The Most Valuable Baseball Cards

It has been more than a century since kids and even adults started collecting baseball cards. There have been a number of iconic and valuable cards, and some have flown under the radar though they still sell for plenty of money. We have listed some of the most valuable baseball cards of all time. You might find some modern cards in your attic or basement right now. We recommend you go through the batter’s box just in case there is fortune lying in wait. Even if you are not a card collector or a big baseball fan, you will still enjoy looking at these gems! 1952 Topps (Mickey Mantle) Many consider The Commerce Comet or The Mick the greatest switch hitter in the history of baseball. One of the best players ever, American Mickey Mantle would be the quintessential baseball player for many baby boomers. To go with this, the quintessential baseball card would have to be his 1952 Topps card. Did you know that a grade 9 1952 Mantle sold for nearly $3 million? For a non-Honus Wagner T206 card, it definitely set a record! The card is so respected that even 6 or 7-graded copies could still bring in roughly $700,000. 1993 Upper Deck SP Foil (Derek Jeter) In his role as the New York Yankees shortstop and captain, Derek Jeter is probably the biggest icon in baseball in the last 30 years, as evidenced by the thousands of cards. The most valuable among these cards comes from the time when he was in the minor league in 1993. Just like many cards, the value of this Jeter card can vary, depending on its related number rating and condition. However, even a card that is mid-grade can pull in between $200 and $400. Cards that are in near-perfect condition can fetch close to $1,000. 1984 Fleer Update (Dwight Gooden) Back in the early 1980s, Dwight Gooden, also known as Doctor K, arrived on the baseball scene. His blazing fastball enabled him to set rookie records and he was also named Rookie of the Year by the National League (NL). He played 16 seasons in the MLB and his career spanned 430 games, and during his rookie season alone (1984), he struck out 276 batters and won 17 games. The 1985 Fleer Update set immortalized his rookie records. He is featured in the set wearing his blue and orange Mets jersey. This card can go for $200, depending on its condition. 1955 Topps (Roberto Clemente) Puerto Rican Roberto Clemente was an outfielder for the Pittsburgh Pirates. He became the first Caribbean and Latin American player to be elected to the Hall of Fame, and the annual MLB Commissioner’s Award has been renamed in his honor. After he notched his career’s 3,000th hit, he sadly passed away in a plane crash. His amazing career and heartbreaking death caused an increase in the interest in memorabilia. A mint 1954 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card went for $432,690 in 2012, and another card (a 1955 Topps rookie card that is graded 9) pulled in $478,000 roughly four years later. 1948 Bowman (Stan Musial) The St. Louis Cardinals icon is one of the most consistent and greatest hitters of all time, but he is also sometimes considered the most overlooked or underrated athlete in the history of modern American sports. However, he has been immortalized by this set. The 1948 Bowman Stan Musial is the oldest card which is still relatively affordable. Although it is not highly likely that you will find one of these cards in your attic, it is not totally impossible. At any rate, putting effort into looking for one is worth it since this card in good condition goes for more than $1,000. 1914 Baltimore News (Babe Ruth) Arguably the greatest baseball player of all time, Babe Ruth is also among the most endearing sports figures in history. The MVP award in the World Series is called the Babe Ruth Award and the MLB presents the top home run hitter of the year with the Babe Ruth Home Run Award. You might think this the reason why a copy of the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth card fetched $575,000 even though the card just got a grade 2. However, it is actually the rumors claiming that only 10 of these legendary cards are in existence that are making this card so expensive. 1984 Fleer Update (Roger Clemens) This is another 1984 Fleer Update card – the most valuable Roger “The Rocket” Clemens rookie card. The Rocket was among the best pitchers in the 1980s, the 1990s, and even the 2000s, and for a power pitcher, that is incredible longevity. He had an illustrious career but his reputation went downhill when he was accused of steroid use. This even stopped him from being elected to the Hall of Fame. Luckily, these things did not lessen the card’s value, and it still sells pulls in between $200 and $400 if the card is in good shape. 1963 Topps (Pedro Gonzalez/Ken McMullen/Pete Rose/Al Weis) Pete Rose is not called baseball’s all-time Hit King for nothing. He holds the record for the most career hits in the MLB. He is also the main reason that this 4-player rookie card fetched around $70,000. A copy of sold for $717,700 in 2016. What could be the reason behind it selling for this much money? The particular card got a grade of 10! Finding a perfect card, especially one that is this old, is very rare. Also, this 1963 Topps card is often found with poor centering and print defects, and its blue colored top border is highly susceptible to chipping. 2001 Bowman Autographed (Albert Pujols) By the early 2000s, baseball cards had become really ubiquitous, so none was considered rare unless there was a gimmick that came with the card. We are talking about low-numbered parallel cards, autographs, and memorabilia ones. One of the most valuable is the Albert Pujols autograph card that is part of the 2001 Bowman set. You can get a four-figure amount for it if it is in good condition. Albert Pujols played 11 seasons in the National League and was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News. 1982 Topps Traded (Cal Ripken Jr.) A number of the 1982 rookie cards are valuable, but the most valuable one is the Cal Ripken Jr. card that is part of the Topps Traded expansion set. Baseball’s Iron Man had a lot of accomplishments but he consistently showed class. He played harder than everyone else and took as much time pleasing the fans. If the Iron Man’s card is in good condition, it can fetch about $200. You have to be careful, though, as the back can easily chip and flake. This explains why there is such a wide range of prices and grades for the card. 1968 Topps Rookie (Jerry Koosman/Nolan Ryan) There are four versions of the Nolan Ryan rookie cards. A copy of this version, the 1968 Topps Jerry Koosman and Nolan Ryan card, with a grade 10 was auctioned off and went for $612,359. If you are wondering what caused this card to sell for so much money, it is because it is really rare. Almost 8,000 copies of this Topps Rookie card were submitted for professional appraisal but only one received this score. You can sell a grade 9 copy of this card for $20,000 to $30,000. 1990 Topps Error (Frank Thomas) A multi-talented hitter, Frank Thomas is a National Baseball Hall of Famer and was one of the greatest stars of the MLB in the 1990s. During the decade, the Frank Thomas Topps card was the most valuable. However, this card is not a regular one since it has a specific error – the card does not come with Thomas’ name on the front. Actually, this error is the reason the card is worth so much money. The card can pull in an amount that is four or five figures. T206 (Honus Wagner) The most famous and valuable baseball card in history has to be the T206 Honus Wagner. Like other cards made during that period, the 1911 card was produced by a tobacco company to increase the sales of their cigarettes, but the slugger himself actually wanted to cancel the card for reasons that are unknown. Some people thought Wagner did not want children to purchase cigarettes just to get his card, but research revealed that the dispute was actually because of the royalties. Nevertheless, only a number of these cards are on the market, so it is considered the baseball cards’ “Holy Grail”! In 2016, a copy of the card went for $3.3 million. 1991 Desert Shield (Chipper Jones) Best known as the Atlanta Braves third baseman, Chipper Jones was one of the most well-known MLB players in the 1990s. The Hall of Famer’s most valuable card is linked to one of the iconic moments of that decade. Back in 1991, Topps released a special version of the season’s base set, and there were “Desert Sheild” holograms that came with it. It was only available to Operation Desert Storm soldiers and included a Chipper Jones rookie card! You can expect to get hundreds of dollars for a copy of the card that has the hologram. 1916 Sporting News (Babe Ruth) Babe Ruth was not only one of the most well-known sluggers at the height of his career. He was also one of the most well-known men in America at that time. These days, people are still willing to spend a lot of money to own his 1916 Sporting News card, a testament to his legacy. This Babe Ruth rookie card is part of the M101-5 baseball series which consists of 200 cards. In 2016, a copy pulled in an incredible $717,000 and a year after that, a different copy that received a grade of 7 went for $550,000. 1989 Upper Deck Rookie (Ken Griffey Jr.) This is the most important and probably the most recognizable rookie card of Ken Griffey Jr., one of the greatest all-around baseball players in history. Across the 1990s, many people believed that this 1989 Upper Deck rookie card would become one of the priciest baseball cards of all time. This may not have come true, but the card is among the most iconic in the past three decades. You can expect to get $400 for one that has a good grade. However, like many Griffey rookie Cards, it is subject to a hidden flaw – the reverse side has a factory wrinkle. 1952 Topps (Willie Mays) In addition to the famous Mantle card, another valuable card that is part of the 1952 Topps set is the one featuring New York center fielder Willie Mays. The Hall of Famer is arguably the best centerfielder the MLB has ever seen. He is usually best remembered for “The Catch”, an incredible play that he made during the World Series in 1954. The card of the Yankees slugger may be more valuable than the 1952 Topps Willie Mays, but the card of the Say Hey Kid fetched $478,000 at an auction in 2016. 1984 Fleer Update (Kirby Puckett) Another 1984 Fleer Update card and this time, it is of Kirby Puckett, who has become one of the most beloved and best baseball players of his generation. His accomplishments include being elected to American League All-Star teams ten times and winning the Gold Glove six times. This is the Hall of Famer’s first mainstream MLB card and it is one of two rookie cards that dominate the 1984 Fleer Update Baseball set. Its price depends on the grade but for a mint one, you can expect to get around $200 to $500. 1909 American Caramel (Shoeless Joe Jackson) Like the Honus Wagner card, this was produced by American Caramel to improve their cigarette sales. Many hobbyists consider this card to be the official rookie card of Joe Jackson and it is one of just a handful of his cards available. The slugger may have been banned from the sport for life because he was supposedly involved in the 1919 Chicago Black Sox gambling controversy, but card collectors still covet this piece. This card is one of the slugger’s best and most valuable. In 2016, someone paid over $660,000 for a mint copy of the 1909 Joe Jackson card.