Young appears three times in the epic T206 set with this being the most desired and priciest of them all. 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. 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. The T210 Old Mill set features hundreds of minor league ballplayers that most people have never heard of before. The 97-win Yankees eventually fell well short of their championship aspirations with a five-game ALDS loss to the Detroit Tigers. He ended the year with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 79 batters in 71.0 innings pitched. 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. 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. In PSA 4.5 grade, it is estimated this card would reel in over $1 million. After 60 years in the hobby, Topps helped celebrate their "Diamond Anniversary" by packing so much into their 2011 Topps baseball card set. Prices are updated daily based upon 2023 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards 10. 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. 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. Considered to be one of the more obscure Honus Wagner type cards its value continues to remain strong. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: $12.6 million 2. If you look at the bottom, Sherry Magees last name is mistakenly spelled Magie. 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. DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. Jose Altuve's relationship with the Houston Astros began in 2007 when the club evaluated him at a camp in Maracay, Venezuela, when he was just a teenager. 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. His incredible career makesStan Musial baseball cards extremely popular with collectors. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. It was the first time since 1924 that a pitcher accomplished the feat in both leagues during the same season. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Theres just something about this card that makes it visually stunning. 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). Top 26 Most Valuable 1986 Topps Baseball Cards In The World 1. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 #9. 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 . 2) Being a high number card (cards 311 407 in the set) means that fewer Mickey Mantle rookie cards were printed than the average 1952 Topps baseball card in the first place. In Game 1, the Phillies picked Doc up after he gave up a three-run shot to Lance Berkman in the 1st inning, scoring 11 unanswered runs as Halladay settled in to retire 21 straight in a convincing Philly win. Collectors love the eye appeal of this beautiful pre-war set. Most Expensive 2020 Topps card list & price guide. Collectors who take on the challenge of completing this set are no doubt in for an extremely tough challenge. 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. Although past his prime, he still achieved success in the Majors and was twice named an All-Star. Any collector lucky enough to get his hands on Mathewsons card is sure to be ecstatic. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. And after striking out 145 times in 518 at-bats the year before, Ortiz K'd just 83 times in 525 at-bats in 2011. What's worse was that his (relative) struggles were coming at a low point for the Mariners organization. The potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. Collectors will pay big money for either version as long as its in high grade. As you already know, there wasnt much difference between the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack sets except that 1915 Cracker Jack cards are usually found in better shape since they were a redemption set. Most Valuable Cards in 2022 Topps Series Two With nearly a month since it was released, let's take a look at some of the most valuable 2022 Series 2 cards that have been pulled to date, according to eBay. Error cards like Joe Doyles that make it into circulation usually end up being very popular with collectors and this one is no exception. He also turned heads with his slick glove work at first, earning the only Gold Glove of his career thus far. Not many baseball cards possess as much elaborate and ornate decoration as those of the 1909 Ramly Cigarette T204 set. 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. 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. 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. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. In 2010, Jones blew out his left knee in mid-August and could not help his Braves teammates in a tense five-game NLDS loss to the eventual World Series champion Giants. This is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the HOF pitcher. However, there are a handful of his T206 cards that were produced with N.Y. However, he still put together a worthy encore to his 2010 breakthrough. Financial problems would cause Dunn to sell Ruths contract to the Boston Red Sox later that year, however. However, as with any colored borders, the surrounding red borders of this card are susceptible to wear making it very condition sensitive. 15 Most Valuable 2011 Topps Baseball Cards More. . In fact, with PSA 10s in such short supply for the set's top cards, we elected to go with PSA 9 prices for this list. Interest in the Dodgers/Giants rivalry was skyrocketing, and Kershaw's brilliance was a big reason for it. Whenever manager Ozzie Guillen needed him to get a few outs, Sale performed. 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner: $7.25 million 3. But there was plenty to like about their accomplishments before the season's heartbreaking finale. And like Altuve, Martinez started with the Greeneville Astros and worked his way up to the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Not surprisingly, Cobbs card is the cornerstone and to the set. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded And if you remember, the 1952 Mantle card is relatively more expensive than his 1951 Bowman card. Centering can also be a challenge as with most cards of the era. The card features a great image of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over his right shoulder atop a green background. Many collectors prefer the portrait versions of Cobbs T206 card and specifically the Green Portrait. Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Cy Young were also featured in the set but Cobbs issue is undoubtedly the most desired. He also led the Majors in on-base percentage (.448) and doubles (48) while logging a career-best 7.6 bWAR for Detroit's first division championship squad since 1987. We are user supported. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 2020 Topps 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. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. Several player variations exist, some with as many as 12, so the series boasts well over 3,000 different cards in total. 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. The E300 issue is one of the scarcest prewar sets and had relatively been unknown until the 1960s. Most players on this list only have one recognized rookie card to their name. 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. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. 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. Cobb turned in an absolute monster of a season in 1911 as he set career highs in batting (.420), hits (248), doubles (47), triples (24), RBI (127), runs (147) and slugging percentage (.621). By the way check out the best Wander Franco Rookie Cards #2. Premium: Please note many of these cards have variations, which won't all be listed here. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. The 1932 U.S. Caramel set is one of the most desirable and challenging prewar sets in the hobby. Mathewson appears three times in the T206 set with the Portrait, White Cap and Dark Cap variations. Halladay finished with four first-place votes to Clayton Kershaws 27, finishing as the leagues Cy Young runner-up for the second time in four years. The Iron Horseappears twice in the 1933 Goudey setwith card #s 92 and 160 to his credit. 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. He ultimately fell short of the incredible feat but still finished the season batting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs. 1986 Topps Pete Rose Card 3. By 1954, printing quality had improved greatly so even though centering is still a challenge with this card, finding high-end copies is not as tough as some of the others on this list. 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. Let's be clear: most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. If youre a collector, just stick to what you love and collect only what you love. Honus. With so many greats, how do you choose between them? Trout exploded during his official rookie campaign the following season, earning AL Rookie of the Year honors and finishing second in the MVP race. In poor condition, this card would fetch hundreds of dollars but if youre lucky enough to land a copy in PSA 10 Gem Mint condition then youre talking big-time money. However, Carpenter was better, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout to oust the two-time defending NL champs, 1-0. Ungraded & graded values for all '21 Topps Chrome Baseball Cards. 1986 Barry Bonds Topps Traded Rookie Card 6. 4 Hank Aaron #660. It was clear that Topps wanted to do something special for their 60th anniversary and they certainly delivered. Centering and chipping along the red bottom border are usually obstacles to achieving a higher grade. Bowman did not include him in their 1953 set so that makes his Topps card of that year even more sought after. 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. 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. In addition to the Satchel Paige and Stan Musial rookie cards, Robinsons rookie is key to the set. These 5 by 8 cards were part of a redemption program where collectors sent in coupons in exchange for them. Ryans rookie card appears in the 1968 O-Pee-Chee, Topps Milton Bradleyand Venezuela Topps sets as well but its the regular ToppsNolan Ryan rookie cardthat stands apart in value from the rest. The 1939 Play Ball #92 issue is the Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card. Most Expensive 2023 Topps Baseball Cards Most Expensive 2023 Topps card list & price guide. Cheapest, People are spending as much on old pieces of cardboard as most people spend on a house. While the "Cobb Back" T206 may be his most expensive card, this one is arguably his most popular among high-end collectors. 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. While not his most expensive baseball card, its arguably the most visually pleasing of them all. His record for most games played in a season stood for decades until 1995 when Cal Ripken, Jr. played in his 2,131st straight game. This incredibly important card is beautiful in design, depicting nice artwork of Mantle ready at the bat. 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 card is one of Ruths most desired of all. #15 1966 Topps Ferguson Jenkins (RC) #254 Sold for $8,988 1966 Topps Ferguson Jenkins rookie card on eBay Most Expensive 2022 Topps 1st Edition card list & price guide. Part of the great quartet of T206 Cobb cards, the Green Portrait version is the toughest of all of them to collect. Interestingly, this card was not originally part of the 1933 Goudey set. However, it just isnt as often found in high grade as #53. 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. For others, it's the . In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. Posey suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle and a fractured fibula in a violent collision that reverberated for years. 3)Many high number cards were famously dumped into the ocean leaving even less of them in existence. The 1915 version was part of a redemption program, however, thus better preserving their condition. 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. 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. 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. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. 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, 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. Shortcuts: Most Expensive , Cheapest , List by Card # 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). The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. Its nearly impossible to describe the importance of Jackie Robinson to baseball and American history after breakingbaseballs color barrier in 1947. By his third season in 2013, Goldschmidt had developed into a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. So, if you can get your hands on one of these cards in high grade then you are looking at some big bucks. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC #7. PriceIt Game | The E106 cards feature identical artwork on their fronts as the E90-1 and E92 caramel issues but differ by the advertising on their backs. 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. 1. The 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson rookie card is his most desirable and most expensive card you can find. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. You can imagine the wear and tear that children put on the cards by comparison. , 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. 2011 was the year that Ichiro finally looked mortal at the plate. 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. It should come as no surprise that the rookie card of the greatest player who ever lived would be on this list. 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. Read our methodology . ThisTed Williams card features a superb black and white image of Williams following through on his classic swing. Most Expensive 2006 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. Before I get started, I just want to clarify some of the criteria I used in creating this list. The Tigers couldn't capitalize on Cabrera's otherworldly October and lost to the Rangers in the ALCS in six. (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to current eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.) 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. In true Jeter fashion, the Yankees shortstop went above and beyond the moment at hand. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. To this day, there is no clear explanation for the rarity of this card, a card that is nearly as tough as the Honus Wagner from the same set. 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. In four starts against Lincecum, Kershaw went 4-0 with a minuscule 0.30 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched. The 1911 George Close Candy (E94) baseball card set may not be as popular as others of the pre-WWI era but it is still iconic in the hobby. The question is: where do you start on this list? 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. 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. Jackson dominated the minors that year and the Naps called him up late in the 1910 season. The 1954 Wilson Franks Ted Williams baseball card is one of if not the most important regional card ever produced. Estimates place the number of front/back combinations around 5,500 which led to this set being nicknamed The Monster.. The reality was that Pujols was good to go. 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. So why would one of his cards be so expensive? Even in poor condition, they routinely sell for over $1 million. 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. He also amassed less than 200 hits (184) and posted an OPS+ under 100 (86) for the first time in eleven MLB seasons. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth: $4.212 million And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. Jones was able to return for Opening Day in 2011, but the 39-year-old third baseman was still dealing with plenty of aches and pains daily. During the offseason, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-player deal orchestrated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. There are only a handful of known copies of this card in the hobby making it a rare and highly demanded issue. Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. One of the most popular 1930s sets, the 1933 Sport Kings R333 set consists of 48 cards in total. The Braves had an 8.5-game lead in the NL Wild Card race at the beginning of September. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko #8. This card is often thought to be Jacksons most attractive and popular baseball card. Contact him at [emailprotected]. And because it features a close-up of Mantle, print defects on his face can also sometimes turn off collectors. And I attempted to estimate their current values when graded in PSA 10 condition so their "raw" or ungraded values may be wildly different. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. So its no wonder that his 1948 Leaf rookie card is such and important piece of the hobby. The 1912 Plows Candy E300 Mathewson features a large photographic image of the legendary pitcher of the Dead Ball Era framed by text reading. 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. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. Because of his alleged participation in the Black Sox Scandal during the 1919 World Series, Jackson was banned from baseball during his prime. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards. Of all theWillie Mays baseball cards out there, this is his most important. 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. That determination and consistency led to a phenomenal career and eye-popping stats that made him a no-brainer to be one of the first five players inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. The 1952 Andy Pafko card is so expensive simply because it resided at the #1 position of the most important set of the postwar era. Considered the Holy Grail of all trading cards, the 1909 American Tobacco CompanyT206 Honus Wagner cardremains the symbol of trading card collecting today. Theres only one copy of the card currently graded in that condition, however. Kimbrel led all NL relievers with 46 saves, pitching to a 2.10 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. Surprisingly, many dont even consider him the best pitcher ever, though. Halladay was great, giving up just one run on four hits in eight innings. Exact prices are available to subscribers. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. 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. This card can be quite challenging and is the key to the set. All of them are on this list of most valuable baseball cards so that speaks to their importance and desirability.