The 1966 Topps baseball card set introduced iconic rookie cards like Reggie Jackson and Tom Seaver that are among the most coveted in the hobby today. Over 50 years later, the best conditioned examples of these rookie cards can sell for hundreds of thousands of dollars. Here are some of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1966 Topps set that any collector would love to have in their collection.
Reggie Jackson (#583): Jackson’s rookie card is arguably the most iconic from the 1960s. Despite being a September call-up in 1965, Topps missed including Jackson’s rookie in the 1965 set. His inclusion in the 1966 set makes this one of the truest rookie cards from that era. In pristine mint condition, the Jackson rookie has sold for over $500,000, making it easily the most valuable card from the ’66 set. Even well-centered examples in excellent condition can still fetch five figures.
Tom Seaver (#515): Seaver broke into the major leagues in 1967 after winning Rookie of the Year honors in 1966. Like Jackson, Seaver’s rookie season was missed by Topps but he was included in the ’66 set as an 18-year-old prospect in the Mets system. High-grade Seaver rookies have topped $400,000 at auction. In a 1979 reselling of his personal collection, Seaver kept this card for himself, a testament to how coveted it was even then among players.
Harmon Killebrew (#569): Killebrew was already an established veteran by 1966 with multiple All-Star and home run title seasons under his belt. Still, his 1966 card stands out for its photo showing Killebrew in a Minnesota Twins batting stance. High-quality examples suitable for grading have sold for upwards of $50,000. Killebrew remained a star throughout the 1960s, giving value to any of his vintage cards from that decade.
Don Drysdale (#550): Widely considered one of the top pitchers of the 1960s, Drysdale’s intimidating style translated to the baseball card world. His 1966 card depicts one of his legendary windups. Beckett Almanac lists PSA 10 value over $10,000 for this iconic Dodgers card. Even well-centered near-mint copies often exceed $1,000. Drysdale continued to have success into the late ’60s, furthering the appeal of his vintage cards from this period.
Tony Perez (#336): Before becoming a Cincinnati Reds hero of the Big Red Machine era, Perez was cutting his teeth as the third baseman for the 1960s Reds. His 1966 card provides one of the earliest looks at the future seven-time All-Star. PSA 10 copies have topped $7,500. Like Killebrew, the sustained success Perez enjoyed through the 1960s makes his cards from that time significantly collectible and valuable.
Jim Palmer (#177): Unlike the other legends on this list, Palmer hadn’t yet reached stardom when featured on his 1966 card as a Baltimore Orioles rookie. However, Palmer would go on to have a Hall of Fame career, winning three Cy Young awards in the 1970s. Because the 1966 set provides one of the earliest looks at Palmer pre-fame, it stands out to collectors and has sold for over $4,000 in top-graded condition.
Some other notably valuable 1966 cards that can still reach four figures include future Hall of Famers like Roberto Clemente (#181), Sandy Koufax (#253), and Lou Brock (#555). The cards highlighted at the top of this article for Jackson, Seaver, Killebrew, Drysdale, and Perez most consistently deliver the highest prices due to capturing these superstars very early in their iconic careers or providing their truest rookie card. For collectors looking to land a blue-chip vintage card that can gain even more value with time, targeting top-quality copies of the cards from this exclusive list is a savvy investment. The 1966 Topps set launched the careers of many baseball greats, simultaneously creating a set of the most historic and sought-after collectibles in the hobby.
