The USA Baseball subset in 1985 Topps introduced the program to the masses, and brought this slugging first basemans first licensed trading card to the forefront of the collectibles industry. And, like the 1980 Topps set that preceded it, the centering and print quality challenges with the 1981 Topps set didn't improve all that much and only boost its value in high grade even more. After an eBay auction that ended in October 2022, one copy sold for an impressive $1,800. Read our methodology . A few months later, the Kansas City Royals took Bo in the fourth round of the 1986 MLB Draft. O-Pee-Chee complies and produces roughly 130 sheets containing 132 different players. Starting off the list of most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is the 1980 Topps George Brett base set card. Nostalgia. Jackson was already a household name when his card appeared in the 1986 Topps Traded set. 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux RC #36 (buy on eBay) We feel the 1987 Greg Maddux Leaf rookie cards is not only one of the most underrated baseball cards of the 1980s but one of the most underrated in all of the card hobby. 1980 Rickey Henderson Topps RC #482 (buy on eBay) The most popular rookie card of one of the greatest ever baseball players. This is undoubtedly why a PSA 10 Tiffany example sells for over $1,900 consistently. This drives the $2,000 price tag behind this legendary players card. The Tiffany version ranks high on our list due to a modest print run of 6,000 sets, but this regular non-Tiffany RC still ranks here because its Griffey. Those 1988 . Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. To some, the selling point might be a little high for a non-rookie card, so how did it land such a high price tag? Another valuable card from the 1985 Topps Tiffany set is the Roger Clemens rookie card #181. Kirby Puckettwas also one of my favorite players as a kid and this card was always among the top of my want list as a young collector. He stayed true to his word and did not sign with the team. After a 25-year hiatus, the 1985 Leaf set marked the brand's return to the hobby since they produced their last set back in 1960. Cant have that. But three years after this RC was released, the lefthander won the first of his two Cy Young awards and went on to earn a plaque in Cooperstown. As I mentioned above, the value goes through the roof when found in gem mint condition. Collectors scramble over each other to obtain the most centered and flawless example whenever they hit the market. Great article. Got thousands baseball football basketball ,and hockey . Not only did Fleer overcompensate with multiple fixes for the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken card, they did the same with Randy Johnsons card #381 from the same set. Bonds' legacy will forever be shadowed in controversy, but with or without PEDs there is no question he was one of the game's most talented players who ever stepped onto the field. . Topps Tiffany cards have glossy surfaces on the front and white card stock on the back. Seems surprising now, but Topps failed to include Griffey in its flagship release in 1989. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as, again, the 1980 Topps set signaled the end of the vintage era. The 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken is a one-of-a-kind error card. The card shows teammate Johnny Ray but has all Barry Bondss information on the front and back. Oversized cards dont fit into traditional sheets and are as popular as a gassy dog on a long car ride. This set is one of the rarest Topps sets ever produced, with less than 100 of each card known today. Growing up in central Indiana, Sandberg was one of the players I was able to watch most frequently and I remember being amazed at his ability to hit for power as a second baseman. Nolan Ryan cards, especially in high grade, remain incredibly popular among hobbyists. Seems like this was a good day. The population report for both the Topps Traded and Topps Traded Tiffany sets will give us some insight into how rare the Tiffany version is. But, how difficult are they to find in PSA 10 condition? And so they parted with a 20-year-old Michigan native named Smoltz, trading him to the Braves for 36-year-old veteran Doyle Alexander. A PSA Mint 9 card is worth $1.2 million, while a PSA NM-MT 8.5 card sells for $700,000. Lets be honest. But this, the only RC of future Hall of Famer Raines pictured alone, is about as close as it gets. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. Making this rookie card, in gem mint condition, the eighteenth most valuable baseball card from the 80s. At season's end, Valenzuela stood with a 13-7 record, 2.48 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts, all good enough to win him both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young honors.Valenzuela remains the only rookie ever to win the Cy Young. For example, the 1989 Topps Heads Up set turned out to be a test issue that the company released to expand its reach into the hot market. So, many collectors dont even know they exist. There are two versions of this card yellow lettering with red Two For the Title came from wax packs. There wasnt a lot to get excited about when the 1987 Fleer Update sets arrived, outside of the first Fleer card of A.L. He also picked up his only Silver Slugger award and was named to his fifteenth All-Star game, seemingly on a surefire trajectory to the Hall of Fame at that point in his career. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 ToppsTony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s. How rare are the Johnny Ray/Barry Bonds error cards? One of the more popular cards from 1985 is the Kirby Puckett rookie card. Even though some baseball cards might not necessarily be iconic, they can stick out in your memory for simpler reasons, and Henderson's second-year card is one of those in my case. 3. Topps decides not to follow through with the set and tells them to dispose of the cards. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps #311 Psa 9. Period. With this card, Fleer became the only manufacturer to produce an XRC and RC of The Rocket. So far, I have found that in 1985, Topps commissioned O-Pee-Chee, its Canadian branch, to make a test mini set similar to the 1975 Topps Mini set. Rather, its a card released during Juniors rookie season. Due to the low print run of the letters in white variation, they are much more valuable than the copies with yellow text. Less than 200 of these "cards" ever passed through PSA's grading facilities, so they're quite rare. In 1989, Jackson ranked fourth in the American League in both home runs, with 32, and RBI, 105. They did eventually fix things in their factory set and in the Leaf printing. But, given its popularity, it became one of the most frequently-submitted cards to third-party grading companies like PSA as collectors sought to capitalize on the high values. The headline: Strawberry Fields Forever. So they printed the cards with the words F**k Face. I didn't know it at the time, but these errors only turned up in factory sets and all my Donruss Opening Day cards had been pulled from packs. My only wish is that a clearer example of the Randy Johnson Marlboro card was shown in #29. And the reverse of O-Pee-Chee cards typically printed text in both English and French because of their role as the major player in the Canadian market. From 1986-90, Davis averaged 30 home runs and 90 RBI, and finished with a .900-plus OPS in three of those seasons. So far, there have been just 22 submitted. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? You'll usually find them on lower-quality card stock or with rough, jagged cuts. The 1985 Leaf set was much smaller than its Donruss counterpart as it included only 264 cards instead of 660. Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6. In 20 years, how will history remember The Crime Dog? Donruss did, letting collectors believe Floyd Bannister was actually Tom Seaver in the first printing of 85 Donruss. I grew up in the 80s and chased many of these cards and ripped hundreds of packs in my days. The hottest baseball card in the Summer of 83 wasnt Sandberg, Gwynn or Boggs. Topps introduced the Bowman line (remember, Topps purchased the Bowman name in the mid-1950s) with this oversized set in 1989. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. And there are several rookie cards in this set. Rookie Card for the frugal shopper. Not only did Ripken break Lou Gehrig's streak for consecutive games played, but he also left a legacy as arguably the greatest shortstop who ever played. And, fortunately for the collecting world, Topps gave him a standalone rookie card when they included him in their 1982 Topps Traded set. 1989 Topps #380 Rickey Henderson. With only 56 found in gem mint condition, they are challenging to find. However, you may wonder why one particular card didn't make the top 25. But, we'll just have to wait and see if voters will ever end up giving a pass to guys like Clemens, Barry Bonds, etc. And pricier. Additionally, the second-year Tiffany sets cards resemble regular-issue variety but feature a high-gloss finish. The whited-out variation has 105 in population while the scribbled-out in white only has 67, which takes 1st place for the rarest variation. Nice touch making Pete the leadoff hitter in the DK lineup. There are no shortage of buyers for this card. Your Account has been confirmed and activated successfully. Yeah, about that. Anyone hear from Bonner or Schneider lately? He'd go on to win 7 Silver Sluggers over his career. Donruss knew something good when they saw it, and made Wally card #1 in the inaugural The Rookies box set. One of the more difficult Mattingly rookie-year releases to find in Mint condition is this Nestle card, found on one of six different uncut sheets. So its safe to say they are scarce. The entire 1988 season was memorable for Gibson as he picked up the only MVP and Silver Slugger awards of his career that year. After tallying 138 wins and 2,416 strikeouts over eight seasons with the California Angles, Nolan Ryan signed a $4.5 million four-year deal with the Houston Astros during the 1979 offseason. He hit four the next year, then exploded with 83 round-trippers from 1986-88. There was a time when the world came together for one thing: finding Wade Boggs Topps RCs. And you get a Griffey Jr. RC! which would have made fun viewing. Top 5 Baseball Cards From the 80s Let's take a look at the top 3 cards from the Decade of Decadence. So far, 2,378 of the Tiffany Bonds rookie cards have been submitted to PSA, which is not very low but not very high. So far, PSA has authenticated and graded only 11 copies. I remember several years ago you could find this card in a PSA 9 holder quite easily for $400 or so, which made it undervalued even back then. Sandberg's status as a Hall of Famer and one of the most beloved Cubs of all-time keeps demand for high grade specimens of his rookie card at lofty price levels. Furthermore, the back also has the O-Pee-Chee logo and a much brighter card stock than the regular issue Topps. He won the next year. Puckett died of a stroke at age 45, becoming the second-youngest man to pass away after already being enshrined in Cooperstown. This can be attributed to several things. The original printing contained a stadium Marlboro sign over the Big Units left shoulder. Theres no Roberto Ramos or Bobby Pate to have to share on the front of this Raines card. It was only available in Canadas O-Pee-Chee baseball packs, as part of the companys emphasis on its nations teams the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos. Many consider this card not only to be the most iconic card of the 1980s but one of the most important in the hobby in general. This makes the PSA 10 population just 4% of the entire graded population. 1981 Donruss wasnt littered with a lot of visually appealing cards. 1989 Topps #530 Nolan Ryan. Those ripping packs of 1989 Upper Deck looking for Ken Griffey Jr. cards did find this RC of a Brewers shortstop who, at the time, was most known for being Dwight Goodens nephew and for his gold front teeth. Few were released because the error was fixed shortly after it was discovered. Read our. Allowing for one of the most valuable Don Mattingly rookie cards to stand out from the rest. Production seemed to multiply from 1984 numbers, and who could blame Donruss for not wanting to leave money on the table? Roger Clemens played for 24 seasons in the MLB and put up some monster stats during his career. "10 Most Valuable 1980s Baseball Cards. But the key card of the set would be of a 20-year-old guy who posted a 2-4 mark and 5.56 ERA in 31 innings the year before. Ungraded & graded values for all '80 Topps Baseball Cards. You want the Rookie Card of the major leagues all-time runs scored and stolen base leader? Like the Bowman Tiffany product line mentioned above, the O-Pee-Chee cards were typically produced in far fewer quantities. And, like Tony Gwynn, Sandberg also appeared in the 1983 O-Pee-Chee set. The All-Star designation on this card seems pretty appropriate. One of the higher-end rookies is the 1984 Topps Tiffany #8 card. Finding them in PSA 10 condition is much tougher, hence the high price tag. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. Sadly, Puckett died of a stroke at the young age of 45 but collectors throughout the hobby will always remember him and his rookie card as one of the best. Thats a joke. Like anything in life, demand couldn't keep up with that increasing supply. After pacing the league in strikeouts during seven of his previous eight seasons with the Angels, nearly everyone expected that he would be at the top every year. This Topps RC while maybe not as coveted as the Donruss RC was at the time, but pretty darn close still is very recognizable and stands the test of time as one of the 1980s key Rookie Cards. This was one of the most popular Bonds RCs pulled from packs in 87. There is a lot of speculation about how it hit the market with no definitive answers. It is collectible from the get-go, with only 5,000 Tiffany sets printed in 85. Will it be as one of his eras most prolific sluggers, whose name was never linked to performance enhancing drugs? And 5 to 10 of each in blank back proof. Many collectors prefer the 1952 card, but the 1951 Bowman is still a piece of baseball history. With just 29 of the 1,000 Gwynn rookies submitted graded gem mint 10, finding one for auction will be complicated. And everybody paid good money for it two years later when McGwire was slugging his way to 49 home runs as a rookie. A raw and un-graded Rickey Henderson rookie card in less-than-mint condition sells anywhere from $30 to $50. When found in gem mint condition, these sell for $1,500, on average. The Best Topps Baseball Rookie Card from Each Year - 1952-2020 The following list includes a year-by-year breakdown of the most valuable card for each flagship Topps baseball set from. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800 Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. Interestingly, he bounced back in 1981 to dominate not in strikeouts but by turning in an incredible 1.69 ERA with a .688 winning percentage, both career bests, while finishing fourth in Cy Young voting. Top 50 Most Valuable baseball rookie cards. Thats okay. The ten-time All-Star who could hit and field with the best of him and his charismatic personality made him quite the popular ball player among not only Twins fans but baseball fans in general. One of the most important cards of the post-WWII era, ushering in a new, premium brand into the baseball card aisles and leading off that ground-breaking set with the Rookie Card of arguably the most impactful player of his era. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. O-Pee-Chee cards can be distinguished by the O-Pee-Chee logos on the front and the back. New companies, new technologies and a booming marketplace all brought the hobby into the mainstream. Or take Joe Montana's pass to Dwight Clark in the back of the end zone during the 1981 NFC Championship Game against the Dallas Cowboys. That ones found in the main 1989 Donruss set. And you thought Lex Luthor had a lot of brain power . In today's market, expect to pay around $400 for the base version of this card in gem mint condition and around $11,000 for the Tiffany version. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. Now that he's forever a Los Angeles sports hero, Gibson's rookie card is a must-have. With the hunter green borders, clip art of a baseball hat with team names, and the vintage Topps logo, this card screams, collect me! His 5,714 career strikeouts are an MLB record by a significant margin. all different years. Author Jon Gold. But, when you add a name like Nolan Ryan (or Rickey Henderson above) to the mix then the price only skyrockets. So far, PSA has graded roughly 1,550 of the Pete Rose #180 cards. This example looks similar to his far less valuable 1987 Topps rookie card; however, this is the O-Pee-Chee version. Free shipping for many products! The greatest lead-off hitter in the entirety of baseball history, Rickey Henderson finds no equal in the career rankings for both stolen bases and runs scored, keeping the spirit of the Dead Ball Era alive into the twenty-first century. Because he DHd for much of the second half of his 22-year career, people tend to forget what a great player Baines was through much of the 80s. Well done. He won 10 Gold Glove awards, batted an even .300 over 17 years and finished less than 300 hits shy of 3,000. Organize and price your collections as we offer instant access to the world's leading trading card and collectibles databases, including baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards, non-sports cards, gaming cards and more. And, the fact that it was "almost his rookie card" made it even more special to us. You were royalty. The leading destination for sports card and collectible enthusiasts. And then got his own baseball card. Eric Davis was the choice of many collectors hoarding cards in the age of the era of stash-and-sell. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying to her studio guests, You get a Griffey Jr. RC! When found in gem mint condition, these demand upwards of $2,000. Four straight Cy Youngs. With only 190 gem mint 10s in population, they are considered one of his rarest and most valuable rookie cards. While others bought and sold lots of this XRC, smart buyers figured What the heck, and bought the limited edition glossy Tiffany version. Some hold out hope that baseball will someday forgive him and allow the all-time hits leader into the Hall of Fame, but it still seems highly unlikely. When it was included in Fleers legendary 1984 Update set, many collectors were baffled by the image of Rose in the rouge, blanc et bleu of the Montreal Expos. After Docs record-breaking 1984 season, Topps opted for a non-pitching shot of the dominating righthander. The most valuable 1980s baseball cards hit that defnition "valuable" on multiple fronts. As the first sentence reads on the back of this card: Every year Pete Rose shatters another baseball record.. Website . A key card in the Summer of 87 when McGwire was belting a then-rookie record 49 home runs. The rarity of the Bo Jackson Highlights in White rookie card is quite impressive. They also hold memories of pulling these cards from the packs or going to games and seeing these players in person. It is, without a doubt, one of his more valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. And you get to learn that in French, you would refer to Outfield as Voltigeur. This set was printed by McDag Productions and features popular players at the time, including Bo Jackson and Frank Thomas. Making this example 1 of only 13 in existence. These "Fleer Glossy" cards were printed on higher quality cardboard and contained a much glossier finish on them. Lets take a look a the population report. Of course, I'm talking about the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card: During the recent hobby boom, prices of this card in PSA 10 holders soared beyond $5,000. It didnt take long for those busting 82 Fleer to realize that John Littlefields card featured a reverse negative, making the righthander a lefty on the card front. 1989 Topps Traded #57T Randy Johnson. When I was a kid, my older brother traded for this card and, at the time, we both admired it as it was one of the oldest cards either of us had in our collections. But that doesnt mean this true rookie-year glossy card of a Hall of Famer (he did pitch 31 innings in 1986, not enough for rookie status) doesnt have its place in collections. "Fernandomania" still lives on with many collectors and they're willing to pay up for this card in PSA 10 condition. Because of their relative scarcity compared to the base Bowman version, these Griffey rookies can fetch huge prices in top condition. Shop the 1986 Donruss Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps baseball cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars base set card, Shop the 1982 Topps Lee Smith rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1981 Topps Pete Rose baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Trade Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Kirby Puckett rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds rookie cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Topps Tiffany Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1988 Best Ken Griffey Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1983 O-Pee-Chee Tony Gwynn rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Mark McGwire rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, 565 of the Tiffany Traded Bo Jackson rookies, Shop the 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 Barry Bonds rookie card error on eBay, Shop the 1980 WBTV Cal Ripken Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card on eBay, 8 Best Baseball Cards to Collect in 2022 Hall of Fame Potential, Best Chipper Jones rookie card & baseball card list. Nothing spectacular about this Pete Rose card besides its very low PSA 10 population report. That said, there's no questioning how talented Clemens really was as he was mowing down opposing batters right from the beginning of his career well before the PED scandal took place. The young, bearded lefty poses in his White Sox uniform on his 1981 Topps rookie card, which has received a nice boost in price ever since his Hall of Fame induction. Mint 9s sell for about $200 on average. Baltimore News Babe Ruth Pre Rookie Card with yellow background. Thats an incredible difference in availability. Most Valuable Fleer Baseball Cards. I remember being in that late-80s baseball card collecting frenzy, and seeing the majority of these cards. It holds the #5 spot on this list by consistently reaching prices over $5,000 when found in PSA 10 conditions. According to the PSA website, the 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC is Mantle's only rookie card. And many of those weren't even licensed by Major League Baseball. PSA has seen just 516 of the O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie cards. Furthermore, the cardstock on the Tiffany cards is bright white instead of yellow or grey, making them much more appealing. Card Number. "100 Most Valuable Baseball Cards: The All-Time Dream List." Baseball Reference. Winning the gold medal in the 1988 Olympic games, pitching against and beating Japan in the championship game, was one of the best things that could have happened to Jim Abbott. Yet only seventeen examples have achieved the services highest honor, making it one hundred times as rare as Mint 9 representations. The 1983 season saw the Rookie Cards of four players break out Sandberg, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn and Ron Kittle. Everybody wanted one. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. However, the Bo Jackson football cards have reached prices upwards of $1,500. So, if you want a copy in gem mint condition, prepare to dish out over $800. Everyone wants to collect the best of the best, and Nolan Ryan is at the top of the list. The third key Hall of Fame rookie card in the iconic 1983 Topps set belongs to Chicago Cubs legend, Ryne Sandberg. 1986 Donruss Highlights cards have two versions printed. Fernandos 1981 Topps Traded appears elsewhere on this list, but this is Valenzuelas actual Topps RC. The hype surrounding Ken Griffey Jr. turned out to be well-placed as the legendary slugger went on to a Hall of Fame career. However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. A Ripken Jr. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The vintage and prewar market is at least partially driven by the "Holy Grail" of cards, the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner. He deserves so much more than that. I personally love 80s baseball cards and have some in my personal collection that are worth more than just the monetary value. Also, this seems to be available in fewer quantities than Topps and Donruss Clemens efforts in 1985. But Fleer did have a moment of lapsed competency when it spelled Graig Nettles name as Craig (with a C) on the card back. And, you guessed it, the Tiffany version is even more valuable in PSA 10 condition. It was the be-spectacled Ron Kittle, who slugged home runs a very, very far distance and at a rate that caught fans and collectors attention. Nobody seriously, nobody could have seen 305 wins and the Hall of Fame in his future. Which doesnt make them very exciting. We love the '80s (and '90s) baseball cards: The top 15 sets of the era | Sporting News KAN MIN 1:10p -250 BAL DET 3:40p -127 CHC MIA 3:40p -120 PIT WAS 4:05p -124 SEA TOR 4:07p -108 ATL NYM 4:10p. 1980 Topps Baseball Cards 30 Most Valuable. PSA 9 examples have sold for upwards of $6,000. The fans roared their approval and Winfield shook his hand with a knowing glance. It was Johnson who fared better over his career, collecting five Cy Young awards including four in a row while winning 303 games and landing in Cooperstown. The third and fourth are the hardest and come close to a tie. Only 51 made it into a PSA 10 cases of those submitted. 4,700 versions of Henderson's 1980 rookie card have been put forward for grading by the BVG and of those only one has been graded as a 10 giving it a worth well into the thousands. If you do not receive the verification code within 60 Seconds, we will send you the activation link again. Donruss sold a lot of 86 Donruss packs for this Canseco card alone. the more valuable the card. For whatever reason, some moments in sports history seem to resonate with people in such a way that they almost become locked in memory. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Fleer may have a shorter history than some in the hobby, but they produced some real zingers during their run. Indeed, Grace went on to collect the most hits of any player during the Decade of the 1990s. Of the many Barry Bonds rookie cards, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany rookie card is one of the most valuable. great flinders football league results,