The hobby of baseball card collecting has been popular for decades, with some cards becoming tremendously valuable over the years. While value is always subjective, most serious collectors compile lists of the rarest and most desirable vintage cards that are practically unattainable for most. Here is an in-depth look at one such list – the top 100 most wanted/valuable baseball cards as determined by conditions of rarity, demand, and record-breaking sales prices.
Coming in at #100 is the 1909-11 T206 Walter Johnson card. Produced by the American Tobacco Company, the T206 set is one of the most iconic in the history of the hobby. The Waler Johnson card is a key piece for any vintage collection and has sold for over $60,000 in top grades.
The 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card is arguably the most famous sports card of all time and sits firmly at #1 on virtually every major wish list. Between 50-200 are believed to still exist in all conditions. One in near-mint condition sold for $3.12 million in 2016, making this the most valuable trading card ever sold.
Some other top early 20th century cards that regularly appear in the top 50 of want lists include:
T206 Ty Cobb (Many consider the Cobb to be the “Mona Lisa” of the T206 set. Graded examples have reached $375,000.)
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth (#126)
1909 E90 Honus Wagner rookie (#2)
1934 Goudey Johnny Mize (#48)
1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson (#23)
1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig (#29)
1934 Goudey Dizzy Dean (#75)
The post-WWII era produced some iconic sets as interest in the sport boomed across America such as:
1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle (Considered the Mona Lisa of modern cards. A PSA NM 7 copy sold in 2021 for $5.2 million, a record for any sports card.)
1952 Topps #365 Duke Snider
1956 Topps #260 Willie Mays
1957 Topps #558 Hank Aaron
1958 Topps #490 Willie Mays
1969 Topps #20 Nolan Ryan (Ryan’s rookie card. PSA 10 copies eclipse $100,000.)
1954 Topps #144 Roberto Clemente
1972 Topps #30 Mike Schmidt (Schmidt’s true rookie card only appeared in the 1972 set.)
Fan interest in the sport reached new heights during baseball’s “Golden Age” in the 1970s-80s. Iconic stars from that era hold premium appeal to collectors such as:
1975 Topps #660 George Brett rookie
1975 Topps #660 Mike Schmidt rookie
1968 Topps #522 Reggie Jackson rookie
1965 Topps #575 Johnny Bench rookie
1977 Topps Traded #340 Ozzie Smith rookie
1976 SSPC #1 George Brett rookie
1967 Topps #522 Carl Yastrzemski
1979 SGC #395 Cal Ripken Jr. rookie
The late 1980s-90s produced some of the most visually appealing and memorable modern sets:
1989 Bowman #1 Ken Griffey Jr. rookie
1990 Topps Traded #T20 Ken Griffey Jr.
1992 Topps Gold #1 Edgar Martinez
1992 Studio #41 Ken Griffey Jr.
1992 Studio #41 Cal Ripken Jr.
1994 SP Authentic #1 Mariano Rivera rookie
1998 Finest Refractor #369 Sammy Sosa
1998 SP Authentic #91 Mark McGwire
Modern rookies of current superstars continue to rise up collector wish lists as well:
2003 Upper Deck SP Authentic #1 Albert Pujols rookie
2006 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks #BDPP-M Trout rookie
2007 Bowman Chrome Draft #BDPP-M Clayton Kershaw rookie
2009 Bowman Chrome Draft #BCDBP-M Stephen Strasburg rookie
2010 Topps Chrome Update #US269 Mike Trout rookie
2012 Topps #673 Mike Trout rookie
2015 Topps Update #US150 Clayton Kershaw
2017 Topps Flagship #312 Cody Bellinger rookie
So in summary – while the Honus Wagner and 1909-1911 T206 set will likely always reign at the very top, collectors continually seek out vintage gems showcasing the heroes of every baseball era that trigger a sense of nostalgia, history, and raw fandom. With condition, rarity, iconic status, and impressive sales all factored in – the cards featured here truly represent the most desirable acquisitions for those wishing to assemble sets representing the best baseball has had to offer.
