Barry Bonds is widely considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time but also one of the most controversial due to his alleged steroid use. As such, Bonds’ baseball cards can vary quite a bit in value depending on the card and its condition. Some key things that affect the value of his cards include the year/set it is from, the rarity of the specific card within that set, and its physical state of preservation.

One of Bonds’ most valuable rookie cards is his 1986 Topps rookie card. In near-mint to mint condition, this classic rookie card in high grade can fetch over $10,000. Most grade between poor and good condition which brings the values down considerably. A well-centered 1986 Topps Bonds rookie card in excellent condition might sell for $3,000-$5,000 depending on day of sale and buyer interest. His 1987 Topps Traded and Bowman rookie cards in top condition can also bring $1,000-2,500 at auction depending on demand.

As Bonds developed into a perennial MVP candidate in the 1990s, interest in his Topps flagship set cards grew substantially. His 1992 Topps card alone in mint condition has sold for over $500 before due to it being one of his first truly dominant seasons. High grade versions of his early-’90s Topps update and special edition cards tend to range between $100-400 depending on condition and design.

Bonds’ record-breaking 2001 season where he broke the single season home run record with 73 long balls made many of his 2001 Topps cards very desirable. His main 2001 Topps base card has sold for well over $100 even in well-worn condition showing how iconic that season was. Near-mint to mint versions have reached $400-600 at auction, while a true gem mint 10 grade could potentially sell for thousands given how iconic that specific card is.

Other valuable Bonds cards from his later playing days after the 2001 season include his 2006 Upper Deck autograph card, which has sold for $500-1,000 in good condition with authentic signature, and select rare inserts from some of his mammoth seasons like 1996, 2000-2004. For the most part his post-2001 cards struggle to reach more than $50-100 even in top shape due to the controversy around his retirement years.

Perhaps Bonds’ single most expensive card ever sold is a 1998 SP Authentic World Series Heroes printing plate 1/1. Because it was the only one of its kind ever made, a mint specimen with Goldin COA brought an astronomical $23,500 at auction in 2018. High-dollar one-of-one cards like autograph patches and printing plates are often the only Bonds cards to reach five-figure prices.

While many Barry Bonds cards have lost substantial value over the years due to PED suspicions, his iconic rookie cards as well as those from his 73 HR 2001 Topps set remain quite collectible and can reach four figures depending on condition, rarity, and how the PED controversy impacts any given sale. As with any collectible, doing research on comparables and having professionally graded high-end specimens usually leads to maximizing returns when buying or selling Barry Bonds baseball cards.