The 1962 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable vintage card issues of all time. With 711 total cards issued, the ’62 Topps set featured many of the game’s biggest stars from that era and captured the talent and excitement of the sport during the early 1960s. With several all-time great players featured prominently, along with the iconic design elements that Topps was known for, the 1962 cards have become highly collectible over the decades. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most notable and valuable cards from this classic set.
Perhaps the most famous and sought-after card from 1962 is the Mickey Mantle #253. Widely considered one of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards ever printed, the ’62 Mantle is the holy grail for collectors. Mantle was already an established superstar by 1962, having won three MVP awards already in his career. His intimidating presence and prodigious power made him one of the faces of the sport. The photo on his ’62 card shows Mantle in the midst of his fearsome swing. Only around 50 PSA/BGS graded copies are known to exist in high grades, making this one of the toughest cards to find in mint condition. In a PSA 10 gem mint state, it can fetch well over $250,000 at auction.
Another Yankee legend featured prominently in 1962 was Roger Maris. Having just broken Babe Ruth’s single season home run record in 1961 by hitting 61 long balls, Maris’ #311 card is a key piece to the set. The photo captures Maris mid-swing and the card perfectly memorializes his historic season right after the fact. High graded examples can sell for $15,000-$20,000 due to its historical significance. Willie Mays’ #5 card also stands out, showing the Say Hey Kid in the midst of his effortless, graceful swing that was far ahead of its time. As one of the game’s true five-tool superstars already in 1962, high grade Mays cards can sell for $10,000+.
Two other future Hall of Famers with exceptionally valuable ’62 cards are Hank Aaron (#75) and Frank Robinson (#397). Aaron is depicted readying his powerful left-handed swing that would produce over 700 career home runs. High grades of the Aaron card can reach $8,000-$10,000. Meanwhile, Robinson’s imposing image stares straight ahead in his Phillies uniform, foreshadowing the MVP season he would have in 1962. PSA 10 Frank Robinson rookies can sell for around $7,000-$8,000 due to his elite status.
Rookie cards are always highly sought after as well. Future 300-game winner Don Drysdale’s rookie card (#606) stands out, showing his intimidating windup. High graded Drysdale rookies have sold for $4,000-$5,000. Fellow Dodgers greats Sandy Koufax (#223) and Maury Wills (#667) also have valuable rookie cards from 1962. Koufax’s iconic windup is on full display, while Wills’ speedy base-stealing abilities are implied. Their rookie cards can reach $3,000 for top grades.
Two other notable rookie cards are future Hall of Famer Billy Williams’ (#635) and Giants ace Juan Marichal’s (#629). Williams’ sweet left-handed swing is captured in his debut, while Marichal’s distinctive high leg kick windup is shown. High grade Williams and Marichal rookies have sold in the $2,000-$3,000 range in recent years.
Beyond the star players and rookie cards, there are also several rare and valuable error cards that can be found in the 1962 set. One of the biggest mistakes was issuing Mickey Mantle’s card twice, as #253 and #259. The #259 error Mantle is the key, as only a small number are believed to exist. A PSA 10 has sold for over $100,000. Another major error is Orlando Cepeda’s #397 card, which was mistakenly printed with Frank Robinson’s photo. Only a handful are known, with PSA 10s reaching $40,000-$50,000.
The 1962 Topps set is truly a who’s who of baseball immortals and contains some of the most iconic and valuable vintage cards ever made. With its perfect storm of all-time great players, rookie cards, and scarce errors, high grade ’62s will likely only continue to appreciate in the collector marketplace. The perfect combination of historical significance and visual appeal have cemented this issue’s place among the most coveted and important sets in the hobby.
