The baseball card collection hobby has been around for over 150 years and has seen many valuable and rare cards emerge throughout history. Some of the earliest and rarest cards can sell for millions of dollars, while newer popular rookie cards also hold significant value. Below is an in-depth look at some of the most expensive and coveted baseball cards that have been sold over the years.

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner – Often considered the holy grail of baseball cards, the ultra-rare Wagner is by far the most valuable card ever. Only around 60 are known to exist in varying conditions. In 2021, a PSA Mint 9 example sold for $6.6 million, setting a new record. The iconic star-studded design and Wagner’s refusal to be featured helped add to its mystique.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle – As one of the best players of all time, Mantle’s rookie card from Topps’ first modern design is extremely popular. High grade versions consistently sell for over $1 million. In 2017, a PSA Gem Mint 10 example went for $2.88 million, beating the Wagner’s record at the time.

1909-11 T206 Sherry Magee – One of the great American Tobacco Company’s colorful 1909-11 issues, the Magee has only a small run produced. In mint condition it can rival the Wagner. In 2016, a PSA 8 sold for just under $3 million.

1909-11 T206 Eddie Plank and Chief Bender – These Philadelphia Athletics teammates share the record as the third most valuable T206 card at around $2.8 million each. Both are equally rare finding from the classic tobacco era set.

1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth – An early issued pre-Red Sox card of the legendary “Bambino” when he was still pitching. Less than 10 are known to exist in high grades. A PSA 8 realized over $1.26 million in 2016.

T206 Joe Jackson – “Shoeless Joe” Jackson’s fall from grace after the Black Sox Scandal adds greatly to the allure of his card. Less than 50 are reported with only a few graded high. A PSA 8 went for $2.43 million while a PSA 5 sold for over $1 million in recent years.

1933 Goudey Jimmie Foxx – Foxx’s 1933 Goudey rookie has held steady as one of the most in-demand pre-war issues. A fresh PSA 8 could net $500k while a gem mint 10 recently sold for $925k. Condition is everything for these fragile, yet colourful cardboard pieces of history.

1987 Fleer Michael Jordan Rookie – Widely considered the most iconic basketball card, Jordan’s rookie was a first glimpse of his greatness. High grades now sell routinely for over $100k, with a PSA 10 recently trading at auction for $715k.

1909-11 T206 Mathewson/Wagner/Chance – Known as the “Big Three” subset within the mammoth T206 set, the Christopher/Chance/Mathewson card features three of the era’s biggest stars on one. In 2013, a PSA 7.5 sold for $451k marking a record for combination cards at the time.

1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson – Standing alone, Mathewson’s player card would still rank among the most valuable as one of the most storied pitchers ever. A high grade example could still fetch $300k-500k.

1957 Topps Hank Aaron Rookie – Fresh on the heels of breaking Babe Ruth’s home run record, interest in Aaron’s rookie skyrocketed in the 1990s. PSA 10s now easily sell for $100k with one recent sale reaching $190k.

1988 Score Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie – Widely regarded as the best looking and most iconic rookie card design ever, Griffey’s is among the most collected modern issues. Higher grades have sold in the $30k-$50k range in recent times.

1984 Topps Mark McGwire Rookie – Mark McGwire’s rookie arrived on the scene just as the young slugger was blossoming into a prodigious home run hitter for the Athletics. A pristine PSA 10 sold for $75k back in 2017.

2003 SP Authentic Miguel Cabrera Rookie auto – Cabrera quickly burst onto the big league radar with his explosive skills. His sought-after autograph rookie has similarly appreciated over the years with PSA 10s now reaching $20k.

1909-11 T206 Rube Waddell – The flamboyant southpaw fireballer remains one of the most legendary characters from baseball’s deadball era. His scarce T206 can surpass $300k in top condition.

1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle – As Mantle’s first true rookie produced as a superstar, this is the card that started his epic collecting legacy. Examples still command 5-figure sums today led by a recent PSA 8 sale of $87k.

This covers some of the highest valued and most important baseball cards that have been sold at auction and through private transactions in recent collectibles history. As interest and demand continues to grow in the robust hobby market, particularly for vintage cards in top grades, prices are likely to climb even further for these seminal cardboard pieces of baseball history. Condition remains king and scarcity ultimately rules for many of these cards that have survived over 100 years to become true cultural artifacts. With each new record sale, the lore and intrigue around these classic cards grows even larger.