In the postseason, Cabrera was predictably excellent. 0% With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. Top 15 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1960s - PSA COLLECTOR Another obscure and rarely seen card, the 1915 E106 American Caramel Honus Wagner Throwing variation is just as much of a classic. 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. The question is: where do you start on this list? The famous Pittsburg Pirate shortstop is shown ready at the bat with his name Hans along the bottom border of the card. Surprisingly, many dont even consider him the best pitcher ever, though. Two decades of pro ball were catching up to Ichiro. 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. But there was plenty to like about their accomplishments before the season's heartbreaking finale. Especially his American Caramel E90-1 rookie card on which he is shown leaning on his bat against a purple backdrop. 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. While he cooled off from that torrid pace, the now two-time All-Star was still one of the game's most feared hitters. Most cards in the T206 set are not rare but the Honus Wagner cards are because they were pulled from production early. Not many players were as consistent as Musial was over their careers as he went on to win seven batting titles and three MVP awards. Then they went 9-18 in the campaign's final month, losing out on a playoff spot by a game to St. Louis with a season-ending five-game losing streak. 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. Considered one of the toughest post-war cards to collect, Leroy Satchel Paiges rookie card is a key to this set along with rookie cards of Jackie Robinson and Stan Musial. 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. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC #4. Those that have been found in high grade are thought to have never been packaged and instead left the factory by hand. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. His 3,003rd hit (and last of the day) was an RBI single that put the Yankees ahead for good in the 8th. 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. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '21 Topps Chrome Baseball Cards. 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. 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. Poor print quality and focus plague this short print card making high-grade copies nearly unachievable. Its an extremely tough card to find in high grade. And he pitched with a tenacious on-mound presence in the toughest of game situations. From autographs and relics to silk cards, glove leather cards and exclusive online cards, there was so much variety for collectors to chase. Conditions of these cards are not very good but even a PSA 4 is expected to bring in roughly $900,000. 26 Most Valuable 1986 Topps Baseball Cards In The World His incredible career makesStan Musial baseball cards extremely popular with collectors. Babe Ruth rookie cardsare also part of the 1916 M101-4 Sporting News set that is believed to have been printed shortly after the M101-5 set. 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. His five complete games and epic, generation-defining showdowns with San Francisco's Tim Lincecum were jolts of electricity for a Dodgers fan base desperate for a winner. However, he still put together a worthy encore to his 2010 breakthrough. 1986 Topps Tiffany Ryne Sandberg Chicago Cubs Card 7. Natl along the bottom before the error was corrected. An SGC 2 Example Sold in August 2022 for $7,250,000. 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. 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. 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. In four starts against Lincecum, Kershaw went 4-0 with a minuscule 0.30 ERA in 30.1 innings pitched. He also posted what many believe to be the greatest single season for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. Even though it is not Mickey Mantles official rookie card it is definitely his most important. Ungraded & graded values for all '20 Topps Baseball Cards. This still ranks among the most popular baseball cards of all-time. (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to current eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.) Big names like Albert Pujols, Ichiro, David Ortiz, Derek Jeter, Miguel Cabrera and Clayton Kershaw help round out a solid checklist. The 1954 Wilson Franks Ted Williams baseball card is one of if not the most important regional card ever produced. However, it just isnt as often found in high grade as #53. Produced in 1915 by the American Caramel Company of York, Pennsylvania, the E106 set consists of 48 different cards, including two varieties of the legendary Ty Cobb. Two hits shy heading into a July 9th home game against the Tampa Bay Rays, Jeter took his spot as the 28th member of the 3,000-hit club with a 5-for-5 day now etched in Yankees lore. 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. 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. Bowman did not include him in their 1953 set so that makes his Topps card of that year even more sought after. 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. 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. The most important post-war card in the hobby, price movements of the 1952 Topps #311Mickey Mantle baseball cardare often seen as an indicator of the health of the sports card market overall. Most Expensive 2022 Topps 1st Edition Baseball Cards - SportsCardsPro This is no doubt one of the most sought after cards of one of the games best pitchers of all time. 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 White Cap variation is considered to be the most difficult of the three Mathewson cards, but the Portrait is the most popular. Exact prices are available to subscribers. On the plus side, Chapman struck out 71 batters and gave up just 24 hits in a variety of high-leverage situations. 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. buy stuff after clicking links on our site And I attempted to estimate their current values when graded in PSA 10 condition so their "raw" or ungraded values may be wildly different. Distracting print lines usually hold this card back from higher grades, though. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded 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. Who knows what a high grade example of this card would go for? Although past his prime, he still achieved success in the Majors and was twice named an All-Star. Not surprisingly, Cobbs card is the cornerstone and to the set. 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. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco RC #215 VIEW ON EBAY Winner, winner chicken dinner. But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. His 1951 Bowman issue is his only recognized rookie card and along with the Mantle rookie is the key to the entire set. 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. 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. He missed 36 games in 2011, slashing .275/.344/.470 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs in 455 at-bats for Cox's handpicked successor, Fredi Gonzalez. Demand for Clementes rookie card has skyrocketed over the past couple of years. A PSA Gem Mint 10 #128 Aaron sold for $357,594 in 2012, a price that would easily be overcome in todays market. However, at the beginning of his career, things didn't go so smoothly for Goldschmidt after he made his MLB debut on August 1, 2011, against the San Francisco Giants. So why would one of his cards be so expensive? Most Expensive 2023 Topps Baseball Cards Most Expensive 2023 Topps card list & price guide. Ungraded & graded values for all '05 Topps Baseball Cards. #1. The find has since been dubbed The Lucky 7 find. While his 1952 Topps card is more popular and more expensive, some collectors forget that this is the only recognizedMantle rookie card. These are the Top 3 Most Valuable Baseball Cards Worth Money. Some argue that this is Mickey Mantles most beautiful card. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, Bernie Williams, and Larry Walker all claim Class of '90. The Say Hey Kidwas arguably the greatest all-around player to step on the field. 2005 Topps card list & price guide. Nadja was a brand name of the Blake-Wenneker Candy Co. of St Louis and the set features 62 cards in total. That production boosted his legend and popularity making him one of the most highly collected players in the hobby. 1990 Topps #414 Frank Thomas Rookie Card Estimated PSA 10 Value: $175 Check prices on: Amazon Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card is supposed to look like when his full name appears at the bottom of the card. Its arguably the most visually pleasing and desirable of all the Ted Williams baseball cards in the hobby. 1,000$?! Valuable 1985 Topps Baseball Cards #1985topps # As with Mantles 1952 Topps card, some still mistake this card as Mays rookie, too. And this is one of the few Ruth cards overall that show him in a Boston Red Sox uniform. 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. At the tender age of 22, Sale made his full-season debut with the Sox as a high-leverage reliever. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. 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). PSA 10s in the card have commanded more than $40,000, but since '78 Topps has a notorious history of off-centered printing, there are so few gem mints out there. Youll typically find that #160 shows whiter borders and a lighter blue background, too. 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. This is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the HOF pitcher. The 31-year-old superstar ended the year slashing .299/.366/.541 with 37 home runs, 29 doubles, 105 runs scored, and 99 RBIs in 651 plate appearances (579 at-bats). 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. I like Posey's rookie cup card #198 from Series One better than this card that appeared in Series Two from an aesthetic standpoint. 1990 Bowman Tiffany Sammy Sosa Rookie Card Price: $750 The 1990 Bowman Baseball set features an impressive rookie class. Over twelve seasons, Martinez has played for the Astros, Detroit Tigers, Arizona Diamondbacks, and Boston Red Sox, with whom he's been since 2018. He ended the year with a 2.79 ERA, striking out 79 batters in 71.0 innings pitched.