Collecting baseball cards has become one of the most valuable hobbies in America. The value of rare and unique cards keeps rising to a new streak. The rising demand for baseball cards has recorded a new high, estimated to be well above $6 million. Below are the ten most valuable baseball cards.
Why Do Baseball Cards Have Value?
A baseball card becomes valuable due to its rarity, uniqueness, errors, and market demands. Card value is also deeply linked with social status, which is why so many buyers covet them.
Baseball is “America’s favorite pastime”, which is why owning baseball cards gives you high respect. Similarly, due to the high prices of these cards, card owners use these collectibles as a sign of wealth.
10. Jackie Robinson: 1952 Topps
The tenth most valuable baseball card falls slightly under the $1 million value range. The Jacke Robinson card currently costs $960,000 after a striking deal by Heritage Auctions in May 2021.
The current Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) circulation records are 1,018, with only 11 receiving the PSA-9 grading. Jack Roosevelt is famous for his title breaking record after being the first black Baseball player to play in the major league. Consequently, these cards will continue to receive massive demand.
9. Reggie Jackson: 1969 Topps
The Heritage Auction saw the sale of the Reggie Jackson card at $1,005,600 in February 2021. With a PSA 10 rating, this card outshines the other 7084 rookie cards by Reggie Jackson.
The card gained popularity in a Hall of Fame Voting, where it scored a 93.6% eligibility pass. In turn, the card received a broad demand from many Baseball card collectors. With the current 9th position, we expect rising values of Jackson’s collectible.
8. Lou Gehrig: 1925 Exhibits
The Lou Gehrig baseball card was sold at $1,032,000 by Memory Lanes Auctions in July 2021. The card is an original from the Exhibit Supply Company (ESCO) to Henry L. Gehrig.
The card has a record of a population of only 25 cards in the PSA circulation. From the total, 22 cards grade as PSA-5 while the other 3 cards rate even higher. In addition to a batting average of 340, Lou Gehrig is famous for remarkably playing all 13 consecutive plays.
7. Roberto Clemente: 1955 Topps Rookie Card
The Clemente Rookie card is coming in at the seventh position, which values $1,107,000. The card reached this value at Goldin Auctions in March 2021.
This #164 card is in high demand owing to the excellent fan base surrounding Roberto Clemente. Roberto is one of the greatest baseball players of the 1950s. He also earned his reputation from his off-field humanitarian acts. These two attributes warmed the hearts of most baseball fans, thus making his card one of the most sought-after.
6. Sporting News Babe Ruth: 1916 M101-4
Babe Ruth’s cards set the pace to place their mark amongst the most valuable cards to own. Selling for $1,452,000 in July 2021 by Memory Lane Auctions is currently the third most valuable card from legendary Babe Ruth. The PSA-6 graded card has a recording of only 10 cards in circulation, thus placing it among the rare valuables in sports.
5. Mike Trout: 2009 Bowman Chrome Superfractor
The Goldin Auctions sold the Trout Bowman baseball card in August 2020 for $3,840,000. In 2012, Mike Trout won an AL Rookie of the year. At the same time, Mike is famous for his 25th draft by the LA Angeles Straight of High School rankings. Being a Super Fractor, the card is among the rarest in the world since it is the only card in circulation.
4. Babe Ruth:1933 Goudey
Amongst all officially known cards featuring Babe Ruth, the yellow #53 card is the most valuable. An auction by Memory Lane Auctions sold the card for $4,212,000 in July 2021. The Goudey yellow card came up as a tribute from the Goudey Gum Company to the Sultan of Swat. The four-piece tribute in history’s most influential set, the 1933 Goudey set to honor Babe Ruth.
3. Mickey Mantle: 1952 Topps
At the beginning of 2021, the Mantle card had set the record by beating the Honus Wagner card, with a $5,200,000 description by PWCC Marketplace. However, by the end of the year, the card is placed third among the top 10 most valuable sports and baseball cards.
The Mantle card follows Mantle’s reign in the baseball games with the New York Yankees. Mickey scored 536 home runs and seven World Series titles following this membership. The existing circulation of the Mickey Mantle’s card stands at 1,457 in the PSA-7 category, with six and three cards obtaining PSA 9 and PSA 10 approvals consecutively.
2. Ruth:1914 Baltimore News
Babe Ruth’s Baltimore News card was sold at $6,000,000 in private trading. Before June 2021, the price of the Baltimore card was hidden from the public. Babe Ruth’s card is VG3-rated by SGC and is estimated to have only 10 cards in circulation – leading to its rarity, thus increasing its value.
1. Honus Wagner: 1909-1911 T206 The Sweet Caporal
In August 2021, Robert Edwards Auctions set its new high by selling the Sweet Caporal card for $6,606,296 to an unidentified buyer. The VG3 card is estimated to have a global production between 25 to 200 but a current existence of approximately 50 cards. Thus, placing it among the rarest cards in circulation.
Wagner’s card was the first ever to reach a $1 million streak and has since grown its value into maintaining its all-time worth. Currently, this card tops as the most expensive baseball card as well as the most expensive sports card overall.
