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. People are spending as much on old pieces of cardboard as most people spend on a house. Though he may not have been MLB's hottest rookie in 1990, he certainly turned into one of the biggest superstars of his era. The 2011 Atlanta Braves had an excellent crop of rookie riches. In poor condition, this card would fetch hundreds of dollars but if youre lucky enough to land a copy in PSA 10 Gem Mint condition then youre talking big-time money. But what most usually don't realize is that many pre-War and even high grade post-War vintagebaseball card valuescan be astronomical. ThisTed Williams card features a superb black and white image of Williams following through on his classic swing. While collectors could pull 1914 Cracker Jack cards directly from the box, that also meant they usually had caramel stains on them. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco Photo Variation SP RC #215 Many in the hobby feel this card is overlooked in importance but what no one can deny is just how rare it is. Some collectors go for the base set. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 1984. 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. It's these end-year series that comprise the most valuable Topps baseball cards today. 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson Rookie Card 4. 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. 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. 20 Most Valuable 1990 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time - msn.com DiMaggio appeared twice in the 1938 Goudey set but this is the more valuable of the two. 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. But what puts the Bat Off Shoulder relatively much higher on this list than the others is that you can find this card in PSA 9 Mint condition, unlike the others. In Game 1, the Phillies picked Doc up after he gave up a three-run shot to Lance Berkman in the 1st inning, scoring 11 unanswered runs as Halladay settled in to retire 21 straight in a convincing Philly win. Ungraded & graded values for all '20 Topps Baseball Cards. 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. 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. Together with the Honus Wagner, Ty Cobb (Ty Cobb back), and Eddie Plank the T206 Sherry Magie error card is one of the rarest of the entire set. The 1939 Play Ball #92 issue is the Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card. 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. 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. 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. And its one of the most famous error cards in the entire hobby, too. 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. It would fetch much more than that today. Most Expensive, Just be prepared to put up big money if you want one in high grade. The card is one of Ruths most desired of all. 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Most Expensive [2023 Topps] Baseball Cards 2010 and 2011 were two of the most emotionally draining years of Chipper Jones' Hall of Fame career. The Best Baseball Cards to Buy in 2023 - MoneyMade We may earn an affiliate commission if you 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. A high number card, Mathews rookie is extra tough to collect since it was positioned at the bottom corner of print sheets and usually is found off-center as a result. totaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. And its extremely rareone of the rarest in the hobby. 1990 Bowman Tiffany Sammy Sosa Rookie Card Price: $750 The 1990 Bowman Baseball set features an impressive rookie class. 1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan RC 15 Most Valuable 2011 Topps Baseball Cards More. The T206 set is special for many reasons but one of them is no doubt the numerous brand advertisements on the backs16 different backs in total. 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. Read our methodology . This card is as visually stunning as it is rare. And like Altuve, Martinez started with the Greeneville Astros and worked his way up to the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. 30. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Its so rare that only a handful exist and not many collectors have even seen one in person. 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. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Unlike the other example that features cartoons in the background, DiMaggio is shown all by himself atop a blank background. No matter where Eddie Mathews appeared in the 1952 Topps set, his only recognized rookie card would be worth a lot. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. His career ERA of 2.13 proves just how difficult it was to hit off of him. 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. 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. And yes, that includes those famously priceless Mickey Mantles. Whos the most desired player in the set? Jackie Robinson, Mike Piazza, Hideo Nomo and, you guessed it, Fernando Valenzuela each took the league by storm as soon as they stepped on the field. 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). That was the most any Houston Astros rookie had ever driven in during one month as a rookie. By 2012, Chapman had it down, fine-tuning his electric pitch repertoire en route to becoming a legit Cy Young candidate. So, there you have it: the most expensivebaseball cardsthat youre ever likely to encounter. But in 2011, the 37-year-old superstar hit just .272 with an uncharacteristic .645 OPS. 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). On it, Gehrig is shown with a huge bright smile atop a yellow background giving the card tremendous eye appeal. The White Cap variation is considered to be the most difficult of the three Mathewson cards, but the Portrait is the most popular. He ultimately fell short of the incredible feat but still finished the season batting .317 with 35 home runs and 115 RBIs. 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. 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. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. 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. Martinez's career began with the Houston Astros when they drafted him in the 20th round of the 2009 MLB Draft out of Nova Southeastern University. Kimbrel led all NL relievers with 46 saves, pitching to a 2.10 ERA with 127 strikeouts in 77.0 innings. An SGC 2 Example Sold in August 2022 for $7,250,000. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 2020 Topps #1. Theres only one copy of the card currently graded in that condition, however. Also, many of the known examples are found with poor centering from top to bottom. But, Joe Jackson is instantly recognizable on this card depicting him as a member of the Cleveland Naps minor league team, the New Orleans Pelicans. In 2014, MLB instituted rules that prevented a runner from initiating "an avoidable collision" at home plate. In four starts against Lincecum, Kershaw went 4-0 with a minuscule 0.30 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched. Surprisingly, many dont even consider him the best pitcher ever, though. Centering issues, as well as dark print blotches in the yellow background, are usually the two key issues of this card. George Close Candy cards are among the scarcer pre-WWI caramel issues and the Honus Wagner is one of the keys to the set. 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. Babe Ruths card is the key and most valuable of the 32 card set. Just a year prior, Sale wasn't even a starter yet. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 Martinez turned out to be the big winners from 2011 Topps Update. 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. As a result, there werent manyJoe Jackson baseball cardsproduced. 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. The price would certainly be astronomical. 1981 Topps #302 Dodgers Future Stars Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $225 When it comes to rookie season debuts, the Dodgers have developed a reputation for some of the finest on record. 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. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. 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. The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. 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. 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. 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 . Walter Johnson appears twice in the T206 set, one in a pitching pose and then again in this portrait layout. With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson The 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson has a staggering value of $200,000. And their continued popularity and demand prove that baseball cards still do hold great value. 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. 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. At the tender age of 22, Sale made his full-season debut with the Sox as a high-leverage reliever. A fantastic portrait of the Sultan of Swat wearing a tilted Yankees cap is shown atop a bold, red background. Top athletes from baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming, horse racing and even dog sled racing are showcased in the set. While he cooled off from that torrid pace, the now two-time All-Star was still one of the game's most feared hitters. Like Jose Altuve, J.D. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. Theyre undoubtedly very condition sensitive. 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. He also topped 100 runs scored (111) and 100 RBIs (105) while playing in an AL-best 161 of 162 regular-season games. 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. 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. Reigning NL MVP Joey Votto couldn't carry an inconsistent, snake-bitten Cincinnati Reds squad to a second-straight postseason in 2011. But it wouldn't take Goldschmidt much longer to mold into the incredible talent he is today. Centering that favors the bottom and slight angular cuts are usually the factors that prevent these cards from reaching higher grades. 30 Most Valuable Topps Tiffany Cards - Beckett News Most Valuable Rookie Card in Every Topps Baseball Set, 1952-2020 Young appears three times in the epic T206 set with this being the most desired and priciest of them all. 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. Like all Bowman cards, the eye appeal of this card is amazing as a the artwork of the young Mick is simply stunning. After slumping to start the season, the hulking St. Louis Cardinals first baseman returned to All-Star form before suffering a fractured left wrist in mid-June. Part of the great quartet of T206 Cobb cards, the Green Portrait version is the toughest of all of them to collect. In his fourth year with the club, Miguel Cabrera helped Detroit silence those laughs. His massive upside in the future made his wildness in the present less worrisome. 10 Greatest Topps Baseball Cards To Buy Now In 2023 - Gold Card Auctions 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. It's so rare that no complete set has ever been assembled. 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. Exact prices are available to subscribers. 2011 was the year that Ichiro finally looked mortal at the plate. Read our methodology. 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. That tells you how much the prices of Clementes rookie card have increased. The Wagner soon reclaimed its title, but the 2009 Bowman Draft Trout remains a big deal in the baseball card world. 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. He also amassed less than 200 hits (184) and posted an OPS+ under 100 (86) for the first time in eleven MLB seasons. Mathewson appears three times in the T206 set with the Portrait, White Cap and Dark Cap variations. With Mays, the opposite is true: his Bowman rookie card is worth more than his 1952 Topps card. 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. Because Mantle was exclusively signed with Bowman in 1954 and 1955, you won't find him on any of Topps' cards in either of those two sets. Yet, packed within all of that excitement was a run of base cards that featured big-name stars and promising rookies. 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. 5. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards However, as with any colored borders, the surrounding red borders of this card are susceptible to wear making it very condition sensitive. 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. His 1951 Bowman issue is his only recognized rookie card and along with the Mantle rookie is the key to the entire set. It should come as no surprise that the rookie card of the greatest player who ever lived would be on this list. Trout exploded during his official rookie campaign the following season, earning AL Rookie of the Year honors and finishing second in the MVP race.