The San Francisco Giants are one of the most historic franchises in Major League Baseball. Founded in 1883, the Giants have won 8 World Series championships and boast some of the greatest players to ever step foot on a diamond. Not surprisingly, some of the most prized and valuable baseball cards feature Giants legends from decades past. Here are some of the most valuable Giants cards that collectors covet:
Christy Mathewson T206 (1909) – Widely considered the most valuable baseball card in existence, the ultra-rare Mathewson T206 in gem mint condition has sold for over $2.8 million. Mathewson spent his entire 17-year career with the Giants, winning 373 games and leading them to three World Series titles. Only about 50 examples of this legendary card are known to exist in high grade.
Willie Mays 1952 Topps – Mays is arguably the greatest Giant of all time and one of the top players in MLB history. His rookie card from 1952 Topps is one of the most iconic in the hobby. In near-mint to mint condition, examples have reached upwards of $500,000 at auction. The card is notable for featuring one of the clearer photos on any 1950s Topps issue.
Carl Hubbell 1933 Goudey – “The Meal Ticket” Hubbell dominated National League hitters in the 1930s with his legendary screwball. His 1933 Goudey card is considered the finest representation of the Hall of Famer. Just a handful are known to exist in gem mint condition, with one graded gem mint 10 recently selling for over $286,000.
Mel Ott 1947 Maple Leaf – Ott spent his entire 18-year career with the Giants, slugging 511 home runs and leading the NL in total bases an unprecedented five times. His Canadian issue 1947 Maple Leaf card in high grade is greatly desired by collectors north of the border and has topped $50,000 at auction.
Jeff Kent 2000 Upper Deck MVP – Kent won the National League MVP award in 2000 as a member of the San Francisco Giants. That season stands out as his finest statistically and helped take his brand new rookie card from Upper Deck to tremendous heights among collectors. A PSA 10 grade gem mint example sold for a staggering $78,000 in 2018.
Barry Bonds 1997 Upper Deck MVP – Widely considered one of the greatest power hitters ever, Bonds was at the peak of his abilities from 2001-2004 with the Giants. His 1997 Upper Deck MVP card marks his first in a San Francisco uniform. Highly centered and well-graded PSA/BGS 10 copies have reached $15,000 recently in the extremely hot Barry Bonds market.
Juan Marichal 1964 Topps – The Dominican righty spent nearly his entire 14-year career with the Giants, becoming a fan favorite for his thrilling high-kicks delivery. With 230 wins for San Francisco, Marichal’s 1964 rookie card ranks among the most popular flagship issues. Very high grade specimens have pushed north of $12,000 at auction.
Madison Bumgarner 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft – Bumgarner emerged as the staff ace that led the Giants to 3 titles from 2010-2014. His earliest color refractor from just his second pro season is a hot commodity. Pristine PSA 10 versions eclipse $5,000 in value thanks to Big Mad’s legendary postseason heroics in San Francisco.
Will Clark 1986 Topps Traded – “The Thrill” Clark was an intimidating slugger and leader on San Francisco’s potent offenses in the late 1980s. His traded card sans Giants cap is rarer than the base issue. Gem mint PSA 10 examples have brought over $3,000 at auction.
Tim Lincecum 2007 Bowman Chrome Draft Pick – Before blossoming into a two-time Cy Young winner, Lincecum was dominant in his first full pro season. Refractor parallels from that 2007 draft class are finding new collectors willing to pay over $1,500 for pristine specimens.
While cards of more modern stars like Buster Posey, Brandon Belt, and Brandon Crawford hold significant collector value today, those featuring heritage Giants from the formative years of Topps remain the true blue-chip trophies for diehard fans of the orange and black. With over a century of rich baseball history, the franchise will surely produce many more memorable players whose rookie cards stand the test of time.
