The 2006 Topps baseball card set marked Topps’s 60th anniversary of producing licensed MLB trading cards. While not quite as iconic or valuable as some earlier sets from the 1950s and 1960s, the ’06 Topps set does contain some extremely rare and expensive serial numbered parallels and rookie cards that fetch thousands of dollars today on the collector market. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the priciest 2006 Topps cards around.
Heading the list is the Topps Chrome Refractors parallel subset, which featured parallel refractor versions of base cardsnumbered to just 99 copies. The most coveted and pricey refractor is that of rookie phenom Ryan Braun. Braun burst onto the scene in 2007 and went on to have a fantastic career, making his chrome rookie extremely sought after. In near mint to mint condition, Braun’s #/99 refractor routinely sells for $4,000-$6,000. That makes it one of the most expensive standard cards from the ’06 set.
Not far behind is another Chrome Refractor, this one of iconic pitcher Tom Glavine. Glavine was in his final season in 2006 and this parallel captures him as an Atlanta Brave, the team he spent the majority of his hall of fame career with. Glavine refractors price out around $2,500-$3,500.
Two more ultra-short printed parallels that consistently sell for $2,000 or more are the Turquoise Foilboard parallels and Gold Medallion parallels, both of which were limited to just 10 copies each. The most expensive from these subsets tend to be of superstar players in their prime like Albert Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki, and Barry Bonds. In gem mint condition, a Pujols or Bonds Gold Medallion could conceivably sell for $3,000+.
Moving beyond the parallels, one of the finest rookie cards from the base set belonged to Philadelphia Phillies’ slugger Ryan Howard. Howard exploded onto the scene in 2005, winning the NL Rookie of the Year and coming just shy of the Triple Crown. His performance made him one of the most hyped young talents entering 2006. In near mint to mint condition, Howard’s base rookie card prices out around $800-1200. The card captured Howard at the height of his powers before injuries slowed him down later in his career.
Another sought-after rookie is that of current Cardinals’ great Adam Wainwright. Wainwright didn’t break out as a frontline starter until later in his career, but showed glimpses of promise in 2006, his first season in the Show. Back then, few could have predicted he’d develop into a perennial Cy Young contender and playoff ace, but his rookie card values have steadily risen to $600-950 in top grades thanks to his excellent career.
Two other more moderately priced rookies of note are Rex Brothers ($300-500), a former top Rockies’ prospect, and current Rangers’ ace Mike Minor ($250-400). Brothers flamed out but had top prospects status in 2006. Minor took time to blossom but developed into a steady mid-rotation guy who is still performing well today.
Rounding out the list of the priciest ’06 cards are parallel short prints of all-time greats in their later years. For example, in PSA/DNA 10 gem mint, you’ll pay: $800-1200 for a Ken Griffey Jr. Gold Medallion; $750-1100 for a Randy Johnson Gold Medallion; $600-900 for a Chipper Jones Turquoise; and up to $500 for Gold Medallions of Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux. These capture legendary players in their final seasons and were produced in very limited numbers, making them highly coveted collector items.
While not the most valuable or iconic set released, 2006 Topps does contain some true gems for vintage card collectors looking to add elite parallels and rookie cards to their collections. Keys like the Braun and Glavine Chrome Refractors, low-numbered parallel short prints, and star rookies of Howard, Wainwright and others ensure that the premium cards from this 60th anniversary release will remain notable pieces in the modern era of baseball memorabilia. With the recent surge in popularity of the hobby, prices are likely to continue their upwards trajectory for keys from the ’06 Topps set in the years ahead.
