The hobby of collecting baseball cards has been around for over 150 years. Ever since the advent of printed trading cards included with tobacco products in the late 1800s, people have been accumulating and cherishing these small pieces of cardboard that feature iconic MLB players from throughout history. While the vast majority of cards hold little monetary value, some rare and historic issues have become hugely valuable over the decades. Here are some of the most valuable baseball cards ever printed based on confirmed auction prices.

1909 T206 Honus Wagner: Starting off the list is undoubtedly the most famous and coveted card in the history of the hobby – the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner. Produced by the American Tobacco Company between 1909-1911, it is estimated only 50-200 of these rare cards were ever printed due to Wagner asking for his likeness to be removed. In pristine condition, they have sold for as much as $6.6 million, with the current record set in 2016. The combination of Wagner’s status as one of the early game’s greats plus the extreme rarity has made this the pinnacle card for serious collectors.

1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: As one of the most well-known and accomplished players of all-time, it’s no surprise that Mantle’s rookie card from Topps’ first modern baseball issue is hugely valuable as well. High grade ’52 Mantle rookies have reached into the millions, with a PSA NM-MT 8 copy hitting $2.88 million back in 2021. The iconic design and Mantle’s legendary career continue to drive prices sky high for this true icon of the hobby.

1909-11 T206 Bobby Wallace: While not a household name like Wagner or Mantle, Bobby Wallace’s T206 rookie is considered the second rarest card from that renowned issue behind only the Wagner. Posited to have an even lower surviving population around just 50 copies or less, gem mint examples now sell for well over $1 million. Wallace had a fine career as a 19th century infielder but it’s the extreme scarcity that makes his card such an expensive find.

1941 Play Ball Babe Ruth: The 1941 Play Ball Set features player portraits similar to Wagner’s famed tobacco issue but is far more elusive. Ruth’s iconic image from this rare 80 card series recently broke records when a PSA 8 brought over $5.2 million at auction in 2016. With only about 50 thought to exist in all grades, it is arguably now stands as the second most coveted card behind the Wagner for serious collectors.

1913 E90-1 Joe Jackson: While the “Shoeless” Joe Jackson has an infamous spot in MLB history due to the Black Sox scandal, his superb hitting talents are undeniable. His lone true “rookie” card appearance comes from the rare 1913 E90-1 set which had an small original print run. High quality examples now sell north of $500,000 due to the great image, player, and extreme scarcity from a set predating the 1914 start of the modern Federal League.

So in summary – while recent stars like Mike Trout, Bryce Harper, and others have produced some exponentially valuable modern rookie cards, it is these pre-WWII tobacco and pioneer basketball issues featuring legends like Wagner, Ruth, Mantle, and others that remain the true blue chip investments. Their rarity combined with featuring players who came to define the early game for generations has cemented them as the most prized cards for wealthy collectors. With prices continuing to set new marks, it’s clear the value of these iconic pieces of cardboard shows no signs of slowing appreciating further.