The 1960 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the hobby. It marked Topps’ return to the baseball card market after losing the license to Bowman in the late 1950s. The 1960 set featured 542 total cards including career highlights, team checklists, and player cards. It is one of the most popular vintage sets to collect and grade with Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA).
PSA is the leading third-party grading service for trading cards. They authenticate, grade, and encapsulate cards in plastic holders to preserve condition. This allows collectors to easily verify a card’s authenticity and grade. PSA has established population reports that detail how many examples of each card they have graded across all designations from 1 to 10. This data provides collectors with valuable market information when determining card prices.
The 1960 Topps set contains some of the biggest stars from that era including Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Mickey Mantle, and more. Naturally, their rookie and star cards command top dollar. Let’s examine some of the most valuable 1960 Topps cards and what they sell for in top PSA Gem Mint 10 condition according to the population report and recent sales:
Mickey Mantle #253 – As one of the greatest players of all-time, Mantle’s rookie is the crown jewel of the set. In a PSA 10, it has a population of just 30 copies. Recent sales have seen examples reach $250,000-$350,000 at auction depending on the day.
Willie Mays #276 – Another all-time great, Mays’ star rookie consistently fetches six figures. A PSA 10 pop of 41 has sold between $150,000-$200,000.
Hank Aaron #5 – Before breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, Aaron was already a star with the Milwaukee Braves in 1960. His PSA 10 is valued around $50,000-$75,000.
Roberto Clemente #247 – The Hall of Famer’s first Topps issue commands $25,000-$35,000 in top grade with a pop of 52.
Sandy Koufax #257 – One of the best lefties ever, a PSA 10 of Koufax’s rookie has a pop of 69 and sells for $15,000-$20,000.
Beyond the biggest star cards, there are also many affordable gems to be found in high grade from the 1960 Topps set if you don’t have a quarter million dollar budget. Here are some examples and their typical PSA 10 values:
Don Drysdale #194 – $1,500-2,000
Luis Aparicio #60 – $1,000-1,500
Nellie Fox #194 – $800-1,200
Billy Pierce #474 – $600-900
Whitey Ford #62 – $500-750
Jim Bunning #117 – $400-600
Early Wynn #492 – $300-450
Even mid-level stars from the era can be found in the $100-$300 range in top grade. And there are also plenty of affordable commons in the $25-$75 range for builders starting a set. The 1960 Topps set is one of the most popular for collectors to find high grades of due to the smaller print run sizes of the 1950s.
While PSA 10 examples of the biggest stars command five and six figures, there is a market at every price point in this classic issue. Condition is critical, so having cards professionally graded allows buyers and sellers to accurately assess value. The 1960 Topps set is a cornerstone of the vintage baseball card hobby appreciated by collectors of all budgets. With iconic designs and some of the best players of all-time, it’s no wonder this set remains a popular target for grading with PSA decades after production.
