Read our methodology. With so many greats, how do you choose between them? 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. 1986 Topps Pete Rose Card 3. 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. 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. In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. Overall, Topps did a great job with this set by balancing an excellent design with plenty of chase cards. 2022 Topps Series 1 Baseball Box: Top 5 Cards and Review 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. If you look closely at each of the double prints of this card, youll notice that one version shows better clarity and focus than the other. While the #144 Full Body Ruth was double-printed and isnt as scarce, it is harder to find in high-grade than the #181 Green Ruth. 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. Posey suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle and a fractured fibula in a violent collision that reverberated for years. This card is a key classic in the hobby and is Aarons only recognized rookie card. The Bat On Shoulder and Bat Off Shoulder would then follow. 1991 Topps Baseball Card Checklist, Errors, Values - Gold Card Auctions The Iron Horseappears twice in the 1933 Goudey setwith card #s 92 and 160 to his credit. In 2014, MLB instituted rules that prevented a runner from initiating "an avoidable collision" at home plate. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. The Giants were 27-19 heading into a home series with the Florida Marlins, looking every bit the contender for a repeat World Series engagement. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards 10. Also, many of the known examples are found with poor centering from top to bottom. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded The 23-year-old left walked a career-worst 41 batters in 50 innings pitched, issuing a ghastly 7.4 walks per 9 innings. 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. The Braves had an 8.5-game lead in the NL Wild Card race at the beginning of September. 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. 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. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. Either 10 Turkey Red Cigarette coupons or 25 Old Mill or Fez Cigarette coupons would earn you one card. 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. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 #9. 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! What's wackier is that Detroit's Justin Verlander, on the AL side, also earned a pitching Triple Crown in 2011. However, the gold borders of the T205 cards leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear. Altuve dominated in the Minor Leagues and, by 2011, found himself slashing .361/.388/.569 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 35 games for the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Many believe the 1887 N172 Old Judge set to be the most important 19th Century set in existence. 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. 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. Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. Considered the Holy Grail of all trading cards, the 1909 American Tobacco CompanyT206 Honus Wagner cardremains the symbol of trading card collecting today. While a PSA 10 Gem Mint copy sold for $432,690 in 2012 a PSA 9 copy sold for an even higher amount, $478k, in 2016. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Most Expensive 2022 Topps card list & price guide. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 20 Most Valuable 1990 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 15 most valuable. 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. However, Cabrera's top-five finish in the AL MVP race and sixth All-Star campaign was a warning shot of epic proportions, followed by back-to-back MVP years (2012-13). In one of the great stories about this card, a collector once purchased an unopened five-card pack of1952 Topps baseball cardsand pulled the only Pafko to ever be graded PSA Gem Mint 10. The Wagner soon reclaimed its title, but the 2009 Bowman Draft Trout remains a big deal in the baseball card world. Or, as most believe, was it because he didnt want to be involved in promoting tobacco use to children? The Green Ruth is the last of the four Babe Ruth cards to appear in the 1933 Goudey set. Key to the 1953 Topps set is the #244 Willie Mays baseball card. After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. It is one of the most difficult cards to find overall, making it one of the most important cards on this list. One of his most important, the card shows some beautiful artwork of a young Mays fielding a baseball in his New York Giants uniform. 2011 was the year that Ichiro finally looked mortal at the plate. The Say Hey Kidwas arguably the greatest all-around player to step on the field. Both of theDiMaggio cards in this set feature a caricature of the Yankee legend, the only difference between the two versions is that this one features small cartoons and information in the background while the other has a blank background. The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. He was also clutch, maintaining a sub-1.00 World Series ERA and twice being named series MVP in 1963 and 1965. Again, the biggest condition issues with this card will arise from the glossy coating on the obverse that usually ends up cracking or creasing. 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. Most Expensive [2020 Topps] Baseball Cards - SportsCardsPro 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. We are user supported. inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. And their continued popularity and demand prove that baseball cards still do hold great value. 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. 1. This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. That is a fact not likely to end any time soon. The 1917 Collins-McCarthy candy cards are some of the few card issues that were printed during the mid-teens of the 20th century. Remarkably, he still only finished fifth in the MVP race! 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. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. 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. No matter where Eddie Mathews appeared in the 1952 Topps set, his only recognized rookie card would be worth a lot. Centering and chipping along the red bottom border are usually obstacles to achieving a higher grade. 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. 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. 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 career cut short by arthritis in his pitching arm, he went on to become the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. Most players on this list only have one recognized rookie card to their name. As with the American Caramel Cobb card mentioned just a bit ago, the design of the card isnt unique but it is certainly one of the more desirable Cobb poses in the hobby. But the value between the two isnt affected. This is the keyJackie Robinson baseball card you should add to your collection. 1. 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. 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. Milwaukee's Prince Fielder earned the first base start for the Senior Circuit, and Cincinnati's Joey Votto was a no-doubt pick as a backup. 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. That story is enough to make any collector cringe. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Theres only one copy of the card currently graded in that condition, however. 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. 2005 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro 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. After spending 1908 and 1909 with the Philadelphia Athletics, they quickly gave up on him and traded him to the Cleveland Naps for the 1910 season. The set is one of if not the most condition sensitive of the early E class era. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. On the plus side, Chapman struck out 71 batters and gave up just 24 hits in a variety of high-leverage situations. and one of the best-looking cards of the 1950s in my opinion. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 9496 items 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. Even in poor condition, they routinely sell for over $1 million. Its amazing to think of the stats that Williams could have produced had he not missed nearly five full seasons of his prime to military service. The four Ty Cobb cards in the T206 all differ in popularity, scarcity, and appearance but they are all just as important to the hobby as the 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth quartet. 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. Most Expensive 2021 Topps Chrome Baseball Cards - SportsCardsPro While both are classics, there is no doubt that #37 is the more popular and difficult of the two. There is no doubt that this is one of Ty Cobbs most demanded and popular baseball cards. Given all of the variations, parallels, inserts, autograph, and memorabilia cards included in the set, developing a definitive "most valuable" list can be quite difficult. 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. He ended the year with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 79 batters in 71.0 innings pitched. , 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. And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. By Ryan Cracknell. 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 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. Like many 1952 Topps cards, this Mays issue is prone to tilt and centering problems. 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. In true Jeter fashion, the Yankees shortstop went above and beyond the moment at hand. Its an extremely tough card to find in high grade. Please note many of these cards have variations, which won't all be listed here. Cheapest, Over twelve seasons, Martinez has played for the Astros, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Boston Red Sox, with whom he's been since 2018. Read our methodology . 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. 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. During the offseason, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-player deal orchestrated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. 5. He also topped 100 runs scored (111) and 100 RBIs (105) while playing in an AL-best 161 of 162 regular-season games. Identical in imagery as its 1915 Cracker Jack counterpart, the 1914 version is equally as visually pleasing. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 2020 Topps Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. There are two varieties of these cards with one version featuring a tobacco advertisement on the back and the other a checklist. 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. 10 Most Valuable 1978 Topps Baseball Cards - Sports Card Investor Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? Yet, it was the patient way Big Papi produced in 2011 that kicked off his late-career renaissance in style. Goldschmidt also scored 106 runs and led the National League in slugging percentage (.578), OPS (.981), and OPS+ (180), solidifying himself as one of the greatest hitters in the game. In PSA 8 condition, this card would likely sell for $1 million or more. The E106 American Caramel cards are some of the scarcest Honus Wagner cards in the hobby (but obviously not his most expensive if you look at the top of this list). This also is not including 1/1s. Although it features identical imagery as his 1914 Cracker Jack issue, most high-end examples of these two issues are of the 1915. This is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the HOF pitcher. 1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle RC #3. 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. But there was plenty to like about their accomplishments before the season's heartbreaking finale. The potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. Most Expensive 2022 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards - SportsCardsPro 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. And, unfortunately, Goudey mailed the card with a paper clip on it that left indentations on the card. Here are the most expensive baseball cards right now Estimates place the number of front/back combinations around 5,500 which led to this set being nicknamed The Monster.. From Pittsburgh Pirates Hall of Famer Honus Wagner to Los Angeles Angels standout Mike Trout, here are nine iconic cards of star players that were sold or auctioned for significant sums: 1. 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. All of them are on this list of most valuable baseball cards so that speaks to their importance and desirability. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps 1st Edition listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. Nevertheless, the annual award for the best pitcher in the Majors does bear his name. On the surface, the 1948 Leaf card with its use of color appears to be more attractive than the 1948 Bowman card. 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. At the tender age of 22, Sale made his full-season debut with the Sox as a high-leverage reliever. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. Altuve went 1-5 that game, but little did he know then he had kicked off a piece of Houston Astros history. 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. Many collectors prefer the portrait versions of Cobbs T206 card and specifically the Green Portrait. Let's be clear: most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days.