Mickey Mantle — 1952 Topps
Mickey Mantle is a name known by even non-sports fans. A Hall of Famer and three-time MVP for the New York Yankees, Mantle will forever be considered one of baseball’s greatest players. As a result, his baseball cards are highly sought after. In 2018, a ’52 Mantle was sold for nearly $2.9 million. While that number is astronomical, it is nothing compared the same card fetched this year. In January 2021, the Mint PSA 9 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle sold for $5.2 million. Three Gem Mint PSA 10’s exist…imagine what they would fetch if they are sold.
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Roberto Clemente — 1955 Topps
Like Mantle, Roberto Clemente is regarded as one of the sport’s all-time greats. An MVP, two-time World Series champion, and Hall of Famer for the Pittsburgh Pirates, Clemente’s life was tragically cut short when he died in a plane crash following the 1972 season. Following the tragedy, Clemente’s memorabilia became increasingly desired. In 2015, a Clemente rookie card sold for $310,700. Just one year later, a PSA 9 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente rookie card shattered that number — selling for $478,000 at an auction.
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Derek Jeter — 1993 Upper Deck SP Foil
Nicknamed ‘The Captain’ and ‘Mr. November’, Derek Jeter was recently enshrined in the Hall of Fame after receiving 396 of 397 possible votes. One of the best players to ever don a Yankees uniform, Jeter’s memorabilia has seen an uptick in recent years as his enshrinement became imminent. When it comes to this card, it is hard to find a perfect one. Due to the foil coating and dark edges, many of the cards come out of the pack showing some damage. Regardless, even a mid-level grade can net you around $500. If you have a mint Jeter card, it may go for $1,000 or more.
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Babe Ruth — 1914 Baltimore News
For many, Babe Ruth is the face of baseball. Ruth played his final game in 1935, but his legend remains as large as ever. Despite being out of the sport for more than 80 years, Ruth memorabilia remains at the top of the hobby. Back in 2012, a 1914 Baltimore News Ruth card sold for $575,000 — and it was only graded a 2. Fast-forward nine years, another Ruth card was valued at roughly $6 million. While the final price hasn’t been revealed, it has been said the card went for more than the $5.2 million Mantle card.
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Ken Griffey Jr. — 1990 Topps #336
Ken Griffey Jr. is the man. During his playing days, Griffey was the coolest player in baseball. The Hall of Famer had a gorgeous swing, he was fast, always appeared to be happy, wore his hat backwards as often as he could, and oozed swag. As a result, fans and collectors have continued to love the Mariner well past his playing days. While this particular card isn’t going to generate a ton of money, you can still fetch a few hundred dollars for one in good condition.
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Roger Clemens — 1984 Fleer Update
For the younger generation, Roger Clemens is perhaps remembered for his time as a New York Yankee. However, the controversial superstar made his Major League debut with the Red Sox — and stayed in Boston for the first 13 years of his career. This Clemens card from the 1984 Fleer Update set came out during Rocket’s rookie year. Similar to the Griffey Jr. card we just discussed, this Clemens rookie card can go for a few hundred dollars if it is in good condition.
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Dwight Gooden — 1984 Fleer Update
The same year Roger Clemens announced his presence in the American League with the Red Sox, the National League’s New York Mets introduced a generational talent of their own in Dwight Gooden. Gooden dominated baseball right out of the gates, going 17-9 with 276 strikeouts en route to finishing second for the Cy Young. Gooden’s rookie card comes from the same set — 1984 Fleer Update — as Clemens’ rookie card, and generates a similar return. In good condition, Gooden’s rookie card can go for $200-300.
Image Source: PSA
Pete Rose/Pedro Gonzalez/Ken McMullen/Al Weis — 1963 Topps
At first glance, this card looks pretty weird. The heads of four players are floating inside red circles. In particular, Al Weis didn’t look ready for his picture to be taken. Pete Rose is easily the biggest star included on this card. Despite his banishment from the sport, Rose is acknowledged as a legend of the game. Despite the three other men combining for zero All-Star nods, this card has remained popular. In 2016, a grade-10 version of this card sold for an absurd $717,000.
Image Source: PSA
Bo Jackson — 1990 Donruss #61
Bo Jackson was an absolute stud. A Pro Bowl running back in the NFL and an All-Star game MVP in Major League Baseball, Jackson’s athletic ability is nearly unmatched. Jackson’s lone All-Star nod came in 1989 while playing for the Kansas City Royals. Due to his popularity, Jackson’s merch was a hot ticket. So, when Donruss released its 1990 cards, Bo’s card was one of the biggest draws. Currently, a pristine version of this card can sell for around $300-500.
Image Source: PSA
Stan Musial — 1948 Bowman
Stan ‘The Man’ Musial. Quite the nickname, and a fitting one at that. Musial is one of the greatest hitters of all-time. The lifelong Cardinal won three MVPs, three World Series, seven Batting Titles, and was a 24-time All-Star. This 1948 Bowman card was released during Musial’s final MVP season. With that factoring in, this has become one of the more sought-after Musial cards. If you are able to get your hands on a well-preserved ’48, you may have $1,000 card in your possession.
Image Source: PSA
Albert Pujols — 2001 Bowman Autographed
This is a card that should only gain value over the next few years. This card features Albert Pujols taking one of his trademark hacks. Pujols is currently putting some final touches on his Hall of Fame career, and has a chance to become just the fourth player to hit 700 home runs. If you are lucky enough to own an autographed Pujols rookie card, you may find yourself bringing in a few thousand dollars down the line. Hold onto this one for now.
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Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman — 1968 Topps Rookie
Much like the Pete Rose four-player card we looked at a few slides ago, this Nolan Ryan/Jerry Koosman card has been sold for a ton of money. Now, it must be mentioned that this card is not particularly rare. Close to 8,000 of these cards have been sent in for grading. If you are lucky enough to have your card returned with a grade-9, your card has a value of around $20-30,000. However, a grade-10 would bring in the huge bucks. So far, the lone grade-10 Ryan/Koosman card was sold for $612,359 at auction. Talk about a win.
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Honus Wagner — T206
The T206 Honus Wagner is the Holy Grail of sports cards. The cards were produced between 1909-1911, and there are only a handful in the world that are in decent condition. One particular T206 was sold for $2,500 in 1976…and the same card fetched $1.2 million in 2012. However, that is chump change compared to a recent sale. On August 15, 2021, a T206 was sold for $6.606 million — making it the highest-selling sports card of all-time. Considering recent trends, it wouldn’t be shocking to see this card go for close to $10 million in the future.
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Cal Ripken Jr. — 1982 Topps Traded
The popular Topps Traded expansion set of 1982 featured Ripken’s rookie card. Ripken would go onto win the American League Rookie of the Year in ’82, and followed up his stellar debut season by winning the MVP in ’83. This particular card won’t net you a fortune if you have one in your collection. However, one in good condition can result in a few hundred dollars. This card is known to damage easily. If you have one, protect it well before its value drops.
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Frank Thomas — 1990 Topps Error
If you are a collector, you are well aware that error cards can net a ton of money. And while this Frank Thomas rookie year error card won’t go for as much as some Pokémon misprints, it still brings in some serious dough. The front of this Topps card is missing some crucial information. You know, it may be beneficial to include the player’s name. A pristine Thomas rookie card can sell for a lot of money. This particular card is thought to be worth anywhere from $1,000 to $10,000 depending on its condition.
Image Source: PSA
Chipper Jones — 1991 Desert Shield
We know him as Chipper, but his birth name is Larry Wayne Jones. Yeah, Chipper sounds much better. An MVP and Hall of Famer who spent his entire career with the Atlanta Braves, Chipper didn’t make his Major League debut until 1993. This card was part of a special Topps set from 1991 called “Desert Shield”. The set contains normal base cards as well as holograms. If you have a Chipper hologram, your card could be worth a few hundred dollars.
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Babe Ruth — 1916 Sporting News
Babe Ruth, pitcher — Boston Red Sox. Ruth is best-known for being a home run hitting machine for the New York Yankees, but the icon was quite accomplished on the mound as well. Over the course of his career, Ruth went 94-46, threw 17 shutouts, and posted a 2.28 ERA. This rookie card features Ruth pitching, and is unsurprisingly worth a ton of money. In March 2021, a grade-6 sold for $940,831.20. Three months later, another grade-6 was sold for $1.45 million.
Image Source: PSA
Shoeless Joe Jackson — 1909 American Caramel
While not as desired as the Honus Wagner card, this Shoeless Joe Jackson card is also very rare. This 1909 card was, like the T206 Wagner, manufactured by a tobacco company. Shoeless Joe is infamous for his lifetime ban (thanks to his alleged role in the Chicago Black Sox 1919 scandal) — and thus is a popular figure for collectors. There have been a handful of these cards sold in recent years. In July, a grade-2 was sold for $20,000. In 2016, a grade-5 fetched over $143,000. The most expensive sale to date? In 2019, a grade-8 went for $667,189.
Image Source: PSA
Hank Aaron — 1954 Topps
Depending on how you feel about the past 30 years of baseball, you may still consider Hank Aaron to be the home run king. Aaron finished his historic career with 755 homers, and is currently second on the all-time HR leaderboard. The card featured in this image is Aaron’s only rookie card. Produced by Topps in 1954, this card has held up very well over the years — and even if yours isn’t in great condition, you can make a good amount of money. The most recent grade-1 to sell (PSA) went for over $1,000. On the higher end, a Near-Mint 8 went for $51,264. In May 2021, a Mint 9 sold for $430,500. Three months earlier, a Mint 9 fetched a cool $645,000.
Image Source: PSA
Mickey Mantle — 1951 Bowman
Yep, another valuable Mickey Mantle card. While the Topps Mantle card is far more valuable, this Bowman card is no slouch. An official rookie card, the ’51 Bowman has a unique look that helps drive up the price. Even in poor condition, this card has sold for upwards of $14,000. Cards that have been given a grade of 5 have gone for up to $56,000. Grade 8’s have reached above $600,000, while one-of-three grade 9’s has peaked at $750,000. Time to dig out your old collection and search for gold.
Image Source: PSA
Ty Cobb — 1909 T206 ‘Bat Off Shoulder’
Yet another gem from the T206 set — Ty Cobb. Arguably the greatest hitter of all-time, Cobb amassed 4,189 hits and owns baseball’s highest batting average of all-time (.366). In the T206 set, there were cards that featured Cobb with the bat on his shoulder and others where it was off. So far, the ‘Bat Off Shoulder’ has been more valuable to do the condition of the cards. In July 2021, a Near-Mint Grade 8 sold for $138,000.
Image Source: PSA
Joe Doyle — 1911 ATC T206
Slow Joe Doyle was not an overly special talent. Over the course of five seasons, Doyle went 22-21 with a respectable 2.85 ERA. So, why is this card so valuable? For the same reason the Frank Thomas card and all of those Pokémon cards fetch top dollars — because of an error. Doyle spent his years playing for the New York Highlanders (Yankees), but the T206 set mistakenly included ‘NAT’L’, which would have meant Doyle played for the Giants. Because of its rarity, the Doyle card was sold for $312,000 a few years ago.
Image Source: PSA
Jose Canseco — 1986 Donruss #39
Jose Canseco made a name for himself on the diamond and has stayed in the spotlight despite his MLB-career ending 20 years ago. An MVP and six-time All-Star, Canseco was a very good player during his time. He hit 462 homers and won two World Series. However, he is now often remembered as the man who opened up about steroid use in baseball. Regardless of what he is best known for nowadays, the fact is Canseco’s rookie card is worth something. The 1986 Rookie of the Year, Canseco’s rookie card can reach $1,000 if its in great condition.
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Ken Griffey Jr. — 1989 Upper Deck Rookie
Back to Griffey Jr. we go. This 1989 Upper Deck Rookie card is viewed as Griffey’s best rookie card. If you own one of these cards, you should look at the back of it before sending it in to be graded. Many Griffey cards from this year are known to have a factory wrinkle on the backside of the card. Unfortunately, this lowers the value significantly. However, pristine cards can go for a good chunk of change. While most grade-10’s seem to hover around $2,000, one grade-10 sold in September 2021 for more than $15,000.
Image Source: Heritage Auctions’ Sports
Willie Mays — 1952 Topps
We started with a very valuable card, so let’s end with one. Joining Mickey Mantle in the 1952 Topps set is Willie Mays. Also a Hall of Famer, Mays was in his second season when this card was released. Cards that receive a rating between 1-5 can fetch between $1,000-$28,000. Two grade-8 cards sold in 2021 for upwards of $233,000 apiece. Since 2016, five PSA 9’s have been sold. The cheapest went for $235,201 and the most expensive card fetched $478,000.
Image Source: Heritage Auctions’ Sports