When it comes to collecting valuable sports cards, most collectors dream of getting their hands on arguably the most prized possessions in the entire hobby – the extremely rare and coveted vintage rookie cards of some of the all-time greatest players. Whether it’s baseball legends like Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner or basketball icons like Michael Jordan, Wilt Chamberlain and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, mint condition examples of their earliest issued cards are considered the holy grail finds and can sell for astronomical prices when they hit the market.
While condition is absolutely crucial for true high-grade specimens, even well-loved vintage cards in lower grades from the likes of these all-time greats still command impressive values given their legendary status, scarce populations and place in history as some of the earliest commercially issued trading cards featuring these iconic athletes. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most valuable baseball and basketball cards that have crossed the auction block in recent years:
Baseball:
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (PSA 8): Arguably the single most valuable trading card in existence, examples of Mantle’s classic 1952 Topps rookie in PSA 8 condition have achieved auction prices north of $2 million. In 2021, a PSA 8 sold for a record-breaking $5.2 million, making it not just the most expensive baseball card but sports card ever sold. Only a handful are known to exist in high grades.
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner (PSA Authentic/Good 2): The fabled Wagner is widely considered the pinnacle chase for baseball collectors. No mint examples are known to exist, but ones verified as cut directly from the original tobacco card sheet can bring astronomical eight figures regardless of condition due to their beyond rare status. In 2021, a “Good” grade Wagner sold for $6.6 million.
1933 Goudey Babe Ruth (NM-MT 8): One of the first commercially produced cards featuring “The Bambino,” high grade 1933 Goudey Ruths can bring millions as arguably his most iconic vintage issue. In 2021, a PSA 8 example achieved $5.2 million at auction.
2006 Bowman Draft Justin Verlander (PSA 10): When it comes to modern rookie cards, Verlander’s ultra-short print 2006 Bowman Draft Refractor parallel in a true gem MT10 grade holds the auction record, selling for an unprecedented $3.84 million in 2021.
1909-11 T206 Joe Jackson (PSA EX 5): Nicknamed “Shoeless Joe” after his playing career, the infamous Black Sox scandal has made Jackson’s early tobacco cards highly sought after mysteries in their own right. In 2021, a well-known PSA 5 broke $1 million.
Basketball:
1956-57 Topps #19 Wilt Chamberlain (PSA 9): Considered the quintessential Chamberlain rookie card, high grade ’56-57 Topps examples in PSA 9 have reached $1.8 million at auction. His iconic pose and stats make it one of the most coveted in the entire basketball category.
1997-98 Topps Chrome Refractor #65 Michael Jordan (PSA 10 Gem Mint): When it comes to Jordan, his hugely popular ’97-98 Topps Chrome rookie refractor parallel in pristine PSA 10 condition has taken champion status, selling for over $350,000 in recent auctions for this true sports card treasure.
1957 Topps #123 “Sweetwater” Clifton (PSA 8): While not a true rookie card, high grades of this exceedingly rare Frank Clifton issue from 1957 Topps are exceedingly valuable due to believed low surviving populations and status as one of earliest basketball cards released. An NM-MT 8 recently hit $144,000.
1962-63 Topps #123 Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (PSA 7): Considered one of his earliest issuedLew Alcindor (pre-name change to Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) rookie cards, minty examples from the 1962-63 Topps set have reached six figures, though lower graded specimens in the $20,000-40,000 range remain quite affordable for a legend of his stature.
1997-98 Metal Universe Purple Refractor #66 Larry Bird/Magic Johnson(PSA 10): While not true rookies, mint condition doubles featuring two 1980s icons Bird and Johnson on the same dramatic foil-finished card have sold north of $30,000 due to gorgeous appeal and subject matter.
As you can see, the very rarest and highest graded examples from the earliest issues featuring true legends like Mantle, Wagner, Ruth, Chamberlain, Jordan and more will likely always reign supreme as the true Holy Grail finds. Across multiple price spectrums, vintage cards from iconic players never cease to amaze collectors and ignite dreams of finding buried treasure in that old shoebox in the attic. The histories, stories, and visuals embodied in these fragile pieces of cardboard will continue attracting new generations to the fantastic hobby of sports cards.
