The hobby of collecting and trading baseball cards has grown tremendously in popularity in recent years. As the nostalgia of rediscovering cards from our childhood awakens a passion in many, the hunt is also on to track down the rarest and most valuable baseball cards on the market. With each new year comes newly scarce cards as players retire or have extraordinarily low print runs. Here are some of the rarest baseball cards that traders and collectors sought after in 2022:
1909 Tobacco Portrait – Honus Wagner (PSA 1): The legendary T206 Honus Wagner card continued to reign as the crown jewel of the hobby in 2022. Only approximately 60 are known to exist in all grades. A PSA 1 quality Wagner sold at auction in January 2022 for an astounding $6.6 million, setting a new record as the most valuable baseball card ever sold. The card’s rarity and status as the first ‘superstar’ player card issued helped drive interest and demand.
1933 Goudey – Babe Ruth (Ungraded): The 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth is one of the key rarities from the early decades of issued baseball cards. Only approximately 25 high-quality examples are thought to exist today in potentially gradable condition. Even low-grade or damaged versions command six-figure prices. A copy that recently surfaced in Maryland and was not professionally graded was being informally estimated at over $1 million raw. Finding any 1930s era icon card in collectible form is an incredible feat.
1953 Topps – Mickey Mantle (PSA 8): Mickey Mantle rookie cards from 1953 Topps have been getting exponentially expensive over the past fifteen years. An absolutely pristine PSA 9 sold in August 2022 for $2.88 million, setting records for both the Mantle rookie and any post-war card. But even high-grade PSA 8 copies were negotiated for over $500,000 as collectors seek to add this legendary Yankees star’s first card to their collections. With under 100 PSA 9s believed extant, well-centered PSA 8s satisfy as the next best thing.
1954 Topps – Hank Aaron (PSA 8): While not his true rookie card which was issued in a set the prior year, the 1954 Topps Hank Aaron is the first card produced during his Hall of Fame playing career. Like Mantle, PSA 9 specimens trade for millions, making PSA 8s a hugely significant find. One in outstanding condition crossed the auction block in October 2022 for an impressive $405,000. Copies higher than a 7 are practically museum worthy at this point.
1957 Topps – Willie Mays (PSA 8): The “Say Hey Kid’s” first full color card from 1957 Topps remains an iconic piece of cardboard. With its highly recognizable image and subject’s status as one of the all-time greatest players, finding a high-quality example is a tall task. During 2022, PSA 8s were commonly trading privately for over $100,000 as individuals sought specimens to feature this true American classic. Condition is everything, with a single flaw potentially wiping out six figures from the value.
1961 Topps – Sandy Koufax (PSA 10): Don’t let the later 1950s/1960s production date fool you – Sandy Koufax rookie and early career cards are among the most coveted issues of the post-war era. Only an infinitesimally small number can claim the perfect PSA 10 grade. One that came on the market this year ended up selling for $388,000, reflective of just how uncommon true gem specimens are. Locating any Koufax rookie in grades above a PSA 6 makes it worthy of a centerpiece in even the most elite collections.
1972 Topps – Johnny Bench (PSA 10): Widely considered the finest prospect of his generation, Johnny Bench had one of the most impressive rookie card seasons of all-time capturing both the Rookie of the Year and MVP awards. Like Koufax above, PSA 10 quality examples are essentially unobtainable, with a single perfect copy trading hands privately in Q3 2022 for a significant six-figure sum. Vivid colors and strong centering make this one of the most aesthetically pleasing vintage cards to find pristine.
1989 Bowman – Ken Griffey Jr. (PSA 10): While not his true rookie in terms of date issued, the 1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. may be the most iconic baseball card of the modern era. With its perfectly captured action image, it is arguably the most recognizable card design ever created. PSA 10s have long been valued north of $100,000 as the centering and surfaces required seem unachievable. A mint copy that surfaced for auction in late 2022 consigned directly from Griffey’s personal collection was predictably a blockbuster at over $686,000.
1996 Bowman’s Best Refractors – Derek Jeter (PSA 10): The advent of parallel ‘refractor’ technology in the 1990s added an entire new layer of complexity and cachet to the hobby. Among the elite pull rates were Derek Jeter’s refractors from 1996 Bowman’s Best, which featured an innovative hologram-style refractive technology never before seen. PSA 10 quality specimens fetched over $400,000 this year as enthusiasts sought the ultimate piece of modern memorabilia featuring one of the game’s most storied players and brands.
2009 Bowman Sterling – Mike Trout (PSA 10): Barely out of his teen years at the time of issue, nobody could foresee Mike Trout emerging as the face of baseball for over a decade. Cases of 2009 Bowman Sterling flew off shelves looking to pull the future star, yet truly flawless examples remain completely elusive. As Trout stamped his place in Cooperstown, a PSA 10 of his primary hobby issue recently became the highest valued modern-era card ever at $900,000. The sheer unlikelihood of perfection adds exponential rarity.
While the list could go on and on, these provide a good cross section of the rarest and most valuable baseball cards that drove fervor among collectors in 2022. With each year, as conditions change and more treasures are unearthed, new contenders are sure to emerge. But the above names will likely remain at hobby’s peak for generations to come.
