When it comes to collecting trading cards from the golden era of the 1950s-1970s, few brands are more iconic than Topps. For over 65 years, Topps has produced the premier baseball card set each season, securing licenses and photographing many of the all-time greatest players from Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays to Sandy Koufax and Ken Griffey Jr. As a result of their unparalleled access to players and photographs, many Topps cards from years past have increased exponentially in value as the years go by. Here is a rundown of some of the most expensive and valuable Topps baseball cards that have ever been sold:

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – PSA 8 ($2.88 million)

The highest price ever paid for a Mint condition 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card was $2.88 million in January 2021, setting a new record. Mantle is regarded by many as the greatest switch hitter and center fielder in baseball history. The 1952 Topps set marked Mantle’s rookie card debut at age 20 and featured one of Bowman Gum Company’s final baseball card releases before Topps gained the exclusive license going forward. The iconic Mantle rookie card photo captured him in his stylish Kansas City Blues road jersey and only a few hundred PSA 8 and PSA 9 condition examples are believed to still exist today in a set with no printing dates or gum wrappers attached. Needless to say, a pristine Mickey Mantle rookie in a third-party graded holder is the crown jewel of any baseball card collection.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner – PSA 8 ($3.12 million)

At the top of virtually every list of most expensive trading cards ever sold is the legendary 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card. First introduced over 110 years ago in the classic “cigarette” era of tobacco-focused baseball cards, the ultra-rare Wagner has become the holy grail for collectors. It’s estimated only 50-200 original examples still survive in all grades given the player’s request for his card to be pulled shortly after production began. A copy that secured a PSA 8 grade and was auctioned for $3.12 million in 2016 currently stands as the most expensive trading card in history. The iconic paintbrush-mustached shortstop for the Pirates around the early 20th century still captivates collectors with his renowned skill and infamous scarcity over a century later.

1927 George Halas – SGC 2 ($745,744)

While most of the highest sports card values center around baseball issues, a pioneering football card from the 1920s holds an ultra-rare distinction. The 1927 George Halas Chicago Bears card was produced as part of a much smaller series by National Chicle Company over two decades before the modern era of football cards began. As one of an estimated 10-20 surviving examples from this single-year football set, a well-worn SGC 2 graded Halas card stunned the hobby by shattering expectations when it crossed the $745k auction price point in January 2017. Collectors and dealers agree it could realistically be a one-of-a-kind since all other copies are presumed lost to history.

1964 Topps Hank Aaron – PSA 9 ($275,936)

Despite having one of the longest and most accomplished MLB careers ever, Hammerin’ Hank Aaron’s rookie cards have always been overshadowed in popularity and value compared to legends like Mickey Mantle. The 1964 Topps issue, for which Aaron is sporting powder blue Braves road jersey with eye black, captures him at the start of his record-breaking home run chase. High quality PSA 9 examples regularly sell in the $15-25k range while a flawless PSA 10 could be a true eight-figure card down the road. This particular 1964 Topps Hank Aaron sold for nearly $276k in January 2019 to become the most expensive of its kind on the census.

1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. – PSA 10 ($347,927)

Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card debut came in the landmark 1989 Bowman issue, and high grades of “The Kid’s” iconic first card carrying his simple #48 remain exceptionally rare more than 30 years later. Often cited as one of the most beloved and widely collected modern ballplayer cards ever produced, BGS/PSA population reports suggest there are likely less than two dozen perfect 10 examples known. The highest public sale to date was $347,927 in January 2020, though industry insiders have privately witnessed nine-figure offers refused for pristinely preserved copies in recent years. Griffey’s athletic grace and approachable style on and off the diamond captivated a generation of fans who helped fuel his cards’ rise.

2004 Bowman Chrome Miguel Cabrera – PSA 10 ($391,413)

Hailing from baseball powerhouse Venezuela, Miguel Cabrera burst onto the scene as a 20-year-old rookie with the Florida Marlins in 2003. The following year, Topps’ Bowman brand released its pioneering Chrome parallels that contained state-of-the-art refractors and had an immense impact on the hobby going forward. Grading companies were still relatively new at the time, so high-quality 10 examples of Cabrera’s first ever Chrome issue have become near impossible to find. After setting the hobby abuzz by selling for over $100k in 2018, the highest known PSA 10 shattered estimates with a selling price of $391,413 in January 2021—a record that could stand for quite some time.

1909-11 T206 Joe Jackson – SGC 0 ($506,000)

When it comes to the ultra-premium tobacco era cards of the early 1900s, few players are as accomplished yet equally mysterious as “Shoeless” Joe Jackson. Better known for his role in the 1919 Black Sox Scandal of game fixing, Jackson’s on-field talents led him to be one of the biggest stars of his day for the Philadelphia A’s and Chicago White Sox. His iconic T206 baseball portrait might be the crown jewel of any collection if a true specimen could be found—and one did in January 2017. A poorly-preserved SGC 0 grade example in a tight holder defied expectations by more than doubling its pre-sale estimate at a winning bid amount of $506,000, signifying Jackson’s enduring legacy over a century later.

1909-11 T206 Eddie Plank – PSA 8 ($585,454)

Overshadowed in most cases by the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card, a high-quality example of star pitcher Eddie Plank from the same tobacco era set his own record in January 2020. Known for his incredible control on the mound across 15 seasons with the Philadelphia A’s, Plank’s formidable mustache adorns one of the most recognizable early baseball images. PSA census figures show there are believed to be around 60 total graded Plank samples across all conditions, with single-digit population numbers once grades reach the neighborhood of an 8. At more than half a million dollars, this pristine PSA 8 shattered notions of the card’s potential and its place among the other rare T206 “Big Four.”

1933 Goudey Babe Ruth – PSA 9 ($573,430)

By 1933, Babe Ruth had already cemented his status as the most prolific home run hitter and one of the greatest players ever at that early stage of his career. Inspired by his dominance yet aware of his advancing age, Dave Goudey Gum Co. snapped one of the final baseball card images of the Bambino dressed in full Yankees pinstripes. The ultra-iconic 1933 Goudey issue is among the most cherished of any pre-war card and gem high grades like a perfect PSA 10 are virtually unseen. Even an exceptional PSA 9 fetched over $573k at auction in January 2020, underscoring the Babe’s undying popularity nearly 90 years later.

So in summary – whether it’s all-time legends from over a century ago or modern stars, Topps has created some of the rarest and most expensive collectibles ever due to their stranglehold on the baseball card industry since the early 1950s. As long as there are dedicated fans and collectors who cherish these tangible relics from days past, the intrinsic historical value and beauty enshrined in the highest graded vintage Topps cards will continue appreciating exponentially for years to come. Between iconic rookie cards, hallowed tobacco titans, and modern short prints, it’s clear Topps has produced treasures to captivate collectors forever.