The young Florida native made 58 appearances out of the bullpen, finishing 17 games and saving eight. And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. Walter Johnson appears twice in the T206 set, one in a pitching pose and then again in this portrait layout. In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. Who knows what a high grade example of this card would go for? What's worse was that his (relative) struggles were coming at a low point for the Mariners organization. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. He ultimately fell short of the incredible feat but still finished the season batting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs. 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. 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. 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. Since they are both card #151 in their respective sets, it is nearly impossible to tell which set the card belongs to unless the back of the card features an ad unique to either of the sets. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. The question is: where do you start on this list? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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) Career highlights: Two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1958, 1959), 14 . And like Altuve, Martinez started with the Greeneville Astros and worked his way up to the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Ungraded & graded values for all '06 Topps Baseball Cards. Young appears three times in the epic T206 set with this being the most desired and priciest of them all. The find has since been dubbed The Lucky 7 find. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. Produced in 1915 by the American Caramel Company of York, Pennsylvania, the E106 set consists of 48 different cards, including two varieties of the legendary Ty Cobb. Halladay was given the ball for Games 1 and 5. Read our methodology . 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. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 Collectors go wild for it. 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson The 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson has a staggering value of $200,000. He was also clutch, maintaining a sub-1.00 World Series ERA and twice being named series MVP in 1963 and 1965. Several player variations exist, some with as many as 12, so the series boasts well over 3,000 different cards in total. Trout exploded during his official rookie campaign the following season, earning AL Rookie of the Year honors and finishing second in the MVP race. Posey was one of the biggest young names in the game at that point so seeing Topps issue multiple cards for him in this set should be no surprise. Yet, packed within all of that excitement was a run of base cards that featured big-name stars and promising rookies. 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. The 1939 Play Ball #92 issue is the Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card. Many collectors prefer the portrait versions of Cobbs T206 card and specifically the Green Portrait. He missed 36 games in 2011, slashing .275/.344/.470 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 455 at-bats for Cox's handpicked successor, Fredi Gonzalez. His .250 batting average reflected the lack of discipline and experience but his .474 slugging percentage hinted at the kind of power he could bring to the Arizona Diamondbacks. 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. The Wagner soon reclaimed its title, but the 2009 Bowman Draft Trout remains a big deal in the baseball card world. Buy on: eBay 1964 Topps Phil Niekro RC/Phil Roof RC #541 The Rookie Cards in 1964 Topps Baseball are led by a. For some reason, collectors had to send in for the card a year later in 1934 by contacting Goudey if they wanted to complete this set. That production boosted his legend and popularity making him one of the most highly collected players in the hobby. | Compare vs. Try finding something to not like about this card! 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan Card 5. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded Read our methodology. In high grade, this card can fetch big bucks. #15 1966 Topps Ferguson Jenkins (RC) #254 Sold for $8,988 1966 Topps Ferguson Jenkins rookie card on eBay 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 potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135 #6. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps 1st Edition listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. Most collectors will tell you they prefer the eye appeal of his 1915 Cracker Jack card but his 1914 version is the more rare and valuable of the two. The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. But, Joe Jackson is instantly recognizable on this card depicting him as a member of the Cleveland Naps minor league team, the New Orleans Pelicans. One of the most popular 1930s sets, the 1933 Sport Kings R333 set consists of 48 cards in total. However, at the beginning of his career, things didn't go so smoothly for Goldschmidt after he made his MLB debut on August 1, 2011, against the San Francisco Giants. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. Ungraded & graded values for all '23 Topps Baseball Cards. So, although not as desirable as the others, the fact that it exists in such great condition brings a steep price tag. So, whoever says that baseball cards are no longer valuable simply doesn't know what he or she is talking about Sure, the massive print runs during the late 80's and early 90's killed the value of most post-1980's cards. 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 yes, that includes those famously priceless Mickey Mantles. In the season's first 46 games, the 24-year-old star slashed .284/.368/.389 with four home runs and 21 RBIs in 162 at-bats. The reality was that Pujols was good to go. This also is not including 1/1s. However, Carpenter was better, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout to oust the two-time defending NL champs, 1-0. 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. The last card in the '75 Topps set, this Hank Aaron collectible won't ever be confused as the baseball legend's best-looking card. After hitting .363 with 49 home runs and 166 RBI he would go on to win the Triple Crown. An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000. Altuve was hitting an incredible .423 at that point but eventually cooled to finish with a .276/.297/.357 slash line. Whatever the reason, there are only approximately 50-75 or so known copies in circulation today as a result. While currently ranked as the 5th most valuable baseball card, when Trouts 2009 Bowman Chrome Superfractors autographed card serial-numbered 1/1 sold in August 2020, it became the most valuable baseball card . Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. And that first season with the Red Sox in 2018 has been the greatest of his career so far. (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to current eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.) And while they are keys to the set and arguably the most popularLou Gehrig baseball cards, they are still overshadowed by the Ruth quartet. It would fetch much more than that today. 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). Top athletes from baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming, horse racing and even dog sled racing are showcased in the set. Read our methodology. The 48-card 1915 American Caramel E106 shows some nice artistic renderings of players of the National, American and Federal Leagues. 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. This one was double-printed meaning there were more of them in circulation but its still surprisingly tougher to find in high grade than the #181 Green Ruth. 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 legendary Cap Anson appears on two different cards with the uniform version being the rarer of the two. And like Altuve had done by hitting safely in the first seven games of his career to set a club record, Martinez established his own team record in August by driving in 28 runs. One of the rarest pre-WWI candy issues ever distributed is the 1912 Plows Boy Candy set that included 69 different baseball players. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. 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. Most Expensive 2020 Topps card list & price guide. Like many 1952 Topps cards, this Mays issue is prone to tilt and centering problems. Either 10 Turkey Red Cigarette coupons or 25 Old Mill or Fez Cigarette coupons would earn you one card. Read our methodology . This card is often thought to be Jacksons most attractive and popular baseball card. 1986 Topps Pete Rose Card 3. 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. Not many players were as consistent as Musial was over their careers as he went on to win seven batting titles and three MVP awards. 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). Most Valuable. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Moreover, the Mathewson Portrait is one of the toughest HOF portraits in the entire set. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth: $4.212 million But, that doesnt necessarily mean its his most expensive. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. Any modern flagship Topps Baseball set has a lot going on. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 2020 Topps Most Expensive 2023 Topps Baseball Cards Most Expensive 2023 Topps card list & price guide. Unfortunately, as with most high-numbered cards in the set, Mantles rookie card often suffers from print lines, poor centering and wax stains on the back. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261 #5. For example, one easy way to tell if youve got an M101-4 Ruth rookie is if the Sporting News ad is on the back of the card as no M101-5 Ruths featured that ad. This is one of them. On the surface, the 1948 Leaf card with its use of color appears to be more attractive than the 1948 Bowman card. 2022 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Guide. Conditions of these cards are not very good but even a PSA 4 is expected to bring in roughly $900,000. Interestingly, the same image is used on both cards. Especially for high condition copies of the card. For others, it's the . The Bat On Shoulder and Bat Off Shoulder would then follow. And I attempted to estimate their current values when graded in PSA 10 condition so their "raw" or ungraded values may be wildly different. 1985. 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. The most expensive 2022 Topps Heritage baseball cards feature the likes of Wander Franco, Shohei Ohtani, Julio Rodriguez, and even Nolan Ryan making an appearance. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Prices continue to climb on them, so keep your eye out for these baseball cards! Not many people outside of the baseball card hobby know who Joe Doyle is. Over the first seven games of his MLB career, Altuve had at least one hit, tying him with Russ Johnson for the club record for most consecutive games with a hit to begin a career. PSA 10s in the card have commanded more than $40,000, but since '78 Topps has a notorious history of off-centered printing, there are so few gem mints out there. Most Valuable Baseball Cards All the information and details has been compiled from the trusted sites including Wikipedia, New York Post, and Forbes. This card has been and will likely remain the most valuable baseball card for years to come. 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. A fantastic portrait of the Sultan of Swat wearing a tilted Yankees cap is shown atop a bold, red background. 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. 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. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. Cabrera was consistently brilliant from start to finish in 2011, posting an MLB-best .344 batting average for his first of three-straight AL batting titles. 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. Though he may not have been MLB's hottest rookie in 1990, he certainly turned into one of the biggest superstars of his era. His 1951 Bowman issue is his only recognized rookie card and along with the Mantle rookie is the key to the entire set. 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. After 60 years in the hobby, Topps helped celebrate their "Diamond Anniversary" by packing so much into their 2011 Topps baseball card set. and one of the best-looking cards of the 1950s in my opinion. People are spending as much on old pieces of cardboard as most people spend on a house. There are two varieties of these cards with one version featuring a tobacco advertisement on the back and the other a checklist. 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner: $7.25 million 3. 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. The fancy gold borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty. Error cards like Joe Doyles that make it into circulation usually end up being very popular with collectors and this one is no exception. 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. Of all theTy Cobb baseball cards, this is by far his most expensive. While his 1952 Topps card is more popular and more expensive, some collectors forget that this is the only recognizedMantle rookie card. But its also one of the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration. Gehrig again appeared on two different cards, #37 and #61, in the 1934 Goudey set. Some collectors go for the base set. Demand for Clementes rookie card has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. Two decades of pro ball were catching up to Ichiro. Overall, Votto hit .309 with a .947 OPS, 29 home runs, and 101 runs scored. 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. Centering is also a tough issue for this card. Honus. Whether you can find one in high grade or not, though, its a superb card for any collector to own. Not only did he help the team to a World Series title, but Martinez also became the first and only player in MLB history to win two Silver Sluggers in the same season, one as an outfielder and the other as a DH. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Its arguably the most visually pleasing and desirable of all the Ted Williams baseball cards in the hobby. The 1915 version was part of a redemption program, however, thus better preserving their condition. M101-5 cards are more difficult to find than the M101-4 cards but pricing of the M101-4 version is also expected to realize around $1 million in PSA 8 condition. By the way check out the best Wander Franco Rookie Cards #2. It was the first time since 1924 that a pitcher accomplished the feat in both leagues during the same season. Kimbrel led all NL relievers with 46 saves, pitching to a 2.10 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. 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.. That was the most any Houston Astros rookie had ever driven in during one month as a rookie. Most Expensive 2022 Topps card list & price guide. One of his most important, the card shows some beautiful artwork of a young Mays fielding a baseball in his New York Giants uniform. Some argue that this is Mickey Mantles most beautiful card. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat. The second toughest of the four 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards, the #149 Red Ruth is every bit as appealing as the #53 Yellow Ruth. 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. 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. A record that is pretty safe to say will never be broken,Cy Youngtotaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. And with a 20-game hit streak late in the year, Freeman joined Dan Uggla as the first Braves teammates in modern history to have simultaneous hitting streaks of twenty or more. On it, Gehrig is shown with a huge bright smile atop a yellow background giving the card tremendous eye appeal. Part of the great quartet of T206 Cobb cards, the Green Portrait version is the toughest of all of them to collect. Remarkably, he still only finished fifth in the MVP race! I think it's safe to say that Topps did a great job of commemorating an incredible 60 years in the business with this set. Collectors love the eye appeal of this beautiful pre-war set. Most Expensive 2021 Topps Chrome card list & price guide. Centering and chipping along the red bottom border are usually obstacles to achieving a higher grade. Prices are updated daily based upon 2006 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Key to the 1953 Topps set is the #244 Willie Mays baseball card. Ungraded & graded values for all '21 Topps Chrome Baseball Cards. Even though it is not Mickey Mantles official rookie card it is definitely his most important. Please note many of these cards have variations, which won't all be listed here. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. It was clear that Topps wanted to do something special for their 60th anniversary and they certainly delivered. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards 10. Any collector lucky enough to get his hands on Mathewsons card is sure to be ecstatic. Mantle is easily one of the most widely collected players in the hobby. 3. That card was later sold for $250,000 in 2007. Along with the Killebrew and Koufax rookies, theRoberto Clemente rookie card is an anchor in the 1955 Topps baseball card set and the most expensive of the three. 2010 and 2011 were two of the most emotionally draining years of Chipper Jones' Hall of Fame career. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. Nevertheless, the annual award for the best pitcher in the Majors does bear his name. Also, many of the known examples are found with poor centering from top to bottom. 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! His massive upside in the future made his wildness in the present less worrisome. 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. Because Mantle was exclusively signed with Bowman in 1954 and 1955, you won't find him on any of Topps' cards in either of those two sets. There are four different Babe Ruth cards in the 1933 Goudey set, #s 53, 144, 149 and 181. Prices are updated daily based upon 2021 Topps Chrome listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Both are not cheap but it is this version that is the more desirable and expensive of the two. And if you remember, the 1952 Mantle card is relatively more expensive than his 1951 Bowman card. The Big Train is a true legend of the game and this card is a great tribute to him. The card is key for three main reasons: His 3,003rd hit (and last of the day) was an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead for good in the 8th. Jackie Robinson, Mike Piazza, Hideo Nomo and, you guessed it, Fernando Valenzuela each took the league by storm as soon as they stepped on the field. So those that remain are some of the most sought after in the hobby. 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. But there was plenty to like about their accomplishments before the season's heartbreaking finale. Card: Willie Mays Team: New York Mets Value: $1,675 In 1950 and 1951, Topps and Bowman were both releasing baseball trading cards with their candy. 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. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. 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. Theres just something about this card that makes it visually stunning. With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. Overall, Topps did a great job with this set by balancing an excellent design with plenty of chase cards. After slumping to start the season, the hulking St. Louis Cardinals first baseman returned to All-Star form before suffering a fractured left wrist in mid-June. Not surprisingly, Cobbs card is the cornerstone and to the set. In this video, we go over the top 3 most valuable Topps baseball cards from the year 1985. 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. Late into the 2022 season, Paul Goldschmidt had a legitimate chance at winning the Triple Crown. 1984. Shortcuts: His legendary career and life were cut short on December 31, 1972, when he died in a plane crash while en route to deliver aid to earthquake victims in Nicaragua. In the deciding Game 5, Halladay squared off with his former Toronto Blue Jays teammate and close friend Chris Carpenter.