Topps Jim Gilliam Rc #258
Jim Gilliam isnt a Hall of Famer like a lot of players on this list. He was a great player for the Dodgers for more than a decade, winning the 1953 National League Rookie of the Year Award in 1953. Gilliam was an All-Star twice and also finished among the top 10 NL MVP vote getters on a pair of occasions.
Needless to say, the list of Rookie Cards in 1953 Topps Baseball is nearly as strong as the two years its sandwiched between. Like Mathews, Gilliam is another high series short print.
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Jack Mcdowell Topps Traded Tiffany Rc #68t
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Next up is another Topps Tiffany card, this time from the 88 Traded set.
Jack McDowell was a three-time All-Star who won the AL Cy Young Award in 1993, somehow finding the time to also be a professional musician.
As with the other Traded cards, hes featured in a simple posed shot, staring ever so slightly off-camera. It also happens to be his RC.
Topps Ozzie Guillen Rc #254
Some years are filled with multiple Hall of Famers getting Rookie Cards. In 1986 Topps, you get Ozzie Guillen. For a while, he was one of the better shortstops in the game. He also won a World Series as manager of the White Sox. Lets face it, Guillen is not your typical Best in Class Rookie Card. But surrounded by the likes of Cecil Fielder, Darren Daulton and Harold Reynolds, Guillen takes top spot basically by default.
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Topps George Brett Rc #228
Lets face it, 1975 Topps Baseball is one of the greatest sets ever. Its one of those releases thats a convergence of a memorable design along with an excellent checklist. The 1975 Topps George Brett Rookie Card captures both of these sentiments. The Royals legend shares the RC spotlight with fellow Cooperstown inductees Robin Yount, Gary Carter and Jim Rice.
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Baltimore News #9 Babe Ruth Pre Rookie Card
- Price: $925,000 .
- Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6.
Baltimore News Babe Ruth Pre Rookie Card with yellow background
Star Babe Ruths pre rookie card has an astronomical price tag with only ten copies in existence. These baseball cards that are worth money include two versions with a blue border and a red border.
In early 1914, Ruth signed a contract with Jack Dunn of the Baltimore Orioles minor league. It was the beginning of his career before moving to the Red Sox.
Even though these cards arent high grade, they still have a very high estimated price tag, up to six figures.
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Topps Dave Winfield Rc #456
1974 Topps Baseball marked the first time the line released as one giant series. Gone were the handful of small releases throughout the year. Gone were the short prints that came with the high numbers. This puts everything on a level field and makes the best Rookie Card stand on its own merit. Ken Griffey? Great player and part of a legendary franchise. Dave Parker? One could argue hes deserving of a Hall of Fame nod. But its Dave Winfield that is the easy choice.
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Most Valuable Baseball Cards Of The 80s And 90s
Note: While its certainly hard to include ALL of the most valuable baseball cards of the 80s and 90s, here well list our favorites of the bunch . Sure, you may be able to find some that are more valuable, but what about sentimental value? Theres a reason Biggios name comes up later and clearly, its not the $$$!
Baseball was a much different game in the 1980s and 1990s. For instance, most of this time period was the pre-Steroid era. Perhaps uncoincidentally, some of the games greatest pitchers and greatest dynasties were born during those years. And lets not forget about the hitters, base runners, and defensive stars . These are just a few Hall of Fame-caliber guys who suited up during these great decades.
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It was also a time during baseball cards where manufacturers were getting more creative and cards were starting to truly come into their own. Despite the overproduction. In this post, we will give you an inside look at some of the most valuable baseball cards that exist from that time period and who the players were that appeared on them. But first, lets find out what the top baseball cards worth money are RIGHT NOW.
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T206 White Border Sherry Magie Error Card
- Price: $660,000 .
- Dimensions: 1-7/16 x 2-5/8.
T206 White Border Sherry Magie Error Card
Sometimes during the production process, there will be some printing errors appearing on baseball cards. Cards issued with that mistake are called error cards.
Usually, the manufacturer will recall them very quickly for correction. Therefore, there are not too many versions of error cards on the market. Collectors are willing to pay high prices for this card to get both pre-and post-edited versions.
The T206 Sherry Magnesium error card is a typical example. If you know this player well, you will realize that his correct last name is Magee.
Bird / Erving / Magic Rc $60667
Year/Company: 1980 Topps
Grade: BVG 10
Normally, a RC with more than one player on it isnt going to be worth as much as the card with just the man himself. The reason this beautiful 1980 Topps card has become so valuable is because it features three of the greatest players of all time, Dr.J, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird. It doesnt hurt that this card was a perfect 10, another reason the card as remained in the top three of all time.
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Top 25 Most Valuable Basketball Cards
By Thomas Delatte on November 21st, 2016
Previously weve listed the Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards, and then the Top 25 Most Valuable Football Cards, and today we turn our attention to Basketball. Everyone knows about the infamous Michael Jordan rookie card, when graded, they have become the holy grail of basketball card collections. Most of the trades largest collectors either have one or are searching for one for their collection. No card collection is complete until they have the Michael Jordan RC.
If you dont have it, you can still have a chance at building an impressive collection now that Stephen Curry has exploded into one of the NBAs biggest stars. He is literally shooting his way into NBA history and his cards continue to increase in value along the way. Here are twenty-five of the highest priced basketball cards ever sold.
Topps Tony Gwynn Rc #482
Tony Gwynn is one of three Hall-of-Fame Rookie Cards in the classic 1983 Topps set. For years, Gwynn, Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg all held similar values. And while theyre not too far apart today, Gwynn has emerged as the clear favorite. His beloved stature, the memorable design, that old Padres uniform all help contribute to the cards place in history as one of the greatest cards of not just this set but the entire decade. Really, all thats missing is Gwynns beaming smile.
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Are Other 1980s Baseball Cards Worth Money
While weve listed the MOST valuable cards of the 80s here, there a some we havent included that are worth quite a bit of money. HOWEVER, youll need to keep in mind that cards from the Junk Wax Era dont hold as much value as those from earlier and later periods of the hobby. As always, condition plays a big role so if you have a good conditioned rookie card of one of the elite players of this era you still stand to make a few bucks if youre looking to sell.
T206 White Border Eddie Plank
- Price: $850,000 .
- Dimensions: 1-7/16 x 2-5/8.
T206 White Border Eddie Plank
In the T206 deck, the Eddie Plank card is the next face that receives attention. It is also the only one of the most dominant pitchers to enter the Hall of Fame.
Legend says that this cards rarity stems from poor quality prints that led to mass destruction. You can easily spot this by its centered quality.
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Topps Update Clayton Kershaw Rc #uh240
It turns out those comparisons to Sandy Koufax had some merit. Clayton Kershaw has already proven to be one of the best pitchers of his generation. And with each passing year, both baseball and collectors are coming to appreciate his bigger place in baseball history. Like several Update Rookie Cards, the 2008 Topps Update Clayton Kershaw has shown significant growth in recent years.
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Topps Eric Chavez Rc/adam Eaton Rc #479
Eric Chavez and Adam Eaton were the tenth and eleventh picks in the 1996 draft. As one can imagine, there was a time when this card carried some clout. But the window was a small one. Both players had lengthly MLB careers. Chavez was a standout at third base, winning six Gold Gloves. Eaton never went a season with an ERA lower than 4.00. The card is symbolic of 1997 Topps Baseball as a whole. Overall, its not horrible. It just doesnt stand out much.
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Bill Russell Rc $39995
Year/Company: 1957 Topps
Grade: PSA 8
The Boston Celtics legendary Center, Bill Russell, was a rookie back in 1957 when sports cards did not demand as much respect as they do today. As with most of the vintage cards still floating around, the PSA 8 is the highest rated Bill Russell RC anyone has ever found.
Pete Maravich Rc $130054
Year/Company: 1970 Topps
Grade: PSA 10
Pete Maravichs RC values have skyrocketed over the past few years and it has resulted in his PSA 10 RC, the only one known to exist, to become the second most valuable basketball card of all time. To give you a little perspective, it only sold for $18,000 in 2007.
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Topps #600 Mike Schmidt
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45
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This card may look a bit boring because of the image but Mike Schmidt was anything but that during his career.
The three-time MVP terrorized opposing pitchers with his ability to hit for power as he led the league in homers eight times over his career.
Schmidt is shown during warming up for batting practice wearing a jacket taking a big cut.
Because he’s an all-time great, his card can still go for decent money if its the Tiffany version and graded in PSA 10 condition.
Topps Reggie Jackson Rc #260
For someone who oozed swagger and a flair for the dramatic during his career, the 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson is an understated affair. Amidst an era in the hobby where so many key Rookie Cards are multi-player affairs, Jackson stands out simply by standing alone. And while Rollie Fingers, Bobby Cox and Bobby Bonds are among the other RCs in 1969 Topps Baseball, Jacksons iconic first Topps card towers over them all.
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Topps Mike Schmidt Rc/john Hilton Rc/ron Cey #615
Not only is this the top Rookie Card in 1973 Topps Baseball, but its probably the most fashionable as well. Cey gives you some wings, Hilton has those glasses and Schmidt has those nifty chops. Its not the fashion that makes this such an important card. Its largely thanks to the man with the chops. Mike Schmidt is one of the greatest sluggers baseball has ever seen. Hes also one of the most beloved players of his generation. Six-time All-Star Ron Cey is a strong inclusion as well.
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Topps Heritage / Bowman Heritage / Allen & Ginter
Jack GlasscockAllen & GinterAllen & GinterT206 Honus Wagner
In 2001, Topps released two new retro themed brands, Topps Heritage and Bowman Heritage, as part of its baseball, football and hockey card product lines. The novelty was that the brands had modern players with designs from past years. The baseball cards had the design from 1952 for its 2001 selection of Heritage baseball cards, 1953 design for 2002, 1954 design for 2003, and so on. Bowman Heritage was also started in 2001 and used the following throwback designs:
- 2001: 1948 Bowman
- 2002: 1954 Bowman
- 2003: proposed 1956 Bowman design
- 2004: 1955 Bowman
- 2005: 1951 Bowman
- 2006: 1949 Bowman
The Bowman Heritage brand was retired after the 2007 release, replaced by the much more popular and emerging Allen & Ginter brand that captivated collectors with its 2006 debut. In 2019, Bowman Heritage returned as an online-only exclusive product using the 1953 Bowman design. Topps Heritage became a baseball exclusive brand in 2007 where it is still an active brand to this day. It is widely considered to be one of the most popular perennial preseason baseball card release.
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Bowman Chrome Elly De La Cruz
Now we go from rookies to top prospects. The 20 year old phenom from the Dominican Republic burst onto the scene in 2022 in a BIG WAY. How big? How does a .300/.355/.588 triple slash line between A and AA sound? Thats what we though. In addition to the impression slash, De La Cruz also smacked 28 home runs and stole 43 bags. Safe to say the power speed combo makes this a VERY intriguing investment opportunity.
Topps Baseball Cards Outside The United States
A Canadian licensed version of the Topps set was produced by candy company O-Pee-Chee from 1965 until 1992. From 1970 onward, the cards were bilingual in order to comply with Canadian language laws. There were also licensed version Topps sets issued in Venezuela from 1959 to 1977, with some changes and the addition of winter league players. In the late 1980s, Topps issued two sets for the United Kingdom market of American baseball players, complete with explanations of key baseball terms on the cards.
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Topps Frank Thomas Rc #414
It wasnt long after this card came out that The Big Hurt was one of the most featured hitters in baseball and most popular players in the hobby. Given the quantity with which the 1990 Topps Frank Thomas Rookie Card is available, its not going to ever be worth a lot in its most basic form. But there are a couple of others to chase including Topps Tiffany, which has nicer stock and a much smaller production run. Theres also the ultra-scarce No Name on Front error that has gone on to be one of the most coveted cards of the era.
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Topps Barry Bonds Rc #320
Ah, the glorious woodgrain of 1987 Topps Baseball. To many, its a favorite. And theres still plenty of it to go around. This is a big reason why its value is still comparable to a sandwich sitting in a sketchy gas station cooler. This is one of those cards thats easier to love for what it is rather than dream about what could have been.
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Topps #450 Barry Bonds
Estimated PSA 10 Value: $45
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Despite the controversy that will always hang over his career, Bonds was no doubt one of the game’s most talented players.
Barry Bonds rookie cards can still be worth a lot of money and even his 1988 Topps card has decent value in its Tiffany form.
A young Bonds is pictured on a bright day in his pirates uniform with a huge smile on his face which really makes the card pop.
Best 10 1988 Topps Baseball Cards
The vast majority of 1988 Topps Baseball cards are almost worthless today, save for the best-graded copies of the cards seen below.
The legendary Cal Ripken Jr. spent his entire 2-decade long career with the Baltimore Orioles.
The 1988 Topps card has an understated design which is replicated across the set, with a large action shot of Ripken Jr. in a batting stance.
His team name is found in large lettering which goes behind the bat, which matches the orange outer border. Youll find his name on a tab in the bottom right corner.
Even PSA 10 copies are fairly affordable, narrowly exceeding $100 at the current time of writing.
Robin Ventura played 16 seasons in MLB for the Chicago White Sox, New York Mets, New York Yankees, and Los Angeles Dodgers respectively.
1988 Topps Traded is a subset, with 132 cards including over 20 members of the U.S. team that won the gold medal at the 1988 Summer Olympics.
However, it was also one of the more over-produced, even compared to the massive print runs that were common at the time.
Its where youll find Venturas RC, which features a crisp profile shot of the player in Team USA gear.
There are also Topps Tiffany versions, which are rarer and were produced on better-quality card stock.
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Topps Traded Robin Ventura
An Olympic star alongside Jim Abbott and Tino Martinez, Ventura developed into one of the best defensive third basemen of his generation and put together a career that wouldnt look totally out of place in Cooperstown.
As it stands, Ventura is mostly a Hall of Very Good type player who is remembered for his, um, fight with Nolan Ryan.
It all adds up to enough limelight trickle to keep his cards warm among collectors.
Value: $20-25
Tino Martinez was Robin Ventura, and Robin Ventura was Tino Martinez.
Both born in 1967.
Both college and Olympic stars.
Both played 16 seasons in the majors.
Both hit around 300 home runs with 1200 or so RBI.
Both played for the Yankees.
Overall, Ventura put up better WAR numbers, Martinez better counting numbers.
And Tino won four World Series during his time in the Bronx, so he probably has a higher profile overall.
But Ventura was a better fielder.
I still cant tell their careers apart, though, and their 1988 Topps Traded cards are both in that mildly-desirable bucket that keeps prices trending upwards with the overall market.
Value: $20-25