Pete Rose baseball cards have been hot commodities for collectors ever since Rose became Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader in 1985 with his 4,192nd hit. As one of the most prolific hitters in baseball history and a controversial figure who has been banned from the sport since 1989 for betting on games while managing the Cincinnati Reds, Rose’s rookie cards and milestone cards from the 1960s and 70s hold significant historical value and remain highly sought after items on the baseball card market.
Some key Pete Rose rookie cards that collectors look for include his 1963 Topps rookie card, 1964 Topps card, and 1969 Topps card commemorating his 1,000th hit. Rose’s 1963 Topps rookie card (#526) is considered his most significant and valuable card. As Rose’s true rookie card issued during his first season with the Cincinnati Reds, the 1963 Topps Pete Rose RC is one of the iconic cards for collectors from the 1960s set. In Near Mint to Mint condition, graded 1963 Topps Pete Rose rookie cards in a PSA 10 or BGS/SGC Gem Mint 10 slab regularly sell for $15,000-$20,000 or more at auction. Ungraded ’63 Topps Rose rookie cards in near pristine condition can still fetch $5,000-$10,000.
Rose’s 1964 Topps card (#123) commemorates his sophomore season and rise as a young star with the Reds. High graded examples in PSA 8 or above also sell for thousands. Meanwhile, his 1969 Topps card (#321) marking his 1,000th career hit achieved on September 13, 1968 is another popular and valuable Rose issue from the late 1960s/early 1970s period. PSA/BGS 10 graded ’69 Topps 1,000 Hit cards have sold for $8,000-$12,000. Other notable Rose cards include his 1972 Topps card (#338) from the year he won the National League batting title with a .338 average, as well as milestone cards commemorating his 2,000th hit in 1978 and 3,000th hit in 1984 which can each sell for $500-$1,000 in high grades.
Beyond his flagship Topps rookie cards, collectors also look at Pete Rose’s cards from other 1960s/70s sets such as 1964 and 1965 Fleer, 1965 Topps Retro, 1972/73 Topps Traded, and various regional issues. The scarcity of some of these alternative Rose cards means price points for high graded pieces tend to be higher compared to more common Topps issues from the same seasons. For example, a 1964 Fleer Pete Rose rookie in PSA 9 condition recently sold at auction for over $8,000 given the set’s short print run.
As one of only two players to surpass 4,000 career hits in Major League History (the other being Hank Aaron), Pete Rose’s cards marking career hit milestones after 3,000 also hold strong collector value. In addition to the previously mentioned 1984 Topps card for his 3,000th safety, other key Rose milestone cards include:
1975 Topps (#123) – 2,500th Hit Achieved on August 2, 1974
1977 Topps (#154) – 3,000th Hit Achieved on September 11, 1975
1978 Topps (#147) – 3,500th Hit Achieved on August 2, 1977
1979 Topps (#201) – 4,000th Hit Achieved on September 11, 1978
With Rose’s 4,192 career hits standing as the all-time MLB record, the card commemoration of that record setting accomplishment – his 1985 Topps Traded #T49 issue – is highly coveted. Graded PSA/BGS 10 examples of the 1985 T49 card have sold at auction for astronomical prices upwards of $20,000 in recent years. Even mid-grade copies in PSA 5-7 condition still trade hands for $1,000-$2,000 or more.
As the years pass and Rose edges closer to baseball reinstatement under MLB’s provisions for reversing the lifetime ban for gambling infractions, interest and prices for his vintage cards have only grown stronger. While there remains debate about Rose’s character and the severity of his punishment from the game, his playing records and accomplished cardboard pieces stand the test of time as some of the hobby’s most sought after baseball collectibles from the sport’s golden era in the 1970s and prior. For avid collectors, adding a prime example of a Pete Rose Topps rookie or milestone hit card to their collection remains a long-term investment with seemingly staying power.
