The hobby of collecting baseball cards has grown exponentially in popularity and value over the past few decades. As with any collectible item, the rarest and most coveted cards can command astronomical prices at auction. The current baseball card market is as hot as it’s ever been, with record prices being set seemingly every month at the highest levels. Here’s a look at some of the most expensive baseball cards that have traded hands in 2022 so far.
One of the biggest baseball card sales of all-time took place in January 2022, when a 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner card graded PSA Authentic 5 sold for $7.25 million through Goldin Auctions. This legendary card is widely considered the Holy Grail of the hobby and the price paid set a new auction record. Only around 60 examples of the Wagner are known to exist in all grades. The rarity and iconic status of Wagner, one of the early stars of the game, make this among the most desirable collectibles in the world.
In February, a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card graded PSA Gem Mint 9.5 brought $5.2 million through Heritage Auctions. The Mantle rookie is the most valuable post-war baseball card and consistently breaks records, as it did here by over $1 million. Mantle went on to have one of the greatest careers in baseball history and his rookie is the pinnacle collectible from the early years of modern cardboard production. Fewer than 10 examples are known to exist in a PSA 9.5 grade.
Also in February, a 1933 Goudey Sport Kings Babe Ruth card graded PSA Authentic 3.5 sold for $2.88 million through Goldin Auctions. The Ruth is one of the earliest mass-produced baseball cards and among the most significant of the pre-war era. Any high-grade example of this rare issue will command major money. A PSA 2.5 copy had previously set the auction record at $996,000 in 2021.
In March, a 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle card graded PSA Mint 9 brought $2.1 million at Heritage Auctions, setting a new record price for the 1956 Topps design. The ’56 Mantle is one of the star centerfielder’s key rookie/early career cards and remains an iconic image in the hobby. Just a short time later, another ’56 Mantle PSA 9 traded privately for $2.88 million, further cementing this issue as among the most valuable post-war cards.
A rare 1909-11 T206 Eddie Plank card graded PSA Authentic 3 realized $1.2 million through Goldin Auctions in April. Plank is one of the more obscure subjects of the legendary T206 set but high grades of his card are extremely tough to come by. This example more than doubled the previous auction record for any Plank card. Collectors will pay top dollar for any authentic and visually appealing example of rare pre-war issues.
In May, Heritage Auctions sold a 1998 Bowman’s Best Refractor Ken Griffey Jr. card graded PSA Gem Mint 10 for $487,500. The Griffey Jr. refractor rookie is one of the most iconic cards of the 1990s collector boom. In pristine condition it remains among the most in-demand modern rookie cards. This example set a new record price for the Griffey refractor design in a PSA 10.
A rare 1909-11 T206 Sherry Magee card graded PSA Authentic 3.5 brought $384,000 at Goldin’s July Sports Card Auction. Magee is one of the more obscure T206 subjects but high grades are extremely tough to find. This price far surpassed the previous record for any Magee card. The T206 set from the earliest years of modern baseball card production has long captivated collectors with its historic images and scarcity.
In August, a 1951 Bowman Color Mickey Mantle rookie card graded PSA Authentic 5 sold for $360,000 through Heritage Auctions. The 1951 Mantle is the first color card of the Yankee legend’s career and considered a key piece in any serious Mantle or vintage collection. This example established a new record price for the design in a mid-grade.
As values at the high end of the market continue reaching new stratospheres, there is no sign of slowing for the collecting population’s appetite of the rarest and most significant vintage cards, especially those depicting legendary players like Wagner, Mantle, Ruth and others. With the increased money flowing through online third-party grading services and mainstream auctions, we can expect more record-setting prices for these prized cardboard pieces of sports history in the months and years ahead. For the serious collector, an opportunity to acquire one of these seven- or eight-figure cards may come only once in a lifetime.
