With the baseball card industry booming once again, many collectors and investors are looking to the future and wondering which baseball cards represent the best investments heading into 2021. While past performance is not necessarily indicative of future results, analyzing historical trends and assessing the current landscape of the hobby can provide valuable insight. In this in-depth article, we will examine several baseball cards that have strong potential to appreciate significantly in the coming years based on the player, the card, and overall market conditions.
Perhaps the safest investment option for 2021 remains rookie cards of current superstar players who are still early in their careers. One of the most obvious choices would be Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger. Still just 25 years old, Bellinger has already accomplished a great deal in his young career including an NL MVP award in 2019. His rookie cards from 2017 Topps have held their value extremely well and have plenty of room to grow as Bellinger enters his prime. As long as he stays healthy and productive, his rookie cards seem poised to become extremely valuable long-term holdings.
Another young star to consider is Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. Like Bellinger, Acuña is just 23 but has already established himself as one of the best players in baseball. His explosive playing style and five-tool talent profile point to a very bright future. Acuña’s 2018 Bowman Chrome Prospects auto parallel cards in particular hold great long-term appeal due to the rarity of autographed prospect cards for impact major leaguers. As Acuña continues racking up All-Star appearances and hardware for the next decade, these early cards profile as wise investments.
In addition to established young stars, keeping an eye on the newest crop of rookies can provide opportunities. San Diego Padres shortstop Fernando Tatis Jr. looks like a true superstar in the making and his 2019 Topps Series 1 and Topps Chrome rookie cards seem poised to appreciate substantially if he fulfills his enormous potential. Gleyber Torres of the New York Yankees is another young player who has made a fast impact on the field and whose 2018 Topps Series 1 rookie cards hold long-term promise. With rookies, it is important to assess future upside and avoid unproven players who may flame out, but cards of rookies like Tatis and Torres seem like high-probability bets.
While focusing on present and future stars makes sense, investors would be remiss not to consider cards from the sport’s rich history as well. Perhaps the safest vintage investment for 2021 centers around iconic cards from the post-war era prior to the junk wax boom of the late 1980s. Hall of Famers like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays routinely see strong appreciation over time as new collectors enter the market seeking pieces of baseball history. Graded examples of their early Topps, Bowman, and Play Ball cards from the 1950s and 1960s profile as blue-chip holdings that are unlikely to depreciate in value.
Within the vintage sector, two particular cards stand out as especially attractive targets for future gains – the iconic 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle and the coveted 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner. The Mantle is one of the most, if not the most, valuable sports cards in existence today due in large part to its rarity and its subject being “The Commerce Comet” himself. Even high-grade examples still have room for increases given Mantle’s eternal popularity. The T206 Wagner, widely considered the first modern baseball card, has also held or increased in value every year. With such historic pedigrees and limited remaining supplies, these two cards seem poised to continue appreciating at a good clip.
In addition to elite individual cards, complete vintage sets represent compelling portfolio selections. The flagship 1988 Topps set has grown exponentially in demand and prices in recent years as collectors seek to own “the set of their childhood.” With strong appreciation expected to continue as millennials age into their peak earning years, high-grade 1988 Topps sets look like sound long-term picks. Other postwar classics like 1952, 1957, and 1959 Topps as well as 1969 Topps also seem well positioned given their iconic designs, star players, and staying power in the marketplace. As more complete vintage sets find their way into institutional holdings, support for these blue-chip sets seems assured.
While focusing on proven investments is wise, part of successful speculation involves identifying emerging trends and players before they take off. One area showing potential is the burgeoning popularity of Japanese baseball cards among Western collectors. Stars like Shohei Ohtani have helped fuel this rising crossover interest. His 2018 BBM Rookie cards seem poised to appreciate substantially if he continues his two-way success in MLB. Other Japanese issues like the rare 1998 BBM Hiroshima Carp set also seem primed to benefit from the strengthening connection between the Japanese and American hobby. Keeping an eye on developing overseas markets could provide opportunities.
With the sports card industry experiencing a sustained renaissance, now is an prudent time for long-term investing. Focusing on rookies of emerging young stars, iconic vintage Hall of Famers, and complete vintage sets from the sport’s golden eras seems to provide a solid foundation. Supplementing blue-chip holdings with speculative selections like rare Japanese cards involving dynamic players could also prove rewarding. Assessing cards based on a player or set’s historical significance, scarcity, and future prospects offers a thoughtful approach to identifying baseball cards with strong odds of appreciating substantially in 2021 and beyond. With patience and diligence, savvy collectors stand to realize handsome returns by focusing on these types of strategic investments.
