1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner – The legendary Honus Wagner is widely considered the most coveted and valuable sports card of all time. The Wagner card has been verified to exist in only 60 or fewer copies known in mint condition. In recent years, various near-mint to mint condition examples have sold for prices ranging from $2.8 million up to $6.6 million at auction, making it potentially worth over $10 million in a pristine gem grade.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – The Mantle rookie card is likely the most valuable post-war baseball card. High grade versions regularly sell for $500,000-$1 million at auction. In January 2021, a near-mint PSA 8 copy sold for $1.32 million, setting a new record. The card is exceptionally rare in top PSA 10 condition, with only a handful believed to exist.

1933 Goudey Sport Kings Babe Ruth – One of the earliest modern pre-war baseball cards. Examples in excellent condition are worth $150,000-$300,000 today. A pristine PSA 8 sold in 2013 for $364,000. Fewer than 10 copies are believed to exist in the coveted PSA 9-10 grades, making a perfect gem grade example potentially worth over $500,000 on the current market.

1909-1911 T206 Eddie Plank – Considered the second most valuable card from the famed T206 set after the Wagner. High grade Plank cards in PSA 8-9 condition routinely sell for $200,000-$400,000. A PSA-graded mint PSA NM-MT 8 recently realized $276,000 at auction in January 2021.

1909-1911 T206 Christy Mathewson – Along with the Wagner and Plank, the Mathewson is among the three most coveted commons from the T206 set. Near-mint examples bring similar prices to the Plank, in the $200,000+ range. In January 2021, a PSA 8 sold for $264,000.

1957 Topps Mickey Mantle – Currently, Mantle’s rookie year is the most valuable post-war set. High grade ’57 Mantles in PSA 9-10 condition are valued north of $100,000 with some elite PSA 10 gems selling for over $200,000.

1909-1911 T206 Jack Chesbro – One of the more challenging commons to find well-centered and in high grades from the venerable T206 set. Chesbro cards that grade PSA 8 or higher typically sell in the $150,000-$300,000 range.

1952 Topps Willie Mays – Along with the ’52 Mantle, this is one of the most famous and recognized postwar rookie cards. Top PSA-graded examples in Mint 9 and Gem Mint 10 condition routinely sell for $100,000+ at public auction.

1964 Topps Hank Aaron – Aaron’s star rookie card from his record-breaking 755 home run season. High grade examples valued highly by vintage collectors, with PSA 9’s selling over $50,000 and PSA 10’s reaching $100,000+.

1909-1911 T206 Fred Clarke – Another tough-to-find T206 common. Examples that grade PSA 8 usually sell in the $80,000-$150,000 price range. A PSA 8 recently realized $126,000 at public sale in January 2021. Pristine PSA 9-10 Gem Mint specimens could possibly reach $250,000+.

The ultra-high grade and condition sensitive nature of early 1900s tobacco era cards like the T206 set, along with the rookie cards of all-time great hitters from the 1950s like Mantle and Mays, make those the most in-demand collectibles among today’s baseball memorabilia investors. With population reports from authorities like PSA showing consistently strong price appreciation regardless of normal market fluctuations, top condition vintage cards appear poised to persist as some of the most storied and blue-chip investments within the entire collectibles industry for many years to come.