Chipper Jones had a Hall of Fame worthy career playing third base for the Atlanta Braves from 1993-2012. As one of the greatest switch hitters of all time and a key member of the dominant Braves teams of the 1990s, Jones accumulated baseball cards from over 20 seasons that vary widely in value today. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of Chipper Jones’ most valuable and sought after baseball cards on the collector market in 2022.
One of Chipper Jones’ rarest and most expensive rookie cards is his 1993 Upper Deck SP Autograph card. Only 24 of these autographed rookie cards were produced by Upper Deck, making it one of the scarcest Chipper Jones cards in existence. In near mint condition, a PSA 10 graded example of this ultra-rare card recently sold for over $50,000 at auction. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8 or 9 condition will fetch prices well into the thousands due to the extremely limited print run.
Another highly valuable Chipper Jones rookie card is his 1993 Leaf Limited Draft Picks card. Featuring a photo of Jones signing his first professional contract with the Braves, only 1000 copies of this draft pick parallel were produced, making it quite scarce compared to his standard 1993 rookie cards. High grade PSA 10 copies have sold for upwards of $15,000, while PSA 9 examples can bring $5,000-$8,000 depending on the market. Lower graded copies are still worth well over $1,000 due to the card’s scarcity.
For Chipper Jones standard 1993 rookie cards, some of the most valuable include his Topps, Fleer, and Score issues. All three of these brands featured Jones prominently in their 1993 baseball sets as one of the top rookie prospects. In a PSA 10 gem mint grade, the Topps rookie card has sold for over $3,000. The 1993 Fleer rookie in a PSA 10 has reached $2,500 at auction. And the 1993 Score rookie in a PSA 10 grade has sold for around $2,000. Even in high PSA 9 condition, all three of these key Chipper Jones rookie cards can still fetch prices of $1,000-$1,500.
Moving beyond his rookie season, one of Chipper Jones’ most iconic baseball cards comes from his MVP year of 1999 with the Atlanta Braves. That year, Upper Deck captured Jones’ game-winning home run in the National League Championship Series on their “Call to the Pen” parallel insert card. Numbered to only 250 copies, a PSA 10 graded version of this ultra-short printed parallel recently sold for an amazing $12,000. Even well-centered PSA 9 examples can sell for $5,000-$7,000 due to the card’s low print run and its significance in commemorating one of Jones’ biggest postseason moments.
For Chipper Jones’ standard base cards from the late 1990s and 2000s, some particular years and sets carry a premium over others in the secondary market. His 1995 Fleer Ultra refractors and 1996 Finest refractors are quite popular parallels that can reach $500-$1,000 in high grades. His 2000 Topps Traded parallel from when he won the NL MVP that year is also valued around $500 in a PSA 10. And his 2008 Topps Opening Day card from his final season has sold for over $300 in pristine condition due to its retrospective nature. High grade examples of Jones’ base cards from 1995-2008 can range from $50-$250 depending on the specific year and issue.
When it comes to autographed Chipper Jones cards, there are a few particularly sought after issues due to their scarcity. His 1998 Topps Tek autograph parallel signed by Jones during his prime years with the Braves has sold for over $1,000 in PSA/DNA authenticated condition. A 2001 Topps American Pie autograph parallel numbered to only 50 copies recently brought $900 at auction as well. And a 2008 Topps Opening Day autograph parallel from his farewell season reached $700. Autographed Chipper Jones cards signed during his playing days in the 1990s-2000s will demand prices of $250-$800 depending on the exact issue and authentication.
While Chipper Jones produced countless baseball cards over his Hall of Fame career, some stand out as being far more valuable than others today due to their rarity, significance, or grading. His ultra-scarce 1993 rookie autographs, draft picks parallels, and key inserts like the 1999 NLCS home run remain at the high end of his collectible spectrum. But there is also strong demand for his vintage 1990s rookie cards, autographed parallels, and refractors from his MVP producing seasons with the Braves franchise he came to define. Overall, Chipper Jones’ memorable playing career and storied time in Atlanta continues to make his best baseball cards highly sought after investments for dedicated collectors.
