The vintage baseball card collecting hobby has generated countless memories and connected generations of fans to the stars of yesteryear. Hidden amongst attics and basements lie treasures that could be worth thousands, or even hundreds of thousands, to the right buyer. With years of history to pore over, selecting the 10 best baseball cards of all time requires considering rarity, condition, player pedigree and impact on the hobby. Here are the top 10 best baseball cards as judged by their significance, history and collectibility:
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner – The hobby’s iconic card ranks at number 10 due to its extreme rarity and history-making price tags it has achieved at auction. While the National Sports Collectors Convention declared fewer than 60 high-grade examples known to exist, any Wagner offers a connection to the early days of the fledgling sports card industry. In 2009, one mint example sold for a then-record $2.8 million price.
1909-11 T206 Ty Cobb – As one of the first true superstars of the game along with Wagner, Cobb’s aggressive style made him a fan favorite of the era. Like the Wagner, his scarce tobacco card offers a seminal piece of early 20th century baseball card history. High grades have also brought premium prices, including a PSA 8 example that sold in 2016 for $360,750.
1952 Topps Willie Mays – As one of the most accomplished and charismatic players ever, Mays’ rookie is an icon of the golden era of Toppsdominance. Renowned for its elegant design, bright colors and perfect encapsulation of“The Say Hey Kid’s” impact, a PSA 8 sold in 2017 for $458,250.
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth – “The Bambino’s” first major brand card marked the first significant baseball card set. Over 80 years later it remains one of the most storied issues due to Ruth’s status as a trailblazing home run king and larger-than-life persona. Exceptional examples regularly top $100,000.
1909-11 T206 Eddie Plank – A high-quality example of one of the scarcest T206s in the Plank, a smooth lefty who spent his entire career with the Philadelphia A’s. Fewer than a dozen high-grade samples are known to exist and a PSA 8 brought $227,500 in 2013.
1909-11 T206 Nap Lajoie – Another tough-to-find tobacco era issue featuring the hitting machine 2nd baseman who won two batting titles in the first decade of the 1900s. Only a small number are known and a PSA 4.5 sold for $276,000 in 2017.
1909-11 T206 Mathewson – As one of the most dominant pitchers of all time, “Matty” led the National League in ERA, wins and shutouts multiple times from 1903-1916 for the New York Giants. His low-population T206 card may be the most valuable, with a PSA 6 selling in 2013 for $401,000.
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – As Mickey is affectionately known by many as “The Mick,” there’s little debating his status as one the most exciting and productive players to ever grace a diamond. Superb photography and design made his colorful rookie card iconic, and a PSA 8.5 example sold for $525,500 in 2017.
1909-11 T206 Cabrera – While not a true “holy grail” card like the #1 pick, Mariano’s key is one of the rarest T206s estimated to have 3 or fewer existing in high grades. Cap Anson and Elmer Flick share a roughly equal statistical rarity, but Cabrera’s real-deal Honus Wagner-level scarcity puts him here at #2 all-time. A PSA 4 sold in 2016 for $657,250.
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner – The king of collectibles reigns again due to the sheer mystique, beauty and unmatched rarity of the perhaps 30 or fewer highest graded specimens known to exist. As the star of the early 20th century and Pittsburgh’s favorite son, Wagner’s likeness on one of the first baseball cards still fascinates over 100 years later. In 2016 a PSA 8 example sold a record $3.12 million. No other issue comes close to matching the lore or price tags achieved by this Holy Grail of the hobby.
In the end, selecting the 10 best baseball cards requires analyzing issues that pushed the hobby forward through player selection, scarcity and design, while representing icons across different eras. Whether showcasing stars of baseball’s earliest decade, golden age greats or modern superstars, these 10 issues will likely remain firmly at the top of want lists for serious collectors for decades to come. With so much history embedded in each cardboard slice, they provide a constant link between today’s fans and those of over a century ago.
