Canadian baseball cards printed in the French language are uncommon, which shows on this baseball card as it is bi-lingual. The 1981 O-Pee-Chee features the Canadian version of the 1981 Topps set, where it is uncommon to see French on an MLB card. I know the game is played differently these days but even if it weren't, I'd be stunned if anyone in the future ever meets or bests his 130 stolen bases in a season. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. Read our methodology. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 726 cards. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Fleer listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. The imagery on this card is some of the best on this list and in the set in general, as Topps perfectly captured Jackson taking a massive swing. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". #7. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Grade. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. SEE THE CARD HERE! Hold on to it. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. It has been certified authentic by Beckett Authentication (BAS) and comes encapsulated in their tamper-proof holder. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . On our list is an ungraded card featuring the 1981 Boston Red Sox, it was probably signed by the manager for the team, it is currently worth $72. Donruss wasted no time breaking into the hobby as they spent huge marketing dollars, targeted key dealers across the nation, and filled their checklist with some of the game's biggest names to grab collector attention. 1981 Donruss. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. The last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. 1982 Topps #30 Tom Seaver. Only Tony Gwynn had come closer to batting .400 or better since Ted Williams last did it in 1941 when Gwynn batted .394 in 110 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. And they delivered a great set with many stars and Hall of Famersand one of the biggest rookie cards of the 1980s. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. Smith continued his outstanding defensive work in 1981 by leading the National League in assists for the third straight year to pick up his second straight Gold Glove. The record-breaking card is from his rookie season and was produced by trading card giant Topps. Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). #6. 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. After the 1981 season, however, Ainge decided to call it quits with baseball. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. Description Card Number NM-MT 8 MT 9 GEM-MT 10; Larry Bird (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 4: 185+ 770+ 21,500+ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 20: 45: 135+ 1,400-Magic Johnson (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 21: 170-850 You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. While they both made their MLB debuts in 1961, Brock would retire after the 1979 season with 3,023 hits while Yaz would stick around until 1983 and finished with 3,419 hits. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. Heres a rare rainbow foil card in mint condition by Risk Foil. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Jackson slumped out of the gates in 1981, prompting Steinbrenner to invoke a clause in his contract that forced him to undergo a full physical examination. 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . Boggs was a perennial contender for American League batting titles during the 1980s and 1990s. And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. Its one thing to have an expos future stars card signed by one of the 3 players, however, the value and rarity goes all the way up when you have the signatures of two players on one card. Ultimately, Winfield decided to play baseball for the San Diego Padres beginning in 1973. 0% It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. In his seventh season in the Majors, Yount broke out in a big way in 1980 as he led the league in doubles (49) while scoring 121 runs, driving in 87 RBI, and hitting 23 home runs to earn his first trip to the All-Star Game. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. The greatest catcher of all time, Johnny Bench played in seventeen seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, and in 2011 the team erected a statue in his honor at Great American Ballpark. There's a shot of the player in Celtics training gear, staring off-camera with his hands hidden behind the green border. Over his long and storied career, Henderson broke many records and helped transform the lead-off position. Coming off a 1980 season in which he finished runner-up for the AL MVP award, New York Yankees right fielder Reggie Jackson looked to keep the momentum going in 1981. Mike Schmidt was arguably the best third baseman in baseball history and will always be remembered for both his power and his glove. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps The card features Pete Rose. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. Ultimately, the Padres and Cardinals would complete a multi-player trade before the 1982 season that sent Templeton to San Diego and Smith to St. Louis, where he would play the next fifteen years and become a Cardinals icon. Rookie Cards: Options . Yes, the checklist is quite messy at times with the errors and variations. And the reason it's worth so much in PSA 10 condition? He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. The following season, Seaver was as sharp as ever as he finished with an incredible .875 winning percentage after going 14-2 on the mound. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. Ryan went 1-1 in two starts with a 1.80 ERA in the team's five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers, striking out 14 batters in 15 innings while walking just three. Things weren't always rocky during Jackson's time in New York, though, as they did win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. Here are the top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards: #15 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan #400 Recent sale: $898 . In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. There's no questioning the significance of 1980 Topps baseball cards in hobby history. 50. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . 4. Read our methodology. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. During his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads about 1981 Topps Baseball Cards.When 1981 Topps baseball cards hit store shelves that spring, they were playing in a brav. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. While this is considered one of his rookie cards, it doesn't command quite the price premium as his 1982 Topps Tradedrookie card which can sell for north of $5,000 in top condition. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. We may earn an affiliate commission if you 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Donruss Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable Joe Montana Cards Worth Thousands, 29 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List, 1. This is a 1981 fleer rookie card with card number #418. In 1981, the 6'5 monster recorded his second straight 1000-yard season and led all of football with 88 catches. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as it's one of the most expensive cards from the 1980s. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. In those 108 games, they played at Fenway Park where they had a record of 56-52. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. A remarkable all-around . It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: The 1981 American League MVP race came down to two men, Oakland Athletics left fielder Rickey Henderson and former As closer Rollie Fingers. 721 Toby Harrah. One of the most interesting things about Dave Winfield, and a sign of his incredible athletic ability, was that four professional teams across three different sports drafted him. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. He is ranked 33rd on the all-time list of career leaders for batting average among Major League Baseball players with at least 1,000 appearances at-bat. | Compare vs. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. Later, his stretch from 1982 to 1987 was one of the most dominant in Major League Baseball as he was twice voted MVP, made six-straight All-Star teams while winning five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. All told, Bench played in just 52 of Cincinnati's 108 games. In 25 postseason plate appearances (22 at-bats), Henderson hit .273 with two doubles, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. PSA/DNA Certified. The Atlanta Braves had used Dale Murphy at first base and catcher during his early years in the 1970s, but in 1980 they moved him to the outfield. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. It is also (by a slight margin) the most valuable card in the 1984 Topps Football set. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. Considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop of all time, Smith won an incredible thirteen Gold Gloves over nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball. However, when do you do it? Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 390 during the 1980 season. In fact, between June 2021 and May 2022, this Ripken collectible in a PSA 10 sold for under $4,000 just once. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. After rookie Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as Fernandomania, the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season with a flourish. The 1981 Canadian version of the 1981 Nolan Ryan Topps baseball card came from O-Pee-Chee at a time when there were two Canadian teams registered in MLB. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Beginning with the 1977-78 NCAA Basketball season, Ainge starred for Brigham Young University and capped things off in 1981 by being named a first-team All-American and winning the John Wooden Award as the nation's best player. $68.95. Reggie Jackson played five seasons as a member of the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981, and the 1980 season turned out to be his best in pinstripes. During his first year with the Angels, Jackson proved he still had plenty left in the tank and led the Majors with 39 home runs and finished sixth in the MVP vote. 2. However, once they got there, the Oakland Athletics promptly swept them in the ALDS as Brett went just 2-for-12 (.167) in the three games. After fifteen-straight All-Star appearances from 1965-79, Yastrzemski was left out of the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row in 1981.