On July 18th, he became the quickest Atlanta rookie to 50 RBIs since Hank Aaron in 1954. In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! However, Bochy picked Florida Marlins standout Gaby Sanchez as the final first base pick to ensure Florida had a representative in Arizona. 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. Late into the 2022 season, Paul Goldschmidt had a legitimate chance at winning the Triple Crown. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. The fancy gold borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty. But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. 2011 was the year that Ichiro finally looked mortal at the plate. On the plus side, Chapman struck out 71 batters and gave up just 24 hits in a variety of high-leverage situations. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. ThisTed Williams card features a superb black and white image of Williams following through on his classic swing. Prices are updated daily based upon 2006 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135 #6. Babe Ruths card is the key and most valuable of the 32 card set. The question is: where do you start on this list? 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. Collectors who take on the challenge of completing this set are no doubt in for an extremely tough challenge. But the value between the two isnt affected. 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. This card shares its front design with several others of the era (Dockman & Sons, Nadja Caramels, etc.). 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). 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. . 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 . 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. 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. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The centering can be so severe that it will cut into the text along the bottom. 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. 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. 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. Of all theWillie Mays baseball cards out there, this is his most important. And he continued to struggle from there, finishing with a .163/.213/.279 slash line with one home run and six RBI before the team demoted him back to Double-A after twelve games. In addition to the Satchel Paige and Stan Musial rookie cards, Robinsons rookie is key to the set. 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. Then they went 9-18 in the campaign's final month, losing out on a playoff spot by a game to St. Louis with a season-ending five-game losing streak. By 2012, Chapman had it down, fine-tuning his electric pitch repertoire en route to becoming a legit Cy Young candidate. 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. His career ERA of 2.13 proves just how difficult it was to hit off of him. Gehrig was one of a long line of Yankee legends and no doubt put up some of the greatest hitting statistics of them all. 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. From a design standpoint, I liked how Topps kept things nice and clean without trying to go over the top in celebrating their 60th anniversary. With approximately 22 or less known to exist, all in low grades, the Ty Cobb back is the rarest of them all. Six hits away from 3,000 in mid-June, New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter suffered a calf strain that sidelined him for 18 games. And, unfortunately, Goudey mailed the card with a paper clip on it that left indentations on the card. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. 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. 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. 2010 and 2011 were two of the most emotionally draining years of Chipper Jones' Hall of Fame career. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. Like Jose Altuve, J.D. The Green Ruth is the last of the four Babe Ruth cards to appear in the 1933 Goudey set. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC #4. The first Dodgers hurler to secure the NL pitching Triple Crown since Sandy Koufax back in 1966, Kershaw led the National League in wins (21), strikeouts (248), and ERA (2.24), the latter serving as the best mark for a starter in all of baseball. Most Expensive In PSA 4.5 grade, it is estimated this card would reel in over $1 million. 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. 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. 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! 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. Read our methodology . After seeing his batting average dip considerably in the previous three seasons, Ortiz posted the second-best full-season mark of his career thus far with a .309 finish. 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.. 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. 1990 Topps #414 Frank Thomas Rookie Card Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175 Check prices on: Amazon Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card is supposed to look like when his full name appears at the bottom of the card. If youre a collector, just stick to what you love and collect only what you love. It's so rare that no complete set has ever been assembled. 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. 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. I remember seeing one of these in abaseball card shop near where I grew up and I would just stare in awe. 1986 Topps Nolan Ryan Card 5. And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. 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. The White Cap variation is considered to be the most difficult of the three Mathewson cards, but the Portrait is the most popular. Freeman finished second in the NLs Rookie of the Year balloting, slashing .282/.346/.448 with 21 home runs, 32 doubles, and 76 RBIs. 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. Read our methodology . So those that remain are some of the most sought after in the hobby. That would be his teammate, 23-year-old closer Craig Kimbrel. Though he may not have been MLB's hottest rookie in 1990, he certainly turned into one of the biggest superstars of his era. That is a fact not likely to end any time soon. We may earn an affiliate commission if you The card features a great close-up of the star pitcher surrounded by the famous T205 gold borders. And he pitched with a tenacious on-mound presence in the toughest of game situations. The 31-year-old superstar ended the year slashing .299/.366/.541 with 37 home runs, 29 doubles, 105 runs scored, and 99 RBIs in 651 plate appearances (579 at-bats). Most Expensive 2022 Topps 1st Edition card list & price guide. Again, the biggest condition issues with this card will arise from the glossy coating on the obverse that usually ends up cracking or creasing. 1. There are only a handful of known copies of this card in the hobby making it a rare and highly demanded issue. 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. He also topped 100 runs scored (111) and 100 RBIs (105) while playing in an AL-best 161 of 162 regular-season games. The price would certainly be astronomical. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The famous Pittsburg Pirate shortstop is shown ready at the bat with his name Hans along the bottom border of the card. The Angels recalled him for a home stand against the Baltimore Orioles on August 19, 2011, and he would finish the remainder of the season in the Majors. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. 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. Mays put up monster numbers over his career and shares the record for most All-Star Game appearances (24) with Hank Aaron and Stan Musial. The Braves had an 8.5-game lead in the NL Wild Card race at the beginning of September. The bright yellow background makes this card pop and the portrait of the young Big Train makes for an unforgettable baseball card. So, if you can get your hands on one of these cards in high grade then you are looking at some big bucks. Its so rare that only a handful exist and not many collectors have even seen one in person. 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. In the deciding Game 5, Halladay squared off with his former Toronto Blue Jays teammate and close friend Chris Carpenter. #4 Most Valuable Baseball Cards 2000s - Topps Finest For The Record #3B Ken Griffey Jr. Price for PSA 9 featured with Alex Rodriguez: $100 Price for PSA 10 Gem: $1,500 Player's History 13 times All-Star Ken is the son of Ken Griffey Sr, a famous baseball player and coach during his era. 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. That was the most any Houston Astros rookie had ever driven in during one month as a rookie. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. Who did Freeman finish runner-up to in the leagues RotY race, you ask? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. And with those five prime seasons back, he quite possibly couldve added enough home runs to his career 521 total to challenge Ruths record of 714 before Aaron did. In PSA 8 condition, this card would likely sell for $1 million or more. 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. 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. 0% 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 card features a great image of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over his right shoulder atop a green background. The find has since been dubbed The Lucky 7 find. Although kind of normal for Gehrig, his offensive production was extraordinary in 1934. The cream of the crop. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. 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. Several player variations exist, some with as many as 12, so the series boasts well over 3,000 different cards in total. While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. Young appears three times in the epic T206 set with this being the most desired and priciest of them all. #1: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000 Dimensions: 2-5/8" x 3-3/4" The most important post-war card in the hobby, price movements of the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle baseball card are often seen as an indicator of the health of the sports card market overall. He received 20 first place votes in the NL Rookie of the Year vote and his 129 vote points outpaced Atlanta's Jason Heyward who 107 vote points for his impressive debut performance. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Overall, Votto hit .309 with a .947 OPS, 29 home runs, and 101 runs scored. In true Jeter fashion, the Yankees shortstop went above and beyond the moment at hand. 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. Not many baseball cards possess as much elaborate and ornate decoration as those of the 1909 Ramly Cigarette T204 set. As with most early candy or tobacco issues, this card with the image of the Georgia Peach ready to swing is the most valuable and sought after in the set. After hitting .363 with 49 home runs and 166 RBI he would go on to win the Triple Crown. It was the first time since 1924 that a pitcher accomplished the feat in both leagues during the same season. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261 #5. If you remember, during Game 3 of the 1932 World Series against the Chicago Cubs, Babe Ruth made his famous Called Shot. Shortcuts: Most Expensive , Cheapest , List by Card # Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. However, Carpenter was better, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout to oust the two-time defending NL champs, 1-0. While not as pricey as the Yellow or Red Ruths of the same set, its still a very expensive card and a key member of the Ruth quartet. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 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. 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. Anthony Rizzo made his MLB debut for the San Diego Padres on June 9, 2011, against the Washington Nationals, going 1-2 at the plate with a triple and a run scored. 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. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. Like the 1997 Bowman, Donruss, Fleer, Leaf, Score and Upper Deck sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. totaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. The Tigers couldn't capitalize on Cabrera's otherworldly October and lost to the Rangers in the ALCS in six. 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. Before I get started, I just want to clarify some of the criteria I used in creating this list. 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. 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. This is the keyJackie Robinson baseball card you should add to your collection. 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. 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). 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. Hes also the only key player in the 1914 set on a horizontal layout. Thus, Pujols was left out in a season where he finished fifth in the NL's MVP balloting. 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. 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. This instantly recognizable card is easily one of Mathewsons most popular. Buy on: eBay 1964 Topps Phil Niekro RC/Phil Roof RC #541 The Rookie Cards in 1964 Topps Baseball are led by a. 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. In the postseason, Cabrera was predictably excellent. 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. 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. Jackson dominated the minors that year and the Naps called him up late in the 1910 season. Cobb was known as a ferocious competitor who was determined to be the best day in and day out. 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. However, #160 is the more difficult of the two to find in high grade so it generally fetches higher prices. After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. 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. 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. Interestingly, this card was not originally part of the 1933 Goudey set. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. Although not as popular as his 1948 Bowman rookie card, his 1948 Leaf rookie card is the tougher of the two. However, as mentioned earlier, the 1914 Cracker Jack cards were packaged directly inside the boxes so theyre usually more difficult to find in good condition. 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. Cracker Jacks cards are wildly popular and the serious-looking Cobb is one of the keys to this set. Collectors find rookie cards are some of the most valuable baseball cards to collect from any player. Demand for Clementes rookie card has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. Not many people outside of the baseball card hobby know who Joe Doyle is. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. Most Expensive 2023 Topps Baseball Cards Most Expensive 2023 Topps card list & price guide. 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. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. 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 . 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. As with any colored border, though, theyre susceptible to showing chipping and wear. The legendary Cap Anson appears on two different cards with the uniform version being the rarer of the two. The Bat On Shoulder and Bat Off Shoulder would then follow. Prices are updated daily based upon 2021 Topps Chrome listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. 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. 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. Collectors will pay big money for either version as long as its in high grade. 1991 Chipper Jones Topps Desert Shield RC #333 Buy on eBay So named because his dad saw him as a "chip off the old block", Chipper Jones has an RC which is the most valuable card from the 1991 Topps set. 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. Five Hall of Famers made their rookie card debut in the T206 set and Walter Johnson is one of them, a fact that makes this card even more interesting. 1990 Bowman Tiffany Sammy Sosa Rookie Card Price: $750 The 1990 Bowman Baseball set features an impressive rookie class. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards. I like Posey's rookie cup card #198 from Series One better than this card that appeared in Series Two from an aesthetic standpoint. Whether you can find one in high grade or not, though, its a superb card for any collector to own. 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. Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. Most expensive baseball cards in history Here is a look at the baseball cards that have exceeded a million-dollar price tag, including two by one of the sport's top active players: 1. No matter where Eddie Mathews appeared in the 1952 Topps set, his only recognized rookie card would be worth a lot. And their continued popularity and demand prove that baseball cards still do hold great value.