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. Considered to be one of the more obscure Honus Wagner type cards its value continues to remain strong. However, Carpenter was better, tossing a complete-game three-hit shutout to oust the two-time defending NL champs, 1-0. 2011 was the year that Ichiro finally looked mortal at the plate. 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. A fantastic portrait of the Sultan of Swat wearing a tilted Yankees cap is shown atop a bold, red background. Like many 1952 Topps cards, this Mays issue is prone to tilt and centering problems. 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. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 9496 items 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. The card features a great close-up of the star pitcher surrounded by the famous T205 gold borders. The reality was that Pujols was good to go. Read our methodology. In the postseason, Cabrera was predictably excellent. His massive upside in the future made his wildness in the present less worrisome. The most valuable baseball cards in the hobby can easily fetch six and seven figure price levels these days. With that strategy, you can never go wrong! 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. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261 #5. 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 cream of the crop. And with a 20-game hit streak late in the year, Freeman joined Dan Uggla as the first Braves teammates in modern history to have simultaneous hitting streaks of twenty or more. The black borders are susceptible to showing wear and chipping but finding any card from the 19th century in high grade will undoubtedly be difficult anyways. That story is enough to make any collector cringe. 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. 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. The second toughest of the four 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth cards, the #149 Red Ruth is every bit as appealing as the #53 Yellow Ruth. Prices are updated daily based upon 2020 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Since starting his professional baseball journey with the Orix Blue Wave of the Nippon Baseball League in 1992, the legendary outfielder posted a .300 batting average or better for 19 straight seasons through the 2010 campaign. 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. By his third season in 2013, Goldschmidt had developed into a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate. 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. Johnson is considered by many to be the best pitcher of all time after turning in an amazing 12 seasons of 20 or more victories, including two with more than 30. The card is one of Ruths most desired of all. 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. Overall, Votto hit .309 with a .947 OPS, 29 home runs, and 101 runs scored. Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto couldn't carry an inconsistent, snake-bitten Cincinnati Reds squad to a second-straight postseason in 2011. And it can be tough to find in high grade, too. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. Estimates place the number of front/back combinations around 5,500 which led to this set being nicknamed The Monster.. On July 18th, he became the quickest Atlanta rookie to 50 RBIs since Hank Aaron in 1954. The T210 Old Mill set features hundreds of minor league ballplayers that most people have never heard of before. Of all theTy Cobb baseball cards, this is by far his most expensive. 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. Cobb was known as a ferocious competitor who was determined to be the best day in and day out. This is the other, less expensive, version of this card in the 1938 Goudey set. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 #9. It was the first time since 1924 that a pitcher accomplished the feat in both leagues during the same season. However, the gold borders of the T205 cards leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear. His 3,003rd hit (and last of the day) was an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead for good in the 8th. However, Cabrera's top-five finish in the AL MVP race and sixth All-Star campaign was a warning shot of epic proportions, followed by back-to-back MVP years (2012-13). In 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.
Top 15 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1960s - PSA COLLECTOR 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. The price would certainly be astronomical. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. Trout didn't exactly raise any eyebrows in his first game, finishing 0-3 at the plate. Even in poor condition, they routinely sell for over $1 million. As with any colored border, though, theyre susceptible to showing chipping and wear. 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. Neither makes a difference when it comes to value, though. The card is key for three main reasons: Posey suffered torn ligaments in his left ankle and a fractured fibula in a violent collision that reverberated for years. The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. #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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. Most cards in the T206 set are not rare but the Honus Wagner cards are because they were pulled from production early. Interestingly, the same image is used on both cards. While not his most expensive baseball card, its arguably the most visually pleasing of them all. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. That is a fact not likely to end any time soon. Theyre undoubtedly very condition sensitive. 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. His 3,000th hit was a solo shot in the 3rd inning that tied the game at one. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. However, he still put together a worthy encore to his 2010 breakthrough. The centering can be so severe that it will cut into the text along the bottom. And in this guide, we'll take a look at the 15 most valuable. As with pretty much any pre-war set that features Cobb, his card is the heart and soul of this legendary set. In 11 playoff contests against the New York Yankees and Texas Rangers, he slashed a blistering .314/.489/.771 with four home runs, 12 walks, four doubles, seven runs scored, ten RBIs, and two stolen bases. In 2014, MLB instituted rules that prevented a runner from initiating "an avoidable collision" at home plate. 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. In the season's first 46 games, the 24-year-old star slashed .284/.368/.389 with four home runs and 21 RBIs in 162 at-bats. Many in the hobby feel this card is overlooked in importance but what no one can deny is just how rare it is. 1986 Topps Tiffany Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs Card 7. But its also one of the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration.
100 Most Valuable Baseball Cards: The All-Time Dream List If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away.
Most Expensive [2023 Topps] Baseball Cards 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. Votto reached base in the team's first 27 games, finishing April with an eye-popping .370 batting average. By the way check out the best Wander Franco Rookie Cards #2. That PSA 10 copy sold for $717,000 in 2016. Contact him at [emailprotected]. On the surface, the 1948 Leaf card with its use of color appears to be more attractive than the 1948 Bowman card. Error cards like Joe Doyles that make it into circulation usually end up being very popular with collectors and this one is no exception. 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. Whos the most desired player in the set? 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. Cheapest, 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. The 2011 Atlanta Braves had an excellent crop of rookie riches.
26 Most Valuable 1986 Topps Baseball Cards In The World While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. Once the owner of the career mark for home runs (755), Aaron possessed some of the strongest hands and wrists that produced some of the quickest bat speed the game has ever seen. Both are not cheap but it is this version that is the more desirable and expensive of the two. 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. You could argue the imagery isn't the nicest in the hobby but it makes for an unforgettable card design. 15 Most Valuable 2011 Topps Baseball Cards More. The glossy coatings of these cards present a bit of an issue with cracking at times but they are nonetheless some terrific cards. The 48-card 1915 American Caramel E106 shows some nice artistic renderings of players of the National, American and Federal Leagues. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. So why would one of his cards be so expensive? 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC #7. 2020 Topps card list & price guide. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. The 23-year-old left walked a career-worst 41 batters in 50 innings pitched, issuing a ghastly 7.4 walks per 9 innings. After winning 61 games in 2010, Seattle finished at 67-95 in 2011 for the franchise's sixth losing season in eight years. In true Jeter fashion, the Yankees shortstop went above and beyond the moment at hand. That card was later sold for $250,000 in 2007. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps Baseball Cards. So those that remain are some of the most sought after in the hobby. 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. 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. One of the bright spots for Boston was the re-emergence of designated hitter David Ortiz as an elite hitting threat.
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. Read our methodology . buy stuff after clicking links on our site With five Silver Sluggers and three batting titles to his name in twelve MLB seasons, Altuve continues to be one of the best hitters in the game. The E106 American Caramel cards are some of the scarcest Honus Wagner cards in the hobby (but obviously not his most expensive if you look at the top of this list). This is my favoriteSandy Koufax baseball cardand one of the best-looking cards of the 1950s in my opinion. Mike Trout made his Major League debut on July 8, 2011, when the Los Angeles Angels called him up to replace speedy centerfielder Peter Bourjos who had injured his hamstring the day before. 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. 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. Altuve was hitting an incredible .423 at that point but eventually cooled to finish with a .276/.297/.357 slash line. 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. George Close Candy cards are among the scarcer pre-WWI caramel issues and the Honus Wagner is one of the keys to the set. 2022 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Guide. Ungraded & graded values for all '06 Topps Baseball Cards. A truly great baseball card of the legendary icon. However, the year ended on a bitter note. The question is: where do you start on this list? Altuve went 1-5 that game, but little did he know then he had kicked off a piece of Houston Astros history.