Bo Jackson had one of the most incredible athletic careers of all time, even though it was cut short by injury. As a two-sport star playing both professional baseball and football, Jackson achieved amazing success despite only playing baseball for parts of four seasons from 1986 to 1990. His rare talent and athletic dominance made him a hugely popular figure and collector of his baseball cards during his playing days and since. On the popular online marketplace eBay, Bo Jackson baseball cards remain some of the most sought after and valuable cards from the late 1980s.
Jackson was drafted first overall by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the 1986 NFL Draft after winning the Heisman Trophy playing football for Auburn University. He had already signed a contract to play professional baseball for the Kansas City Royals earlier in 1986 after they drafted him in the 4th round of the MLB Draft in 1982. Jackson played his first full season in the majors with the Royals in 1986 at age 24, hitting .276 with 5 home runs and 41 RBI in 103 games. His rookie cards from 1986 Topps, Donruss, and Fleer are considered the key rookie cards for Jackson as a baseball player.
In mint condition and graded gem mint 10 by professional grading companies like PSA or BGS, 1986 Topps Bo Jackson rookie cards in a protective slab can fetch over $10,000 on eBay. High-grade 1986 Donruss and Fleer rookies have sold for $3,000-$5,000. Even well-centered near mint to mint condition uncertified 1986 Topps Jackson rookies in protective plastic sleeves sell for $500-$1,000 regularly on eBay. The 1986 Topps Traded set also has a Jackson card that is highly sought after, with PSA 10 examples selling for $2,000-$3,000.
Jackson followed up his rookie season with a breakout year in 1987, hitting .276 with 12 home runs and 47 RBI in only 103 games played due to injuries. His 1987 Topps, Donruss, and Fleer cards are also popular, with PSA 10 graded examples of his common 1987 Topps card selling for $500-$800. The rarer 1987 Topps Traded set features an action photo of Jackson stealing a base, with high-grade examples reaching $1,000-$2,000. In 1988, Jackson hit .250 with 2 home runs in only 29 games before suffering a serious hip injury that would ultimately end his baseball career.
His 1988 Topps and Donruss cards are still sought after by collectors but are much harder to find in high grades due to the limited number produced of his final baseball season. PSA 10 1988 Topps Jackson cards have sold for over $1,000 on eBay. In addition to his regular issue cards, Jackson had several popular traded, update, and oddball issue cards produced during his playing days by companies like Fleer, Score, and Upper Deck. High-grade examples of these rarer Jackson cards can reach $500-$1,000 depending on the specific issue.
After recovering from hip surgery in 1989, Jackson decided to fully commit to football and signed with the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1990 offseason. He went on to have a phenomenal NFL career, being selected to the Pro Bowl in both 1990 and 1991 seasons despite playing only 4 full years before another injury prematurely ended his football career in 1994. As one of the greatest pure athletes ever, Jackson became a sports icon and legend. After retirement, collectors began to covet his already scarce baseball cards even more as his fame and legend grew.
In the late 1990s and 2000s, as the internet and online selling through websites like eBay took off, Jackson’s baseball cards began to really increase in value. Collectors who had hung onto mint condition 1986 rookie cards were able to sell them for thousands. Today, over 30 years after he last played in the majors, Bo Jackson’s baseball cards remain some of the most popular and valuable cards on eBay. With his athletic dominance, career cut short, and larger than life legend, Jackson cards hold a special place in the hearts of both vintage baseball card collectors and casual fans alike.
Whether it’s someone looking to add a iconic 1986 Topps rookie to their PC, a set builder trying to finish their 1987 Donruss collection, or an investor scooping up ungraded near mint examples to hold long term, Bo Jackson baseball cards consistently generate buzz and big sale prices on eBay. With his status as one of the greatest athletes who ever lived, interest in Jackson memorabilia like his baseball cards shows no signs of slowing down. As long as eBay and online card sales continue, Bo Knows cards will remain a hot commodity for collectors, speculators, and fans to enjoy for generations to come.
