Chipper Jones had a legendary career playing third base for the Atlanta Braves from 1995-2012. Known for his clutch hitting, defensive skills, and leadership, Jones is considered one of the greatest third basemen of all time. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2018, his first year of eligibility. Jones’ impressive career makes his baseball cards some of the most sought after and valuable from the late 1990s through the 2000s. Whether you’re a collector looking to add to your Chipper Jones collection or a fan wanting a piece of baseball history, here is an in-depth look at some of the best Chipper Jones cards available on the market today.
One of the most iconic and valuable Chipper Jones rookie cards is his 1991 Bowman rookie card. As one of Jones’ first ever baseball cards issued while he was in the minor leagues, the 1991 Bowman RC is highly sought after by collectors. In near mint to mint condition, ungraded 1991 Chipper Jones Bowman rookie cards in a PSA 10 Gem Mint slab can fetch upwards of $10,000. Even raw near mint copies often sell for $2,000 or more. The card features a young Chipper in a Braves uniform with nice on-card action. The 1991 Bowman set had a small print run and the rookie card boom of the late 80s/early 90s makes this one of Jones’ key rookie cards.
For his true MLB rookie season of 1995, Chipper Jones has rookie cards in both the 1995 Leaf Series 1 and 1995 Score Traded sets. The 1995 Leaf RC shows a headshot of Jones in a batting stance and has decent pop for a mid-90s base card. High grade PSA 10 copies can sell for $500-800. The 1995 Score Traded rookie card features on-field action and also has strong demand from collectors. PSA 10 examples of the 1995 Score Chipper Jones RC have sold for over $1,000. These are considered the top two “true” rookie cards from Chipper’s actual rookie year in the big leagues with the Atlanta Braves.
Two of Chipper’s most iconic and valuable base cards come from iconic late 90s/early 2000s sets. The 1998 Finest Refractor parallel card features a sharp image of Jones in a batting stance. High grades of this refracted parallel are extremely scarce and a BGS/PSA 9.5 Gem Mint copy could fetch $3,000-5,000. An even bigger chip is the legendary 2000 Topps Traded card, which shows Chipper rounding third base with a big smile on his face. This iconic card captured Jones at the peak of his powers with the World Series champion Braves. A BGS/PSA 10 Gem Mint of the 2000 Topps Traded Chipper Jones card in pristine condition could sell for $10,000 or more.
For collectors looking for more reasonably priced Chipper Jones cards, there are plenty of strong options from the late 90s/2000s era Braves dynasty runs. The 1997 Bowman’s Best refractor parallel cards look great in higher grades and a BGS/PSA 9 copy may sell for $150-250. The classic 1998 Topps base card shows good on-field action and a PSA/BGS 9 can be found for under $100. Chipper’s 1999 Topps Traded card, where he won the NL MVP, is also very affordable for most collectors in a PSA/BGS 9 at around $50-75. His 2000 Bowman’s Best Prospects card in higher grades is also a solid pickup for $75-125.
For the ultimate Chipper Jones card, there is arguably no better option than his 2006 Topps Finest Autograph parallel card. Numbered to only 25 copies, this ultra-short print run autograph card captured Jones in his prime and remains one of the most iconic autographed parallels from the 2000s. High grades of this 1/1 style parallel can fetch astronomical prices upwards of $20,000 when they surface on the secondary market. Even raw near mint to mint copies sell for $5,000+. For the Chipper Jones super-collector looking for the pinnacle card, the 2006 Topps Finest Auto is truly the holy grail.
In summarizing, Chipper Jones had such an amazing career that spanned from the 1990s through the 2000s that his baseball cards remain some of the most sought after from that era. From affordable rookie and base cards to high-end parallels and autographs, there is a wide array of Chipper Jones material available for collectors of all budgets. Whether you want a true Chipper rookie like the 1991 Bowman or 1995 Score, iconic base cards from Finest and Topps Traded, or the ultra-rare 2006 Topps Finest Auto, his cards continue to gain value as one of the all-time great third basemen is now enshrined in Cooperstown.
