The year 2007 was a landmark year for baseball cards as some of the most coveted rookie cards in the modern era were printed and distributed that season. While cards from the 1980s and earlier eras still command top prices due to their vintage status, the 2007 season ushered in a new generation of star players whose rookie cards collectors eagerly sought. More than a decade later, the top cards from 2007 remain highly valuable due to the legendary careers and iconic status of the players featured.

Heading the list of the most valuable 2007 baseball cards is none other than Mike Trout. Widely considered one of the greatest players of all time, Trout’s rookie season was in 2011 but collectors were able to get his first baseball card two years prior in 2007 when he was selected 25th overall by the Los Angeles Angels in the MLB Draft out of high school. Trout’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects Superfractor parallel card, serial numbered to just 5 copies, has sold for as much as $400,000, making it one of the highest valued modern baseball cards ever. Even Trout’s base rookie card from 2009 Bowman sells regularly for over $1000 in Near Mint condition.

Another exceptionally hyped young star in 2007 was Bryce Harper. Selected first overall by the Washington Nationals, Harper was hailed as “Baseball’s LeBron James” due to his five-tool skillset and prodigious talent at such a young age. Harper’s first card came in 2009 Bowman and his Bowman Chrome Superfractor parallel from that year hits the six-figure mark as one of the priciest unlicensed modern issues. The regular Chrome rookie also averages over $500. Harper has since lived up to the billing, winning NL MVP in 2015 at just 22 years old.

Staying in the Nationals organization, Stephen Strasburg’s arrival was highly anticipated after he was drafted first overall out of San Diego State in 2009 following one of the greatest college pitching seasons ever. Strasburg mania took off immediately and his 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft RC sells for $300-400 in top grades due to his short but dominant MLB career thus far. Strasburg captivated the baseball world in his debut season of 2010 before an injury hampered his career going forward, cementing his early cards as some of the most valuable in the post-2000 era.

While these ‘Big 3’ prospects of 2007 dominated the headlines, other elite young talents also emerged that retain value over a decade later. Buster Posey, selected 5th overall by the San Francisco Giants, won NL Rookie of the Year and 3 World Series in his first 4 full seasons, cementing his status as one of the game’s top catchers. Posey’s flagship 2009 Bowman Chrome RC in a PSA 10 has reached over $1000, showing the longevity of his popularity.

Elsewhere in the 2009 Bowman set, homeowners of rookies like Drew Storen (10th overall), Ike Davis (18th overall by the Mets), Rick Porcello (27th overall by the Tigers), and Jason Heyward (14th overall by the Braves) all hold onto cards that have exceeded $100 PSA 10. On the international market, Cardinals prospect Kolten Wong from Hawaii and Japanese import Aroldis Chapman also debuted accessible rookie cards in 2009 Bowman that maintain mid-level value currently.

While 2007 may seem like a distant year through modern eyes, it was a watershed moment that introduced stars whose careers are still unfolding today. The rookie cards produced as a result stand the test of time as some of the cornerstone investments in any vintage collection. With so much history still to be written, 2007 cards centered around talents like Trout, Harper and Strasburg have the potential to reach even greater heights in the collecting world.