Golden Legends baseball cards were produced by Fleer in 1957 and 1958 as competition for Topps baseball cards, which had dominated the baseball card market since 1951. The Golden Legends set included cards depicting Major League players from the early 1900s through the 1950s. What made these cards unique and added to their value was that they featured some of the game’s earliest stars who never appeared in any other mass-produced card sets from that era.

Some key things that determine the value of individual Golden Legends cards include the player featured, the condition or grade of the particular card, and its scarcity. While most common cards from the set in worn condition may only be worth $5-10, here is a closer look at some of the top cards and whatmint or near-mint condition examples have sold for:

Christy Mathewson (1908-16) – One of the greatest pitchers of the deadball era, Mathewson won 373 games and had a career ERA of 2.13. He was the first great “ace” pitcher and helped the New York Giants win 3 World Series. As one of the earliest stars featured, high grade Mathewson cards have sold for $3,000-5,000 at auction.

Honus Wagner (1900-17) – Arguably the most coveted card in all of sports collecting due to its rarity, Wagner cards are extremely scarce in high grade samples. He was one of the first true superstars of baseball as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates dynasty. Near-mint Wagner Golden Legends have sold for upwards of $20,000 at auction.

Ty Cobb (1905-28) – Known as the “Georgia Peach,” Cobb still holds records for the highest career batting average (.366) and stolen bases (892). He was also one of the earliest superstar titans of the game. Near-mint Cobb Golden Legends have consistently brought over $10,000 at auction.

Walter Johnson (1907-27) – “The Big Train” dominated pitching for over two decades and still holds the record for career strikeouts (3,509). He won 417 career games and led the Washington Senators to multiple pennants. High grade examples of the Johnson card have sold in the $7,000 range.

Cy Young (1890-1911) – Young won an astounding 511 games in his career, a record which stood until broken by Walter Johnson in 1923. He still holds the record for career wins. A near-mint Johnson Golden Legends sold for around $4,500 in late 2019.

Shoeless Joe Jackson (1908-20) – One of the tragic figures in baseball history due to his alleged involvement in the Black Sox Scandal. He was also one of the game’s best hitters of the deadball era, with a career .356 average. Near-mint examples of his scarce Golden Legends card have sold over $3,000.

George Sisler (1915-22) – A powerhouse first baseman/outfielder for the St. Louis Browns in the deadball era who hit .340 for his career. High grade Sisler cards remain rare and have sold in the $2,500 range.

Dazzy Vance (1915-35) – One of the most dominant pitchers of the live ball era, Vance led the NL in strikeouts six times. He had a career ERA of 3.24 and won 197 games. Very high grade examples of his uncommon card have exceeded $1,500 at auction.

Rube Marquard (1908-25) – Held the single season wins record of 26 for many years after posting that total in 1912 for the NY Giants. Very rare high grade Marquard cards have sold for over $1,000.

Eddie Collins (1906-30) – A sparkplug second baseman who was the heart of the A’s dynasty teams in the 1910s. He hit .333 lifetime and ranks among the all-time great leadoff hitters. Collins cards grade very well and have topped $750 for key examples.

The key thing that gave Golden Legends cards their appeal and value was the level of historical significance represented by the players featured. Many of baseball’s biggest stars from the Deadball and Early Live Ball Eras, who never appeared in any other vintage cards, were depicted. High quality samples of legends like Mathewson, Wagner, Cobb, Johnson, Young remain highly prized by serious collectors and consistently command the highest prices at auction of any 1950s era set when compared on a player by player basis. The scarce Hall of Fame talents and unique historical nature of the Golden Legends issue continue to captivate collectors decades after they first appeared. Condition is critical, but key vintage stars and stars of the earliest eras represent the most valuable cards from this iconic vintage baseball issue.