the field made him a special individual. The most valuable baseball cards in the hobby can easily fetch six and seven figure price levels these days. Ten days after the Houston Astros called up Altuve from the Hooks, the team called up Martinez to make his MLB debut on July 30, 2011, replacing the recently-traded Hunter Pence. But what most usually don't realize is that many pre-War and even high grade post-War vintagebaseball card valuescan be astronomical. This also is not including 1/1s. Babe Ruth rookie cardsare also part of the 1916 M101-4 Sporting News set that is believed to have been printed shortly after the M101-5 set. It is one of the most difficult cards to find overall, making it one of the most important cards on this list. In fact, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany card can be worth over $2,000 in PSA condition. The set is one of if not the most condition sensitive of the early E class era. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time Most Expensive of All-Time #10. Shortcuts: 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball Box: Top 5 Cards and Review But, there are two major glaring differences overall between Mathewsons cards. 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle RC #3. Trout exploded during his official rookie campaign the following season, earning AL Rookie of the Year honors and finishing second in the MVP race.