Tag Archives: brett

GEORGE BRETT BASEBALL CARDS VALUE

Leave a reply

George Brett is considered one of the best third basemen in Major League Baseball history. Playing his entire 21-year career with the Kansas City Royals from 1973 to 1993, Brett was an 18-time All-Star and was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in 1999. Unsurprisingly given his legendary status, George Brett baseball cards from his playing days are extremely popular with collectors and can hold significant value depending on the card and its condition. Let’s take a closer look at some of the top George Brett cards and what they may be worth.

One of the most valuable George Brett rookie cards is his 1974 Topps card. Featuring Brett in a Royals uniform during his first full season in the majors, the 1974 Topps Brett rookie is highly sought after. In pristine near-mint to mint condition (graded Nm-Mt 8 or higher), examples of this card in top grades can sell for over $10,000. Even well-centered cards in excellent condition (rated Ex 5) will fetch $1,000 or more. The 1974 Topps Brett is one of the keys to any serious baseball card collection given his eventual Hall of Fame induction.

Another hugely valuable Brett rookie is his 1975 Topps issue. Considered even rarer than the 1974 due to a much lower print run, a PSA/BGS 10 grade 1975 Topps Brett in gem mint condition could sell at auction for well over $20,000. Most PSA 9 or BGS 9 copies trade hands between $5,000-$10,000. Likewise, a nicely centered Ex-Mt 8 example might sell for $2,000-$3,000. For raw, ungraded ’75s you’ll be very lucky to find one in good centered condition for under $1,000. The ’75 is truly Brett’s rarest and most investable rookie card.

Besides rookie cards, many of Brett’s iconic issued from the peak of his career in the 1970s and 1980s hold substantial value as well. His 1977 Topps and 1979 Topps Traded cards are especially coveted, as those were Brett’s breakout seasons where he started posting huge offensive numbers year after year. A PSA 10 ’77 Topps Brett can bring over $1,000 while PSA 9s sell for $500-700. For the rare 1979 Topps Traded card, PSA 10s easily sell for $2,000-3,000 and near-mint to mint PSA 8s go for $500-800 depending on centering quality.

Other highly valuable late-70s/early-80s Brett issues include his 1980, 1981, and 1982 Topps flagship cards. For the 1980 in top grades, PSA 10s sell between $600-800 with PSA 9s around $300-400. The 1981 has similar values, with gem mint 10s around $500-700 and near-mint 9s around $250-350. Perhaps the most aesthetically pleasing Brett card design is found on his 1982 Topps, which features a colorful action photo from his magical 1980 season. High-grade ’82s in PSA 10 can reach $800-1,000 with nicely centered PSA 9s around $400-500. All three of these core 1980s Brett cards represent the peak of his tremendous success with the Royals.

Besides flagship Topps issues, Brett cards from other contemporaneous sets also hold value depending on condition. His 1977 through 1981 Fleer cards typically sell well from $100-300 in PSA 8-9 grades. The 1980 and 1981 Donruss cards are also popular, with PSA/BGS 9s trading hands for $150-250. His 1983 Donruss is another eye-catching design, with colorful multi-photo showing Brett pitching and hitting. High-grade ’83 Donruss Brets can reach $150 raw in near-mint to mint condition. Finally, Brett’s 1981, 1982, and 1983 Traded/Update issues from Topps are quite scarce and command $200-500 for mint 9s depending on the particular parallel card.

The late 1980s and early 1990s saw Brett maintain excellence past his prime years. Cards like his 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1990 and final 1991 Topps issues retain value especially in top condition. Most notably, Bretts 1985 and 1990 flagship Topps cards graded PSA/BGS 9 can reach $100-150 due to their iconic photos capturing key moments in the latter stages of his career. The 1985 shows an action shot from his record-breaking 3000th hit season while the 1990 features Brett rounding third base during what would be his final playoff run. Both serve as bookends representing the brilliant twilight years of a surefire Hall of Famer.

As one of the true superstars and greatest third basemen ever, George Brett cards hold tremendous value for serious collectors. Prices are dictated mainly by condition, with high-grade examples from his rookie seasons through playing prime routinely selling for thousands. Even well-centered copies of his most iconic 1970s/80s issues can sell for hundreds. For dedicated Royals and Brett aficionados, acquiring vintage cards is a worthwhile long-term investment chronicling one of baseball’s enduring legends. With Hall of Fame credentials and a devoted following, demand for George Brett’s renowned baseball cards show no signs of slowing down.

GEORGE BRETT TOPPS BASEBALL CARDS

Leave a reply

As one of the best third basemen in MLB history and a true Kansas City Royals icon, George Brett has been featured prominently on Topps baseball cards throughout his playing career and long after his retirement. From his rookie card debut in 1973 to special milestone cards after he hung up his cleats, Brett’s Topps cards serve as a visual history of his Hall of Fame career with the Royals.

Brett’s first ever card came in the 1973 Topps set as the #447 card. With his unruly dark brown hair and mustache featuring prominently, the 21-year-old looked every part the babyfaced rookie in his minor league Aberdeen Pheasants uniform. Little could card collectors know at the time that this would be the start of one of the most decorated hitting careers in baseball over the next two decades. Brett would go on to make his Royals debut later that season and begin establishing himself as a cornerstone of the franchise.

As Brett established himself as one of the premier hitters in the American League in the late 1970s, his appearance and stats on Topps cards began gaining more prominence each year. His 1977 card from set #612 showed off his impressive .293 career batting average at that point along with his rising homer totals. Brett would go on to have one of his finest career seasons in 1980, batting .304 with 24 homers and 102 RBI to earn his first All-Star selection. His ’80 Topps card (#551) rightly featured these outstanding numbers that made his growing superstardom clear.

The 1982 Topps set gave Brett arguably his most iconic baseball card to date with his #363 card. Having just wrapped an MVP season where he led the AL in both batting average (.39l) and slugging percentage (.664), Brett’s smiling face looked as if it had been Photoshopped onto the card. With his golden locks perfectly framing his always-tanned face, Brett looked every bit the Hollywood star on this card despite playing for the small-market Royals. The stats listing only cemented his status as the best all-around player in baseball at that point.

Throughout the rest of the 1980s, Brett’s Topps cards continued tracking the milestones and accolades he was piling up season after season. He earned Topps All-Star cards in 1984, 1985, 1986 and 1987, showing off the consistency of his elite play. Brett proved he was far from slowing down even as he entered his 30s, batting over .300 seven times that decade and powering two more 30-homer seasons in 1987 and 1988. Cards from this era such as his 1987 (#583) issue highlighted not just Brett’s gaudy numbers but also his tough, gritty style of play that endeared him to Royals fans.

Perhaps no Brett baseball card is more famous than his dramatic 1980 Topps Traded card showing him angrily arguing a third strike call against umpire Tim McClelland. The explosive photograph captured the fiery competitive spirit that drove Brett to greatness and made him a fan favorite for nearly two decades in KC. While intended as just another traded card insert at the time, this image would take on a life of its own to become one of the most iconic baseball cards ever printed. It was fitting that Brett’s intensity and passion for the game would be so vividly captured and preserved for collectors and fans.

When Brett finally hung up his cleats after the 1993 season, Topps wasted no time honoring one of the true royalty’s of the sport with special tribute cards. His 1993 Topps retirement card (#T93) featured a classy black-and-white portrait shot of Brett in his Royals uniform with a caption thanking him for 20 years of “outstanding play.” Brett also received retirement cards from Studio and Upper Deck sets that same year. Even after retirement though, Brett’s story wasn’t over. He would go on to gain election to the Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility in 1999. This massive career achievement was duly celebrated with a special Hall of Fame induction card from Topps’ 2000 set.

In the decades since his playing days ended, Topps has continued releasing new Brett cards for collectors and fans to commemorate anniversaries and milestones. A 2004 Topps X card celebrated 30 years in the majors while a 2017 Ginter Museum Collection issue recognized 40 years since Brett’s MVP season. Through these modern issues and all the vintage classics in between, Topps has ensured George Brett’s legendary career and accomplishments have been superbly documented and preserved for future generations to enjoy. Few players have been so fittingly immortalized through the annual snapshots provided by Topps baseball cards over many decades.

In total, George Brett appeared on over 50 different Topps baseball cards from 1973 to present day, a tally that perfectly matches his incredible 50 season career spent entirely with the Kansas City Royals franchise. As one of the true icons not just of his original team but of the sport itself, Brett’s legend will remain captured for all time through these enduring collectibles that tell his remarkable visual story that expanded the reach of America’s pastime. Fans both old and new can appreciate Brett’s greatness by flipping through these treasured cards that transport you back to a Golden Era of Kansas City Royals baseball.