One of the most coveted and valuable baseball cards currently is the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card. Mantle is considered one of the greatest players of all time and his rookie card is the crown jewel of baseball card collecting. In pristine gem mint condition, examples of the 1952 Topps Mantle have sold for well over $2 million, making it likely the most valuable baseball card. There is simply no bigger name in the sport than Mantle, who thrilled fans for nearly two decades with the New York Yankees. The iconic image of the young Mantle from his rookie year has become synonymous with baseball card collecting.
Another extremely sought after card is the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner. Wagner was already a star when the card was issued and its rarity has helped make it the undisputed king of all trading cards. The story behind its scarcity has taken on nearly mythical proportions, with only 50-200 copies believed to still exist from what was likely a very limited original print run. Just the rumor of one changing hands can create a buzz among collectors. Examples have reached the multi-million dollar threshold at auction, with the highest price realized currently at around $6.6 million. For many, chasing the elusive Wagner is the ultimate quest in the hobby.
Moving into the post-WWII era, the 1952 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle is a highly coveted card on par with Mantle’s 1952 Topps rookie for its rarity, condition sensitivity, and portrayal of one of the game’s true icons. What separates it from the Topps rookie is its distinction as the first verifiable color card of Mantle. Less than 50 examples are known to exist today in pristine gem mint condition. Along with its amazing eye appeal, the colorful visual of a young Mantle swinging makes it as prized by collectors of all levels.
Another 1950’s icon that has one of the most sought after modern rookie cards is Willie Mays of the New York/San Francisco Giants. High grade copies of the 1951 Bowman Willie Mays have been selling in the six-figure range and the card is considered by many to rival Mantle’s 1952 Topps as the best post-war rookie. Like Mantle, Mays thrilled fans for decades and was a transformative talent that helped propel the game’s rise in popularity during television’s golden age. The simple yet dynamic posing on the card captures perfectly the essence and skills of the great “Say Hey” centerfielder.
An even more recent star whose rookie cards have become blockbusters is Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher and National League MVP Fernando Valenzuela. The 1980 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela is arguably the most coveted Dodgers card and a true basketball style rookie for one of the game’s last big pitching sensations of the 20th century. His electrifying rookie season of 1981 captured not just LA but the entire nation, with “Fernandomania” taking hold. The impact and rarity of his sophomore year traded card from 1980 make high grades exceptionally valuable, routinely bringing in six figures today.
branching further back into the 19th century, one of the finest collectible cards from that pioneer era would be an 1889 Old Judge tobacco powder puff cliché proof image of Baseball Hall of Fame shortstop Hughie Jennings in pristine condition. Fewer than 10 are believed to still survive in gradeable state, making even well-worn specimens great prizes forCONDITION SENSITIVE early tobacco era collectors. With its historic first use of an actual ballplayer photograph on a mass-produced card, dramatic half-figure pose and superlative state of preservation, a top grade Jennings is among the most prized finds for those attracted to vintage cardboard.
Moving ahead to the next great decade for baseball cards after the tobacco era, the 1911 and 1912 M101-5 Eddie Plank and Chief Wilson cards have taken on legendary status themselves among early 20th century collectors. Issued by the American Tobacco Company, the cards portrayed future Hall of Famers Plank and Wilson performing in unique action shooting style poses that remained unseen until the revival of modern photography based baseball cards in the 1930s Goudey set. High grades become virtual impossibilities after a century of aging, so even lower condition examples are valuable to collectors hoping to obtain rare early glimpses of these star Athletics players.
Wisdom and tradition are also major draws for collectors seeking rare 19th century cabinets and photograph cards featuring legendary players whose contributions helped shape the national pastime in its formative years. Players like Pete Browning, Old Hoss Radbourn, Jim O’Rourke and Player/Manager Cap Anson command top dollar even in worn condition thanks to their pioneering roles. For the deep-pocketed aficionado passionate about preserving living histories, an encased original image of one of these founding fathers can become a true prized centerpiece.
For modern collectors the most highly demanded cards understandably tend to revolve around the game’s greatest stars and their earliest documented cardboard appearances which are now a century old or more. Selecting only the finest conditioned specimens graded high offers the opportunity for sound long-term investments, but the excitement of just searching for and acquiring a rare piece of baseball’s collectible past is reward for many in itself. While prices have escalated tremendously, the joy of exploring the hobby and treasuring its myriad memories transferred through these small pieces of history ensure its enduring popularity for decades yet to come.
