The 1997 Topps baseball card set featured some major stars and rookie cards that have become highly valuable collectibles over the past 25 years. The set had 792 total cards and was known for including several future Hall of Famers as well as emerging young talents who would go on to have stellar careers. Some of the key cards from the 1997 Topps set that collectors still seek out today include:
Ken Griffey Jr. (#1) – Widely considered one of the best all-around players of the 1990s, Griffey was in the prime of his decorated career with the Seattle Mariners in 1997. His card was the flagship #1 spot in the set and remains one of Topps’s most iconic singles of the decade. Griffey’s smooth left-handed swing and gold glove-caliber defense in center field made him a star and his high-numbered rookie cards from 1989 are still some of the costliest in the hobby.
Larry Walker (#85) – The former Montreal Expos outfielder was in the middle of his lone season with the Colorado Rockies in 1997 after being traded from Montreal. That year he would go on to win the National League batting title with a .366 average to go along with 49 home runs and 130 RBI, finishing second in MVP voting. Those dazzling stats that season have made his ’97 Topps card a key Rockies piece and one of the standouts from the set.
Edgar Martinez (#131) – Martinez was in the midst of his decorated career as the Seattle Mariners’ full-time designated hitter in 1997, coming off a season where he led the league with a .374 batting average and 145 RBI to finish third in MVP voting. His #131 card memorializes his status as one of the best DHs in baseball history and is a crucial piece for any collector of Mariners or Hall of Fame stars considering Martinez’s election to Cooperstown in 2019.
Derek Jeter (#182) – Already an established star by 1997, Jeter’s slick fielding and timely hitting for the World Series champion New York Yankees made him one of the sport’s rising superstars. His #182 card from this set is the premiere rookie card for one of the greatest shortstops of all-time and still holds tremendous value for collectors today as a key piece of his early career and march to the Hall of Fame.
Ivan Rodriguez (#377) – “Pudge” Rodriguez made his Topps rookie card debut in the 1991 set but his 1997 issue remains arguably his most coveted as he was in the midst of back-to-back AL MVP and Gold Glove award winning seasons. Rodriguez revolutionized the catcher position with his defense, throwing out over 40% of would-be base stealers many years, making this key card a must-have for any collector looking to own a piece of one of the top catchers to ever play.
Chipper Jones (#480) – While still in the early stages of his Hall of Fame caliber career, Jones’ rising stardom with the Atlanta Braves was evident by 1997. Just two years removed from winning the 1995 National League Rookie of the Year award, Jones was cementing himself as not just a star but the new face of the Braves franchise. His #480 card stands out as one of his earliest mainstream rookie cards.
Brad Penny (#582) – One of the top rookie cards from the set, Penny made a name for himself by tossing a no-hitter in his first MLB start for the Los Angeles Dodgers late in the 1996 season. His rookie card was the last in the base set and is a key piece for both Dodgers collectors and investors betting on Penny to have sustained success (even if his career didn’t fully pan out as hoped).
While the 1997 Topps set did not include any major rookies who went on to superstardom like Griffey or Jeter in years past, this issue celebrated many established and up-and-coming talents who left lasting legacies on the sport. Keys cards like Griffey, Walker, Martinez, Jeter, Rodriguez, Jones, and Penny have all retained or increased dramatically in value given the players’ performances both in 1997 and over their careers as a whole. For baseball card investors and enthusiasts, owning any of these select 1997 Topps singles provides a tangible link to some iconic players and seasons in MLB history from the late 90s era. Even 25 years later, this classic Topps set endures as one of the most recognizable issues from the decade.
