Baseball cards have long captured moments from the game, both accomplishments as well as mistakes. While error cards are not the most sought after, they do provide a unique snapshot into baseball history. Some of the most notable error cards include:

1953 Topps Mickey Mantle (#91) – One of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards ever printed, the 1953 Topps Mantle features an upside down photo of the Yankee great. Only a small number were printed this way before the error was caught, making this one of the most iconic error cards. In pristine condition, an upside down Mantle card can fetch over $100,000 at auction.

1956 Topps Willie Mays (#258) – Like the Mantle error, only a small number of 1956 Topps Mays cards were printed with the photo upside down before the mistake was caught. Considered nearly as rare as the Mantle, high grade examples can sell for $50,000 or more. Both the Mantle and Mays errors are must-have pieces for serious error card collectors.

1957 Topps Hank Aaron (#253) – This card stands out not just for Aaron’s image being reversed left-to-right, but also because the text under his name is truncated. Only a small subset of the 1957 Aaron cards were printed this way before the dual errors were addressed. In top condition it can sell for over $10,000, showing the scarcity even of lesser-known errors.

1962 Topps Maury Wills (#537) – A more common error, but still notable for capturing an on-field mistake. Wills’ photo shows him in a Dodgers uniform, but the back identifies him as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates. Wills was famously traded mid-season in 1962, leading to the card mismatch. Still sells for a few hundred dollars in high grade.

1973 Topps Johnny Bench (#640) – One of the most dramatic error cards due to a missing image, the 1973 Bench has blank white space where his photo should be. Topps has stated only 10 were mistakenly printed this way before being caught. Currently the record sale price is over $50,000 in pristine condition, a true holy grail for collectors.

1974 Topps Hank Aaron (#70) – A strikingly obvious error where Aaron’s head is miscut off the top of the card. Topps has said only a handful slipped through with this mistake. Even well-centered examples in good condition can sell for $1,000 due to the visual impact of the error.

1982 Donruss Cal Ripken Jr. (#481) – Ripken’s photo is noticeably cropped on this early Donruss issue. While a relatively common error, it was an early capture of a superstar before his amazing consecutive games streak. High grades have sold for $500 due to Ripken’s popularity.

1986 Fleer Bill Buckner (#377) – Infamously shows Buckner committing his infamous error at first base for the Red Sox in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Considered one of the most iconic modern sports error cards. Low pop numbers and high demand mean gem mint copies sell for $3,000+.

1991 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. (#1) – Griffey’s rookie card was printed with his first name misspelled as “Ken Jr.” on some copies before Upper Deck caught and fixed the mistake. High grades in pristine condition have sold for over $10,000, showing the card’s significance.

1995 Select Derek Jeter (#84) – Jeter’s photo is noticeably missing from this rookie issue of Select. The manufacturer stated only a small number were mistakenly printed without the image before being fixed. Near-perfect condition copies have sold for $7,500.

2000 Topps Alex Rodriguez (#123) – A-Rod is shown in a Mariners uniform on the front, but the back identifies him as a member of the Rangers, reflecting his trade midway through the 1999 season. Considered one of the more iconic modern-day error cards.

While not all are equal in rarity or demand, these error cards represent unintended snapshots from baseball’s history. They are prized by collectors not just for historical significance, but also the scarcity introduced by the production mistakes. As long as the hobby endures, fascinating flubs like these will continue to captivate enthusiasts.