Steve Avery was a Major League Baseball left-handed pitcher who had a successful career playing for the Atlanta Braves and Boston Red Sox in the 1990s. While his on-field accomplishments make some of his baseball cards quite valuable for collectors today, Avery’s untimely retirement at a young age due to injuries has also contributed to the scarcity and demand for his rookie and major season cards.
Some of the most valuable Steve Avery baseball cards that fetch high prices at auction are from his rookie season with the Atlanta Braves in 1991 and his outstanding performance seasons of 1992 and 1993 that helped the Braves win the World Series. One of the holy grails for any Avery card collector is his incredibly rare 1991 Upper Deck rookie card. Only 365 of these rookie cards were produced by Upper Deck, which was one of the original and most popular baseball card manufacturers in the late 80s and early 90s. The scarcity of this card combined with Avery’s star power as a rookie pitcher and member of a dynasty Braves team make ungraded copies of this card sell for thousands of dollars when they surface on the market. A PSA 10 graded gem mint condition of the 1991 Upper Deck Steve Avery rookie card has sold at auction for over $20,000, showing just how highly sought after this rare piece of cardboard is.
Other exceptionally valuable Avery cards come from his dominant seasons of 1992 and 1993 with the Braves. In 1992, Avery went 16-8 with a 2.94 ERA and finished 4th in NL Cy Young voting at just 23 years old, helping lead Atlanta to the pennant. His stellar performance that season is best encapsulated in his 1992 Fleer Ultra card, which was one of the premium baseball cards produced that year. Receiving an autograph on this atmospheric photography style card only increases its value, with autographed copies selling for over $1,000. Avery continued building his reputation in 1993 by going 20-8 with a 2.94 ERA and finishing 2nd in Cy Young voting as the Braves won the World Series. Highlights cards from that season like his 1993 Donruss Elite card show him celebrating and are extremely scarce to find in high grades above PSA 8, with PSA 10 examples worth $500-$1,000.
Outside of his rookie and peaks season cards though, there are some others that hold significance. His 1991 Stadium Club rookie card stands out not just for its photography but also due to the smaller production run of Stadium Club sets that year. Another interesting find is his 1992 Topps Traded card, which was issued midseason after he was traded from the Braves to the Red Sox. This marks his only season played with Boston before injuries forced his retirement. Later career rebound attempt cards like his 1998 Topps or Upper Deck are far less common to find compared to his Atlanta years, adding to their collector value.
When assessing the condition and grade of Avery’s cards, this becomes an important aspect of their value. As with any collected cards, higher grades of PSA 8 and above are always more valuable. But it’s important to note that due to the smaller original print runs of Avery’s earliest and most significant cards from 1991-1993, higher grades above a PSA 7 are exceedingly difficult to locate. Even lower grade copies of his Topps rookie or Ultra cards will still fetch hundreds to over $1,000 depending on condition relative to the sheer scarcity. This scarcity ultimately drives prices up across the board for Avery’s select rookie and Atlanta years cards compared to what the population of mint examples would be expected to receive.
While he didn’t have the longest MLB career due to injuries, Steve Avery made one of the biggest impacts as a rookie pitcher during baseball card’s original boom period in the early 1990s. Being a part of the dominant Atlanta Braves dynasty teams at that time too has cemented some of his baseball cards as the most chase-worthy and valuable in his collection today. From his ultra-rare 1991 Upper Deck rookie to highlight cards from his breakout 1992-1993 seasons, Avery’s highest valued cards continue to be led by his early career representations with the Braves as one of baseball’s most exciting young arms of that era. Whether in mint graded gem condition or not, the scarcity and significance of Avery’s select rookie and Atlanta years cards will ensure they remain highly sought after and hold value for seasoned collectors.
