The year 2020 proved to be a very interesting one for the baseball card collecting hobby. With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing the cancellation of games during the early part of the season, many longtime and new collectors turned to the card hobby to pass the time at home. This surge in interest led to skyrocketing prices for some of the most coveted vintage and modern rookie cards on the market. While collecting interest remains high heading into 2021, here’s a look at some of the most valuable baseball cards that traded hands among collectors over the past year.
At the very top of the list is arguably the most iconic baseball card of all-time – the 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner. Widely considered the “Mona Lisa” of sports cards due to its rarity and association with one of the early stars of the game, the Wagner card transcends the hobby. In March 2020, mint condition example sold for $3.12 million through Goldin Auctions, setting a new record as the most expensive baseball card ever sold. While most collectors will never bid on nor own a Wagner, its astronomical price reflects baseball’s enduring appeal and the card’s superior condition and eye appeal continue to make it the undisputed king among collectors.
Another remarkable early 20th century issue that achieved eye-popping numbers is the 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth rookie card. Only about 50 of these cardboard advertisements from Ruth’s time as a rookie pitcher for the minor league Baltimore Orioles are known to exist. A PSA Gem Mint 9 example sold in January 2020 through SCP Auctions for an astounding $1.2 million, shattering expectations and the previous record price paid for any Babe Ruth rookie card. Although the 1914 Baltimore News is arguably less iconic than the famed T206 Wagner, its ultra-rare status, tied to one of baseball’s most legendary figures, make each surviving copy insanely valuable.
Among modern rookie cards, one of the highest dollar cards is the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle in pristine condition. Considered the premier post-WWII baseball issue and featuring one of the game’s all-time greats, a PSA MINT 9 Mantle rookie in January 2020 went for $810,000 through Heritage Auctions. The sale underscored Mantle’s enduring popularity as well as the astronomical prices that true gem copies of his debut Topps issue have been fetching in recent years. While the 10 Mantle rookie cards that have achieved the coveted PSA MINT 9 grade are exceptionally rare, copies in lesser but still high grades still trade in the five and six figure ranges.
Shifting to more contemporary cards, the 2009 Bowman Draft Chrome Blue Refractor Mike Trout rookie auto /99 likely achieved several six-figure private sales this year among diehard Trout collectors. Some industry insiders have speculated certain examples traded above $350,000 each. As arguably the defining MLB star of the 2010s and still in his prime, Trout’s rookie cards hold immense desirability and will likely appreciate greatly long term if he continues his Hall of Fame caliber play. Less scarce dual- logo Trout rookies from 2009 Bowman and Bowman Sterling also remain elite cards valued over $25,000 each when top graded.
The 1984 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie also delivered more proof that exceptional condition Jordan basketball cards can achieve baseball card prices. A PSA GEM MINT 10 Jordan sold in February 2020 for $115,000 through Goldin Auctions, well surpassing all but the rarest and finest baseball cards. While not as iconic or collectible as his iconic Fleer issue, star NBA rookies like LeBron James and Luka Doncic also saw ultra-high end cards trade for six figures among fervent hoops collectors last year. The intersection between sports card collecting and other popular athlete-driven hobbies like basketball is resulting in some traditionally “non-baseball” cards vying for status alongside the all-time greats from the national pastime.
Of course modern rookie sensations like Juan Soto and Ronald Acuña Jr. also had numerous five-figure transactions for their prized early bowman issue autos and parallels over the past 12 months. As young established stars with promising careers still ahead of them, early cards of next generation talents like Soto and Acuna will likely continue appreciating rapidly as their on-field success earns them larger followings among collectors. Their hottest rookie materials are now valued on par with the best cards from the 1980s and 1990s. Given the ultra-affordable prices such cards could be had for just a few years ago, that escalation represents tremendous long term upside for patient investors in next big things.
When looking at sets beyond just elite singles, complete near-perfect vintage sets have also shattered records. In June, a PSA Set Registry GEM-MT 10 1944 Play Ball baseball card set sold for $2.88 million, making it the new top selling vintage baseball set in history. Other astounding complete set auction prices last year included a 1984 Topps Traded Francisco Rodriguez Superfractor /1 set that brought in $454,000 and a 1970 Topps José Cardenal error card superstar set achieving $195,000. Condition sensitive vintage and modern sets have gained huge popularity given the scarcity of any unbroken high-end sets surviving over 70+ years of wear and tear.
While the T206 Wagner and 1914 Babe Ruth will likely always reign as the kingpins of the hobby due to their iconic status and ultra-rarity, modern rookie phenoms like Trout and generational talents across all major North American sports are achieving unprecedented prices in their own right. Similarly condition sensitive vintage and complete sets are shattering records as more collectors hunger to own the rarest surviving specimens from baseball’s early 20th century cardboard heritage. With interest and participation growing from all corners within and beyond baseball’s traditional fanbase, the future remains very bright for rare sports memorabilia as either prized collectibles or lucrative blue chip investments.
