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While Posey would recover and play an MVP-caliber role for San Francisco's 2012 and 2014 title teams, his injury in 2011 forced the hands of baseball's decision-makers. 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. Read our methodology . There are 30 cards in total and each includes seven different possible color backs. The card is subtle in design and imagery but remains a truly majestic card for any serious collector to consider. And while they are keys to the set and arguably the most popularLou Gehrig baseball cards, they are still overshadowed by the Ruth quartet. 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. The E300 issue is one of the scarcest prewar sets and had relatively been unknown until the 1960s. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. totaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. As with Mantles 1952 Topps card, some still mistake this card as Mays rookie, too. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? While the Dodgers failed to make the playoffs at 83-78, Kershaw made a second-straight playoff miss easier to stomach in Chavez Ravine. And because it features a close-up of Mantle, print defects on his face can also sometimes turn off collectors. Not many people outside of the baseball card hobby know who Joe Doyle is. Freeman finished second in the NLs Rookie of the Year balloting, slashing .282/.346/.448 with 21 home runs, 32 doubles, and 76 RBIs. 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. Nadja was a brand name of the Blake-Wenneker Candy Co. of St Louis and the set features 62 cards in total. 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. And with 103 RBIs on the year, he became the first Reds player since Dave Parker to post back-to-back 100-RBI seasons (1985-86). 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC #7. 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. Conditions of these cards are not very good but even a PSA 4 is expected to bring in roughly $900,000. 30 Most Valuable Topps Tiffany Cards Rankings are based on the online Beckett Price Guide and Database. 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. Shortcuts: Most Expensive , Cheapest , List by Card # The Reds' fall from contention cost Votto at the ballot box, though, as he followed up his 2010 MVP triumph with a sixth-place finish in 2011. DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. 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. Career highlights: Two-time National League Most Valuable Player (1958, 1959), 14 . 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.. Anson was arguably the biggest star of his era but unfortunately, there are very few cards from those days that show him as a player. 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. 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. Halladay was given the ball for Games 1 and 5. The Green Ruth is the last of the four Babe Ruth cards to appear in the 1933 Goudey set. 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. 1986 Barry Bonds Topps Traded Rookie Card 6. 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. There is no doubt that this is one of Ty Cobbs most demanded and popular baseball cards. However, as with any colored borders, the surrounding red borders of this card are susceptible to wear making it very condition sensitive. The T210 Old Mill set features hundreds of minor league ballplayers that most people have never heard of before. By the way check out the best Wander Franco Rookie Cards #2. Gehrig again appeared on two different cards, #37 and #61, in the 1934 Goudey set. When the infamous T206 set was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League. Posey was one of the biggest young names in the game at that point so seeing Topps issue multiple cards for him in this set should be no surprise. Many believe the 1887 N172 Old Judge set to be the most important 19th Century set in existence. 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. The base set from Bowman holds little value. By his third season in 2013, Goldschmidt had developed into a perennial All-Star and MVP candidate. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. A PSA Gem Mint 10 #128 Aaron sold for $357,594 in 2012, a price that would easily be overcome in todays market. 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 Giants were 27-19 heading into a home series with the Florida Marlins, looking every bit the contender for a repeat World Series engagement. 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. While he cooled off from that torrid pace, the now two-time All-Star was still one of the game's most feared hitters. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded 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. Most Expensive 2020 Topps card list & price guide. Who did Freeman finish runner-up to in the leagues RotY race, you ask? While his 1952 Topps card is more popular and more expensive, some collectors forget that this is the only recognizedMantle rookie card. We believe the following 10 cards will be tops in short-term return on investment over the next 1 to 2 years. Read our methodology . That is unless youre talking about the Red Portrait with the Ty Cobb back that was showcased earlier on this list. Votto led the National League in doubles (40), on-base percentage (.416), and walks (110). Cobb is pictured is his Detroit Tigers uniform leaning on his bat atop a multi-colored background. 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. Was it because Wagner wanted to be paid by the tobacco company to use his image? We may earn an affiliate commission if you 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. 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. You could argue the imagery isn't the nicest in the hobby but it makes for an unforgettable card design. It would fetch much more than that today. Top 26 Most Valuable 1986 Topps Baseball Cards In The World 1. (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to current eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.) 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. The card is key for three main reasons: After hitting .363 with 49 home runs and 166 RBI he would go on to win the Triple Crown. inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971. Especially for high condition copies of the card. Prices continue to climb on them, so keep your eye out for these baseball cards! Some collectors go for the base set. 2022 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Guide. 2020 Topps card list & price guide. And its extremely rareone of the rarest in the hobby. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. Considered the Holy Grail of all trading cards, the 1909 American Tobacco CompanyT206 Honus Wagner cardremains the symbol of trading card collecting today. Moreover, the Mathewson Portrait is one of the toughest HOF portraits in the entire set. Seldom seen at auction, the 48 card set distributed by the American Caramel Co. of York, Pa. released some of the rarest type cards in existence. The eye appeal is top-notch, as with most 1914 Cracker Jack cards. 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. Bowman did not include him in their 1953 set so that makes his Topps card of that year even more sought after. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Along with the Killebrew and Koufax rookies, theRoberto Clemente rookie card is an anchor in the 1955 Topps baseball card set and the most expensive of the three. Prices are updated daily based upon 2023 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. As the reigning NL Central champs sputtered to a 79-83 record and failed to make the playoffs, Chapman worked out the kinks in his delivery in 53 relief appearances. While both are classics, there is no doubt that #37 is the more popular and difficult of the two. After 60 years in the hobby, Topps helped celebrate their "Diamond Anniversary" by packing so much into their 2011 Topps baseball card set. Ungraded & graded values for all '20 Topps Baseball Cards. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. 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. Read our methodology. His incredible career makesStan Musial baseball cards extremely popular with collectors. Hes also the only key player in the 1914 set on a horizontal layout. 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. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. 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. 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. #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. 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. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. 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. 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 set is one of if not the most condition sensitive of the early E class era. This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. Yet, it was the patient way Big Papi produced in 2011 that kicked off his late-career renaissance in style. His massive upside in the future made his wildness in the present less worrisome. If youre a collector, just stick to what you love and collect only what you love. And by 2016, he'd solidified his place as a Cubs legend when he helped the franchise win its first World Series title since 1980, finally breaking the "curse" that had haunted them for over 100 years. Any collector lucky enough to get his hands on Mathewsons card is sure to be ecstatic. Although not as popular as his 1948 Bowman rookie card, his 1948 Leaf rookie card is the tougher of the two. In the deciding Game 5, Halladay squared off with his former Toronto Blue Jays teammate and close friend Chris Carpenter. The 1915 version was part of a redemption program, however, thus better preserving their condition. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. He was also clutch, maintaining a sub-1.00 World Series ERA and twice being named series MVP in 1963 and 1965. During the offseason, the Padres traded Rizzo to the Chicago Cubs in a multi-player deal orchestrated by Jed Hoyer, the Cubs' general manager. Whos the most desired player in the set? 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. Who knows what a high grade example of this card would go for? Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. When these cards come up for auction, really take note. However, Bochy picked Florida Marlins standout Gaby Sanchez as the final first base pick to ensure Florida had a representative in Arizona. The reality was that Pujols was good to go. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, Bernie Williams, and Larry Walker all claim Class of '90. His 3,000th hit was a solo shot in the 3rd inning that tied the game at one. As with the American Caramel Cobb card mentioned just a bit ago, the design of the card isnt unique but it is certainly one of the more desirable Cobb poses in the hobby. Read our methodology . Of all theWillie Mays baseball cards out there, this is his most important. Despite singling to right field off San Francisco's Matt Cain in his first at-bat, Goldschmidt stuck out nearly one in every three at-bats in 48 games that season. ThisTed Williams card features a superb black and white image of Williams following through on his classic swing. Mathewson is the only player in both the 1914 and 1915 sets whose poses are entirely different. With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. 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. 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. 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. With Mays, the opposite is true: his Bowman rookie card is worth more than his 1952 Topps card. Its nearly impossible to describe the importance of Jackie Robinson to baseball and American history after breakingbaseballs color barrier in 1947. This card is a prime example of an instance where neither being a star nor an error card can bring in big bucks. 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. However, there are a handful of his T206 cards that were produced with N.Y. Collectors find rookie cards are some of the most valuable baseball cards to collect from any player. Most Expensive 1986 Topps Pete Rose Card 3. 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson The 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson has a staggering value of $200,000. 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. An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000. 3)Many high number cards were famously dumped into the ocean leaving even less of them in existence. 1984. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. With so many greats, how do you choose between them? 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: $12.6 million 2. The 1914 Cracker Jack Mathewson is one of the great rarities in the hobby and easily the most difficult card to find in this amazing set. Over the first seven games of his MLB career, Altuve had at least one hit, tying him with Russ Johnson for the club record for most consecutive games with a hit to begin a career. 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. Shortcuts: 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. Card: Willie Mays Team: New York Mets Value: $1,675 In 1950 and 1951, Topps and Bowman were both releasing baseball trading cards with their candy. 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. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 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. 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 . The error was quickly caught, though, so there arent many copies in existence. This is the other, less expensive, version of this card in the 1938 Goudey set. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '22 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards. 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. And then, his season came to a screeching halt with a play that changed the game of baseball forever. Though he may not have been MLB's hottest rookie in 1990, he certainly turned into one of the biggest superstars of his era. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. The bright yellow background makes this card pop and the portrait of the young Big Train makes for an unforgettable baseball card. Within a year, the Mariners would press reset on the whole thing and end the Ichiro era abruptly, trading their longtime face of the franchise to the New York Yankees for a pair of relievers. Mathewson appears three times in the T206 set with the Portrait, White Cap and Dark Cap variations. This is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the HOF pitcher. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. The 23-year-old left walked a career-worst 41 batters in 50 innings pitched, issuing a ghastly 7.4 walks per 9 innings. Again, the biggest condition issues with this card will arise from the glossy coating on the obverse that usually ends up cracking or creasing. In the NLDS, the 102-win AL East champion Phillies faced a molten-hot St. Louis Cardinals squad that had fought back from a massive Wild Card deficit in September. That PSA 10 copy sold for $717,000 in 2016. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! In true Jeter fashion, the Yankees shortstop went above and beyond the moment at hand. 15 Most Valuable 2011 Topps Baseball Cards More. 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. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. A fantastic portrait of the Sultan of Swat wearing a tilted Yankees cap is shown atop a bold, red background. Premium: 2005 Topps card list & price guide. And he pitched with a tenacious on-mound presence in the toughest of game situations. The young Florida native made 58 appearances out of the bullpen, finishing 17 games and saving eight. Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Cy Young were also featured in the set but Cobbs issue is undoubtedly the most desired. Especially his American Caramel E90-1 rookie card on which he is shown leaning on his bat against a purple backdrop. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 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. The Yellow Ruth, #53, is considered to be the toughest, closely followed by the #149 Red Ruth that shows the legendary slugger in an identical pose. 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. The legendary Cap Anson appears on two different cards with the uniform version being the rarer of the two. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. 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. 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. Its arguably the most visually pleasing and desirable of all the Ted Williams baseball cards in the hobby. 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. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. After the 2010 campaign, manager Bobby Cox called it a career, leaving a hole in the Braves clubhouse that couldn't be filled. Whatever the reason, there are only approximately 50-75 or so known copies in circulation today as a result. 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. But, there are two major glaring differences overall between Mathewsons cards. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. Considered to be one of the more obscure Honus Wagner type cards its value continues to remain strong. Collectors love the eye appeal of this beautiful pre-war set. This card has been and will likely remain the most valuable baseball card for years to come. In fact, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany card can be worth over $2,000 in PSA condition. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. Key to the 1953 Topps set is the #244 Willie Mays baseball card. and one of the best-looking cards of the 1950s in my opinion. 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. This also is not including 1/1s. If you look at the bottom, Sherry Magees last name is mistakenly spelled Magie. Most Expensive 2022 Topps card list & price guide. 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. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123 #9. While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC #4. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215 VIEW ON EBAY Winner, winner chicken dinner. 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. What's worse was that his (relative) struggles were coming at a low point for the Mariners organization. And come the postseason, he was on another level, leading St. Louis from a 90-win Wild Card berth to a second World Series title in six years. Kimbrel led all NL relievers with 46 saves, pitching to a 2.10 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. Contact him at [emailprotected]. But, that doesnt necessarily mean its his most expensive. 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. 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. 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 early 1914, Jack Dunn of the minor league Baltimore Orioles signed Ruth to a professional baseball contract. With that strategy, you can never go wrong! 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 2022 Topps 1st Edition listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace.