Robin Yount had a legendary career playing shortstop and center field for the Milwaukee Brewers from 1974 to 1993. As one of the franchise’s all-time greatest players, Yount’s baseball cards from his 20 MLB seasons are highly collectible today. This article will provide an in-depth look at some of Robin Yount’s most notable baseball cards from the 1970s through early 1990s.
One of Yount’s earliest and most sought after rookie cards is his 1974 Topps card. Sporting the classic Topps design of the era, the card depicts a fresh-faced 21-year-old Yount in a Brewers uniform. As Yount’s true rookie season was 1973, his 1974 Topps card is considered his rookie card by collectors. With a limited print run at the time, high-grade examples of this Yount rookie card can fetch thousands of dollars today. Another key early Yount card is his 1975 Topps issue, which shows him beginning to establish himself as the Brewers shortstop of the future in just his second MLB season.
Yount’s breakout campaign came in 1982 when he won the American League MVP award. His cards from that season are highly valuable as they commemorate his ascent into superstardom. His standard 1982 Topps card depicts Yount batting from the left side with his MVP hardware on full display. High-grade versions can sell for over $100. The 1982 Topps Traded issue, which featured players photographed separately from the base set, also gained popularity upon Yount’s MVP win. Another notable 1982 Yount release was Donruss’s “Crime Stoppers” parallel subset, which paid homage to star players who played solid defense.
In the mid-1980s, Yount began transitioning full-time to center field after years at shortstop. His 1985 Topps card showed this defensive shift as it pictures him patrolling the outfield grass. Yount’s offensive production remained high as well during this period. His 1986 Fleer Update card highlights his continued all-around excellence, with a close-up action shot and statistics from the previous season listed on the back. Yount’s change in position opened up a new chapter in his career captured well by cards from ’85-’86.
Yount was a constant in the Brewers lineup for nearly two decades. His longevity and dedication to the franchise is what makes his late-career cards so interesting to collectors today. His 1989 Upper Deck card depicts an aging but still effective Yount at the plate in his 15th MLB season. His 1990 Donruss card captured likely his final season in a Brewers uniform before retirement. Both late-1980s Yount issues provide a retrospective feel appreciated by those who followed his whole career.
In 1992, Yount’s #19 was retired by the Brewers in a historic ceremony at Milwaukee County Stadium, cementing his legend status. That same year, he was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in just his first year of eligibility, a huge honor. Yount’s 1992 Leaf Series 2 card commemorated this dual retirement/Hall of Fame achievement with retrospective imagery and text on the back. It stands as one of his most iconic post-career issues.
In summarizing, Robin Yount’s baseball cards provide a visual timeline of not just his Hall of Fame playing career, but of the Milwaukee Brewers franchise and 1970s/80s/90s baseball card culture as a whole. From his rookie years establishing himself through MVP campaigns, defensive shifts, and a historic tenure, Yount’s cards are a must for any serious baseball card collector, historian, or Brewers fan. Examples from the prime of his career in the 1970s-1980s can be quite expensive in top condition, but provide a special connection to one of baseball’s all-time great shortstops and center fielders.
