The hobby of collecting baseball cards has been popular for decades, with kids and adults alike enjoying searching through packs of cards in hopes of finding a valuable or rare card. While most baseball cards are somewhat common, there are certain cards that are extremely rare and prized by serious collectors. Here is a look at 10 of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards in existence.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner (PSA 1) – Estimated Value: $2.8 million
The iconic Honus Wagner T206 card is arguably the most famous sports card of all time. Produced between 1909-11 by the American Tobacco Company, it is estimated only 50-200 copies exist today in all conditions. What makes this Wagner card so rare is that the smoking legend demanded American Tobacco stop producing his card, likely due to his opposition to promoting tobacco to children. In poor condition (PSA 1), one of these rare specimens sold for $2.8 million in 2016, showing its value despite wear.

1933 Goudey #153 Babe Ruth (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $2.88 million
The 1933 Goudey set featured some of the early superstars of baseball such as Jimmie Foxx, Lou Gehrig and the legendary Babe Ruth. The Ruth card is by far the most coveted. Printed on gray stock rather than the more common tan stock, the gray bottom Ruth is hugely scarce with analysts speculating fewer than 50 high grade copies exist. In 1933, it pictured Ruth at the end of his record-breaking career. One graded PSA 8 sold for nearly $3 million in 2016.

1951 Bowman #311 Willie Mays (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $3.12 million
Willie Mays’ rookie card came from the 1951 Bowman set, which was one of the earliest post-WWII cardboard issues. High grade Mays rookies are incredibly tough to come by considering the fragility of the early 1950s paper stock. At a PSA 8 level of centering, corners and edges, one specimen sold in January 2016 for over $3.12 million, confirming its place among the most valuable post-war cards. It captures Mays early on with the New York Giants before his Hall of Fame dominance.

1909-11 T206 Broncho Billy Anderson (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $3.24 million
The Broncho Billy Anderson card from the famed T206 Tobacco issue joins fellow actor cards like E.J. Stewart and Bill Hart as among the most obscure and rare from that seminal set. As a legendary star of early Western silent films produced between 1907-17, Anderson had achieved fame as a leading man. His card has always been exceptionally scarce and prized by vintage collectors. In January 2016, a high grade PSA 8 example was sold for a record $3.24 million, proving its rarity despite the actor’s now somewhat obscure status.

1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $3.12 million
Like the Mays above, Mantle’s rookie card from the pioneering 1952 Topps set captures him in the early days with the New York Yankees. High grade examples have always been extremely limited given the 50+ year history of the fragile cardboard. This is considered the start of the “modern” era of mass-produced baseball cards that are still collected enthusiastically today. At a PSA 8 level, one of Mick’s rookie cards sold in January 2016 for $3.12 million, tying the record set by the Mays’ only months earlier.

1913 Baltimore News Babe Ruth (PSA 5) – Estimated Value: $4.4 million
Known as one of the earliest existent Babe Ruth baseball cards, the rare 1913 Baltimore News was part of a series of baseball star postcards produced locally in the Newspaper’s heyday. Always exceptionally tough to acquire high grades due to the fragile early 20th century production methods, a recent PSA 5 grade example sold for $4.4 million. While a lower grade, it still captured “The Bambino” at a very early stage before his legendary career took off with the Red Sox and Yankees in the 1910s-20s.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $5.2 million
Widely considered the “Mona Lisa” of sports cards due to its rarity, the elusive 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner in a PSA 8 grade sold for $5.2 million in 2016, obliterating previous auction records. While there are reports of higher grades, a true mid-high grade example is virtually impossible to find over 100 years later. This example sold through SCP Auctions, confirming beyond any doubt that the Wagner truly sits alone as the most valuable collectible card when available in pristine condition evoking its original breathtaking appearance over a century ago.

1909-11 T206 Nap Lajoie (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $5.6 million
Only a handful of high grade T206 cards eclipse the $1 million threshold. The Nap Lajoie, long considered nearly as elusive as Wagner, blasted past previous benchmarks with a PSA 8 example auctioning in 2016 for $5.6 million. One of the game’s earliest superstars during baseball’s deadball era, Lajoie perfectly exemplifies the rarest of the rare in the iconic tobacco era issue. With approximately 50 high grades believed extant, it confirmed its status as a true six-figure card and one of the top three most valuable cards available to collectors.

1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $6.6 million
Joining Wagner and Lajoie in the ultra-exclusive million-dollar T206 club is the Christy Mathewson, long cherished as one of the set’s most visually striking and sought after cards apart from the “Big Two.” A PSA 8 of “The Christian Gentleman” shattered all existing records when it crossed the auction block in 2016, realizing a jaw-dropping $6.6 million price. Truly one of the finest known of a legendary card capturing one of baseball’s earliest stars and heroes, it ranks as the second priciest baseball card sold and rarest of the rare.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner (PSA 8) – Estimated Value: $7.25 million
At the pinnacle is the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner, which reclaimed the top spot from the Mathewson with an earth-shattering $7.25 million sale in January 2021 through Goldin Auctions. Long the “Mona Lisa” of trading cards due to its astonishing rarity, this example was considered the finest known of one of just 50-200 copies believed to remain more than a century after its release. Its price was staggering considering it obliterated the nearly $6 million price achieved by the Mathewson just five years prior. No other card comes close to the mystique and value of “The Flying Dutchman,” which will likely hold the title of the single most valuable trading card in existence for the foreseeable future.

The ultra-rare early 20th century tobacco issue cards like the T206 set will always be among the most prized possessions for wealthy collectors. Iconic subjects captured as rookie stars like Mantle, Mays, and Ruth will also retain huge interest despite mass production. As long as the population of high grade survivors remains limited, their prices will continue climbing to new heights as part of our national sports memorabilia heritage. With under 100 considered high grade survivors total among the top 10, these truly represent the rarest of the rare in the realm of collectibles.