The hobby of collecting baseball cards has been popular for over 150 years and is a multi-billion dollar industry. As with any collectible, the rarest and most coveted cards command the highest prices on the market. While prices constantly fluctuate based on supply and demand, here are some of the baseball cards that have consistently sold for record prices throughout 2023 so far.
The highest priced baseball card of all time is the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner, considered the rarest and most iconic card in the hobby. Only around 60 authentic T206 Wagners are known to exist today in various grades of condition. In January 2023, gold-standard grading company PSA sold one of these rare cards in a PSA-graded MINT 9 condition for an astounding $6.6 million through auction house Sotheby’s. While the Wagner will likely never be topped, it sets the gold standard for what truly rarefind high-grade vintage cards can sell for.
The second highest baseball card price achieved in 2023, and the all-time record for a modern card, was the sale of a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA GEM MINT 10 in February for $12.6 million also through Sotheby’s. The Mantle is incredibly scarce in the pristine GEM MT 10 grade and considered the finest quality example in existence. With its iconic subject, the 1952 Topps design is also regarded as one of the most aesthetically pleasing in hobby history making high-grade examples like this extremely desirable for serious collectors.
Showing it can compete with vintage rarities, a rare 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Autographs Blue Refractor 1/1 of superstar Mike Trout sold in June 2023 for $3.93 million through Goldin Auctions. As a one-of-a-kind autographed rookie card issued before Trout’s huge success, it is arguably the most valuable Mike Trout card available. Trout has proven himself as perhaps the greatest player of this generation, and holdings of his early cards stand to gain even more value as his career and accomplishments continue to cement his legend status.
The most expensive modern card of 2023 prior to the Trout was a case hit 1/1 autograph red refractory of Los Angeles Angels superstar Shohei Ohtani from 2021 Bowman’s Best. It achieved $3.36 million in July through Goldin, showing Ohtani mania has fully taken hold with collectors. As a two-way phenom not seen since the deadball era, Ohtani collectors are willing to pay top dollar for his rarest rookie cards issued before he won the AL MVP award in 2021. With continued success, the price for 1/1 Ohtani’s is sure to keep rising rapidly.
For vintage cards, a 1919 Eddie Plank Batter-Up Tobacco Card in a PSA EX-MT 4 condition reached $2.88 million in May through SCP Auctions. The Plank is one of the most visually striking and iconic tobacco era cards, with only a small number believed to remain in existence across all grades. Condition above a 5 is exceedingly rare to encounter after over 100 years of surviving the elements, so high grade examples like this are prized among advanced collectors.
In September, Goldin sold an ultra-rare 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth tobacco card reputed as the earliest known Major League issued Ruth card for an astounding $2.46 million. Not much is known about the 1914 Baltimore News set and fewer than 10 are thought to exist in any condition. With the card having an imprint of “Ruth” at the bottom, it is believed the future Sultan of Swat was still playing minor league ball in Baltimore when this image was taken. As one of the first appearances of a true sports icon like Babe Ruth, it set records for the earliest issued Ruth card.
Further showing demand for vintage stars, a 1909-11 T206 Sherry Magee PSA EX-MT 5 sold in August through SCP Auctions for $2.1 million. Magee was a premier slugger of the deadball era and star on some great Philadelphia Phillies clubs. With a population under 20 high grade examples known, his T206 is a supreme rarity that gained additional value by being offered fresh to the market in an intact high grade state without restoration. It represented a huge price for a non-Wagner T206.
Rounding out the top ten is a 1957 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA GEM-MT 10 that achieved $2.04 million in a November Goldin sale. Beyond its superior state of preservation, the ’57 design is considered one of Mantle’s most aesthetically appealing and iconic cards issued during his playing days. With demand sky high for rare perfect condition examples of The Mick’s classic cards, this realized an impressive sum.
While the ultra-rare Honus Wagner will likely hold the all-time record indefinitely, the prices seen for other vintage and modern rookie cards in 2023 prove the market remains incredibly robust. Cards featuring legendary players like Mantle, Ruth, Trout and Ohtani will consistently set new records as long as just a few pristine examples remain in the strict highest grades. For dedicated collectors, buying fresh to the population cards of today’s stars in top condition will be seen as sound investments that stand to gain great value as those athletes’ careers progress. Condition is king, and the rarest 1/1s will always demand million dollar bids – showing the continued strength of the baseball card collecting hobby.
