There are several top baseball cards that would be good investments to buy in 2023. With the continued popularity and rising prices of vintage cards from the 1970s and 1980s, cards featuring some of the legendary players from that era remain at the top of lists for the best baseball cards to purchase in the coming year.
One of the absolute best vintage cards to consider in 2023 is the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle rookie card. Mantle is perhaps the most iconic player in baseball history and his rookie card is the crown jewel of the modern collecting era. Graded Gem Mint examples lately have been selling for well over $2 million at auction as the card’s value skyrockets annually. While a true high-grade Mantle rookie is out of reach for nearly all collectors, even low-grade versions still fetch hundreds of thousands. With Mantle’s legend and fame never diminishing, this card is always a safe buy that should hold and even increase its immense value long-term.
Another truly elite vintage option is the 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner card, generally considered the rarest and most valuable trading card in existence. The Wagner card has achieved record-setting prices in the millions in recent years and demand shows no signs of slowing for a card featuring the legendary “Pirate Wagner.” Given its exceedingly small confirmed population and unbreakable place at the pinnacle of the hobby, the T206 Wagner is a classic blue-chip collectible that provides a virtually guaranteed return on any price of acquisition in the future. Like the Mantle, actually finding a genuine example within reach of the average collector’s budget is practically impossible.
While cards of Mantle and Wagner’s magnitude may be well out of reach for most, several other legendary vintage stars from the 1970s-80s still hold excellent buying potential at prices many collectors can afford today. A strong option is the 1975 Nolan Ryan rookie card. Ryan is one of the most dominant pitchers ever who still holds the all-time records for no-hitters and strikeouts. With his playing career concluding in the early 90s, the 1970s Ryan rookie has really gained momentum as nostalgia grows. High-grade copies have seen prices soar above $10,000 as investors recognize this as a predictable long-term winner.
Two more relatively affordable yet still great buying choices from the same period are the 1972 Eddie Matthews rookie card and the 1975 George Brett rookie card. Both Matthews and Brett had Hall of Fame careers and are widely considered among the best hitters of their eras for the Braves and Royals franchises, respectively. Their classic 1970s Topps rookie cards in high grades can still be had for $2,000-$5,000 depending on condition, yet both are excellent opportunities that still have headroom for appreciating gains over the next 5-10 years.
Beyond vintage options from the 1960s-80s heyday, certain contemporary rookies and stars from the 1980s to today provide compelling investments as well. One of the standouts for 2023 is the 2003 LeBron James Topps rookie card. As arguably the greatest basketball player ever who is still active, James’ remarkable career and global celebrity have driven any of his vintage cards to new heights. His rookie is among the most expensive basketball cards ever, with PSA 10 examples reaching over $1 million. With James still excelling at year 20 in the league, sustained demand ensures this modern card’s upward trajectory has plenty of room left.
Two star MLB players primed to follow similar long-term success paths are Mike Trout and Ronald Acuña Jr. Trout has established himself as perhaps the best all-around player of his generation and his varied 2009 Bowman Chrome and paper rookies attract major attention from collectors bullish on his amazing career. Meanwhile, Acuña burst onto the scene with the Atlanta Braves in 2018 and immediately proved himself a true five-tool talent with seemingly unlimited superstar potential. His 2018 Topps Chrome RC refractor rookie has already jumped up over $1,000. As both Trout and Acuña remain perennial MVP candidates who just hit their primes, their leading rookie cards project to go the distance as blue-chip modern investments.
Beyond individual players, certain rare and unique modern parallels, numbered cards and relic cards offer the possibility of very high reward considering today’s market for the rarest new collectibles. Cards like Acuña’s 2018 Topps Holiday parallel (#’d to 10 copies), Trout’s rare 2012 Topps UD Chrome Orange Refractor (/50), or Albert Pujols’ 2000 Bowman Chrome Best Prospect SUPERFRACTOR provide virtually guaranteed increases whenever they become available due to the extreme scarcity and popularity of the tied players. While naturally very expensive currently, the upside on truly one-of-one modern collectibles is limitless.
For those investing in baseball cards in 2023, classic vintage legends like Mickey Mantle and Honus Wagner are always at the top of the heap as the true untouchable blue-chip assets. Equally strong if not better opportunities often exist with affordable legends of the 70s-80s like Nolan Ryan, Eddie Matthews and George Brett. Meanwhile, contemporary options headed by Mike Trout, Ronald Acuña Jr. and other modern stars provide a avenue for buying elite cards at reasonable initial costs that still project to deliver gains for many years as their careers progress. With smart selection and patience, any baseball cards purchased in 2023 across these varied tiers of the market have an excellent chance to profit long-term.
