The hobby of collecting baseball cards has been popular for decades. While many common cards are worth just pennies, some rare and iconic cards have appreciated tremendously in value over the years to become truly valuable collectors items worth thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars. For serious collectors aiming to build a collection with blue chip assets, here are some of the most valuable baseball cards that can be considered among the crème de la crème in the hobby.

Honus Wagner T206 – The Holy Grail: Widely considered the most valuable trading card of all-time, the ultra-rare 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card is the pinnacle that all other cards are measured against. Only approximately 60 examples are known to exist in various grades. The card has such mystique and rarity that one in near-mint condition sold for $3.12 million in 2016, setting records. Other high grade examples have also sold for well over $1 million.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – The Young Mick: Mantle is arguably the most iconic Yankee of all-time and any card featuring him as a rookie is incredibly coveted. The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is one of just a handful depicting his rookie season. High grades have topped $2 million at auction. Even well-worn low-grade examples in Complete/Good condition can fetch five-figures.

1909-11 T206 Joe Jackson – Shoeless Joe’s Rarest: Nicknamed “Shoeless Joe” for his habit of playing without shoes, Joe Jackson’s short but prolific career was unceremoniously cut short after the 1919 Black Sox Scandal. As a result, his T206 card is extraordinarily rare with an estimate of under 25 still surviving today. A high-grade example sold for $937,500 in 2016.

1909-11 T206 Christie Mathewson – Pitching Greatness: Regarded as one of the greatest pitchers in baseball history, Mathewson’s impressive career accomplishments are represented in his elusive T206 card issue. Only about 50 are believed extant in all grades, making it a true condition rarity coveted by vintage collectors. Graded examples routinely top six-figures.

1933 Goudey Babe Ruth – Called Shot Immortalized: Featuring one of the most famous photos in sports history depicting Babe Ruth apparently calling his legendary home run in the 1932 World Series, this early Goudey set card is eternally entrenched in baseball lore. High grades rarely become available and have sold for over $500,000 when they do.

1909-11 T206 Ed Walsh – Ace’s Unique Back Variation: Unlike most T206 issues that have a basic gray back, Chicago White Sox fireballer Ed Walsh’s card is distinguished by its more visually appealingMulticolored-Border Back variation. Pristine specimens with the rare back have topped $175,000 at auction.

1909-11 T206 Nap Lajoie – Highest Graded Ever: Second baseman Napoleon Lajoie had a Hall of Fame career and his T206 is a true condition rarity. In 2013, the highest graded example ever at SGC Mint 9 sold for $99,750, reflecting its incredible state of preservation over a century after being produced.

1933 Goudey Dazzy Vance – Subset Standout: Winning MVP honors in 1928 pitching for the Brooklyn Dodgers, Dazzy Vance is notable for being one of only 11 cards in the 1933 Goudey Baseball Committee subset. Graded examples regularly challenge six-figures.

1948 Leaf Ted Williams – Final Rookie Card: Ted Williams is beloved as one of the greatest hitters in MLB history and his 1948 Leaf card was the final low-numbered baseball card issued depicting his rookie season. High grades have sold north of $100,000 given Williams’ iconic status.

1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson – Black Background Error: An astonishing misprint, roughly a dozen copies are known with an all-black background where there should be a grey grid/line pattern. Unlike the standard issue, these error cards are uniformly jet black on the front and back. A PSA 5 example sold for over $86,000 in 2017.

While collecting all sports can be a very expensive venture, these top baseball cards represent some of the most sound long-term investments available in the industry. With the right grading, eye appeal, and historical significance, any of these key issues truly have the potential to gain substantially in value with time. For the serious enthusiast, they are worthwhile targets to track down and add the ultimate trophies to a world-class collection.