(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to current eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.) The potential for caramel stains doesnt bode well for collectors of this card. The fancy gold borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty. 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. The set is one of if not the most condition sensitive of the early E class era. Centering issues, as well as dark print blotches in the yellow background, are usually the two key issues of this card. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC #4. While the Dodgers failed to make the playoffs at 83-78, Kershaw made a second-straight playoff miss easier to stomach in Chavez Ravine. 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. Mathewson is the only player in both the 1914 and 1915 sets whose poses are entirely different. 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. For others, it's the . Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Cy Young were also featured in the set but Cobbs issue is undoubtedly the most desired. Cheapest, Neither makes a difference when it comes to value, though. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. 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. While Ty Cobb might be the most desired player in the entire set, there is no doubt that Honus Wagner is also an incredibly sought after player as well. 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. But it wouldn't take Goldschmidt much longer to mold into the incredible talent he is today. 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. One of the rarest pre-WWI candy issues ever distributed is the 1912 Plows Boy Candy set that included 69 different baseball players. So its no wonder that his 1948 Leaf rookie card is such and important piece of the hobby. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. One of his most important, the card shows some beautiful artwork of a young Mays fielding a baseball in his New York Giants uniform. 1. A year away from taking over the Cincinnati Reds closer role and simultaneously becoming a perennial All-Star, Aroldis Chapman showed flashes of his forthcoming game-breaking dominance in 2011. That story is enough to make any collector cringe. He was also clutch, maintaining a sub-1.00 World Series ERA and twice being named series MVP in 1963 and 1965. Babe Ruths card is the key and most valuable of the 32 card set. And because it features a close-up of Mantle, print defects on his face can also sometimes turn off collectors. However, #160 is the more difficult of the two to find in high grade so it generally fetches higher prices. Halladay was given the ball for Games 1 and 5. Shortcuts: 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. 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. With so many greats, how do you choose between them? Identical in imagery as its 1915 Cracker Jack counterpart, the 1914 version is equally as visually pleasing. The Iron Horseappears twice in the 1933 Goudey setwith card #s 92 and 160 to his credit. On the plus side, Chapman struck out 71 batters and gave up just 24 hits in a variety of high-leverage situations. 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. 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. 1986 Barry Bonds Topps Traded Rookie Card 6. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. It was the first time since 1924 that a pitcher accomplished the feat in both leagues during the same season. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. 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). The Sox finished at 79-83, out of the playoffs for the third-straight year. Of all theWillie Mays baseball cards out there, this is his most important. Buy on: eBay 1964 Topps Phil Niekro RC/Phil Roof RC #541 The Rookie Cards in 1964 Topps Baseball are led by a. 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.. His 3.60 ERA and not-so-great 1.300 WHIP only told part of the story because when Chapman was locked in, he was virtually unhittable. 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. As with pretty much any pre-war set that features Cobb, his card is the heart and soul of this legendary set. inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. In addition to the Satchel Paige and Stan Musial rookie cards, Robinsons rookie is key to the set. Gehrig again appeared on two different cards, #37 and #61, in the 1934 Goudey set. The cream of the crop. There is no doubt that this is one of Ty Cobbs most demanded and popular baseball cards. After hitting .363 with 49 home runs and 166 RBI he would go on to win the Triple Crown. People are spending as much on old pieces of cardboard as most people spend on a house. 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. 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. 30 Most Valuable Topps Tiffany Cards Rankings are based on the online Beckett Price Guide and Database. Any modern flagship Topps Baseball set has a lot going on. This is true whether you're looking at the base card, the premium Tiffany variant, or even the Desert Storm version which is limited in number. 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. Especially his American Caramel E90-1 rookie card on which he is shown leaning on his bat against a purple backdrop. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215 VIEW ON EBAY Winner, winner chicken dinner. 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. Halladay was great, giving up just one run on four hits in eight innings. 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. 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). 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. 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. 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. 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! He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Wagner, Ruth, Cobb, Mantle and Mays are just several of the baseball greats that reside on this list of cardboard rarities. Whenever manager Ozzie Guillen needed him to get a few outs, Sale performed. Ungraded & graded values for all '20 Topps Although it features identical imagery as his 1914 Cracker Jack issue, most high-end examples of these two issues are of the 1915. 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. And, unfortunately, Goudey mailed the card with a paper clip on it that left indentations on the card. 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. 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). Mathewson appears three times in the T206 set with the Portrait, White Cap and Dark Cap variations. After a rough start at the plate, 21-year-old first baseman Freddie Freeman found his footing in the seasons final five months or so. All of them are on this list of most valuable baseball cards so that speaks to their importance and desirability. Mantle is easily one of the most widely collected players in the hobby. Theyre undoubtedly very condition sensitive. Most Expensive 2020 Topps card list & price guide. 4 Hank Aaron #660. Centering can also be a challenge as with most cards of the era. 1986 Topps Pete Rose Card 3. The card is one of Ruths most desired of all. After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. In PSA 8 condition, this card would likely sell for $1 million or more. The question is: where do you start on this list? Posey suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle and a fractured fibula in a violent collision that reverberated for years. Maybe the most shocking Musial stat of all was that he hit the same number of hits at home as he did on the road: 1,815 each way for a total of 3,630 hits. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. The price would certainly be astronomical. Rookie Cards. Whatever the reason, there are only approximately 50-75 or so known copies in circulation today as a result. 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. 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan Card 5. The 1932 U.S. Caramel set is one of the most desirable and challenging prewar sets in the hobby. Conditions of these cards are not very good but even a PSA 4 is expected to bring in roughly $900,000. Natl along the bottom before the error was corrected. He also topped 100 runs scored (111) and 100 RBIs (105) while playing in an AL-best 161 of 162 regular-season games. 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. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. Heritage Auctions sold a copy of this card graded in PSA 10 Gem Mint condition for a jaw-dropping $612,359 in August of 2016. This card is often thought to be Jacksons most attractive and popular baseball card. 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. The card is subtle in design and imagery but remains a truly majestic card for any serious collector to consider. A PSA 10 1954 Topps Banks rookie card sold for $142,836 in May 2012. Prices are updated daily based upon 2005 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. During the offseason, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-player deal orchestrated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. The Boston Red Sox finished a game out of a playoff spot in 2011, losing out on an AL Wild Card spot to the Tampa Bay Rays with a 4-3 loss to Baltimore on the season's final day. The Green Ruth is the last of the four Babe Ruth cards to appear in the 1933 Goudey set. 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. 1984. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. With their one-two finish in the NLs Rookie of the Year vote, Kimbrel and Freeman became the first teammates to do so since Chicago Cubs rookies Jerome Walton and Dwight Smith in 1989. But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. However, Carpenter was better, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout to oust the two-time defending NL champs, 1-0. 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. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. In 2016, seven copies of this card were miraculously found in an old paper bag. While both are classics, there is no doubt that #37 is the more popular and difficult of the two. 1909 T-206 Honus Wagner: $7.25 million 3. And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 15 most valuable. It is by far the most important of allHank Aaron baseball cards. Rizzo soon earned a reputation as a guy capable of smacking 30 home runs and driving in 100 runs to become a fan favorite at Wrigley. 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. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 9496 items 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. That production boosted his legend and popularity making him one of the most highly collected players in the hobby. Prices are updated daily based upon 2023 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Nadja was a brand name of the Blake-Wenneker Candy Co. of St Louis and the set features 62 cards in total. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. If you look at the bottom, Sherry Magees last name is mistakenly spelled Magie. Its so rare that only a handful exist and not many collectors have even seen one in person. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. By 2012, Chapman had it down, fine-tuning his electric pitch repertoire en route to becoming a legit Cy Young candidate. Read our methodology . 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. 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. 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. Not surprisingly, Cobbs card is the cornerstone and to the set. 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. 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. This is the other, less expensive, version of this card in the 1938 Goudey set. That means there are also many fakes out there, so considerPSA grading services or other reputable third party graders before buying or selling one of these. Part of the great quartet of T206 Cobb cards, the Green Portrait version is the toughest of all of them to collect. Nothing against Bourjos, but many Angels fans had been eagerly awaiting a chance to see Trout since many considered him the number-one prospect heading into the 2011 season. . 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) 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. 1986 Topps Reggie Jackson Card 8. Just be prepared to put up big money if you want one in high grade. Most Expensive 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. While the "Cobb Back" T206 may be his most expensive card, this one is arguably his most popular among high-end collectors. | Compare vs. Most cards in the T206 set are not rare but the Honus Wagner cards are because they were pulled from production early. 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. Most Valuable. But whats not up for debate is whether its one of his most important. 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. As a result, there werent manyJoe Jackson baseball cardsproduced. Who knows what a high grade example of this card would go for? Its an extremely tough card to find in high grade. Only 7 of the Ty Cobb cards have ever been submitted to PSA for grading which speaks to the rarity of them. This card shares its front design with several others of the era (Dockman & Sons, Nadja Caramels, etc.). 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. 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. 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. And like Altuve, Martinez started with the Greeneville Astros and worked his way up to the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time Most Expensive of All-Time #10. Collectors got a glimpse of what it was like to be a pitcher in that era with Cobb intensely staring them down before the pitch. Although kind of normal for Gehrig, his offensive production was extraordinary in 1934. The Wagner soon reclaimed its title, but the 2009 Bowman Draft Trout remains a big deal in the baseball card world. Several player variations exist, some with as many as 12, so the series boasts well over 3,000 different cards in total. His aggressive play on the field and his generous ways off the field made him a special individual. Financial problems would cause Dunn to sell Ruths contract to the Boston Red Sox later that year, however. Thus, Pujols was left out in a season where he finished fifth in the NL's MVP balloting. Read our methodology. However, the gold borders of the T205 cards leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear. Most Valuable Baseball Cards All the information and details has been compiled from the trusted sites including Wikipedia, New York Post, and Forbes. Considered to be one of the more obscure Honus Wagner type cards its value continues to remain strong. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This also is not including 1/1s. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards 10. So, although not as desirable as the others, the fact that it exists in such great condition brings a steep price tag. While not his most expensive baseball card, its arguably the most visually pleasing of them all. Like Jose Altuve, J.D. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 #9. 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. One of the most popular 1930s sets, the 1933 Sport Kings R333 set consists of 48 cards in total. DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. Before I get started, I just want to clarify some of the criteria I used in creating this list. Youll typically find that #160 shows whiter borders and a lighter blue background, too. George Close Candy cards are among the scarcer pre-WWI caramel issues and the Honus Wagner is one of the keys to the 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. I like Posey's rookie cup card #198 from Series One better than this card that appeared in Series Two from an aesthetic standpoint. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? What's worse was that his (relative) struggles were coming at a low point for the Mariners organization. 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. Between the Reggie and Rollie rookie cards, Bench and Ryan's second-year cards, the variations, the variety of stars and Hall of Famers, and Mantle's last card, there is just so much to appreciate. As with any colored border, though, theyre susceptible to showing chipping and wear. In 49 games for Padres that season, Rizzo slashed a less-than-impressive .141/.281/.242 with one home run, nine RBIs, and nine runs scored in 128 at-bats. 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. Votto reached base in the team's first 27 games, finishing April with an eye-popping .370 batting average. 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. Gehrig was one of a long line of Yankee legends and no doubt put up some of the greatest hitting statistics of them all. 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. The legendary Cap Anson appears on two different cards with the uniform version being the rarer of the two. 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. But, there are two major glaring differences overall between Mathewsons cards. Most Expensive 2022 Topps card list & price guide. When the infamous T206 set was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League. However, there are a handful of his T206 cards that were produced with N.Y. The T210 Old Mill set features hundreds of minor league ballplayers that most people have never heard of before. There are only a handful of known copies of this card in the hobby making it a rare and highly demanded issue. An SGC 2 Example Sold in August 2022 for $7,250,000. Read our methodology . Its nearly impossible to describe the importance of Jackie Robinson to baseball and American history after breakingbaseballs color barrier in 1947. Napoleon Lajoie was considered the best defensive second baseman of his day and won three batting titles, had 3,242 total hits and a .338 average. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. 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. 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. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '23 Topps Baseball Cards. 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.