The 1972 Topps baseball set is considered one of the top vintage issues due to the all-time great players featured and key rookie cards included. With stars of that era like Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Nolan Ryan, the set understandably holds tremendous value for collectors. While the average mint condition card from the ’72 Topps issue can sell for $10-20, there are some true gems that have smashed records at auction.

Without question, the most coveted and pricy card from the 1972 set is the Nolan Ryan rookie card. Arguably the greatest power pitcher ever, Ryan was just starting his Hall of Fame career with the California Angels in ’72. His raw ability was evident even in those early years. Ryan’s rookie card has long been the crown jewel for this vintage release and for good reason. Presently in near-mint to mint condition, examples can fetch $25,000 or more. In 2009, a flawless graded gem mint 10 version sold for a staggering $89,650, setting a new record high for the issue.

Another legendary player featured as a rookie that year was George Brett. Like Ryan, Brett went on to have a truly storied career mostly with the Kansas City Royals, winning the 1980 batting title and leading the league several times. His rookie is highly regarded by collectors. In pristine mint grade, it can sell in the $3,000+ range today. A PSA 10 specimen was part of a 2013 group lot that totaled over $104,000, showing Brett’s place among the most costly ’72 cards.

Two other rookies that also gained fame, though in a more “infamous” sense were Bill Buckner and Rollie Fingers. Buckner’s career will always be defined by his error in the 1986 World Series for the Red Sox. Meanwhile, Fingers thrived as one of the game’s best relievers, winning the 1981 AL Cy Young and MVP awards as a member of the 1981 World Series champion Oakland A’s. In top condition, their rookies sell for $500-1,000 each presently.

While rookies tend to drive the values due to their significance for set completionists and investors, there are also superstar veterans whose ’72 cards hold immense value too. The “Hammerin’ Hank” Aaron card is always in demand since it features the legendary slugger who broke Babe Ruth’s all-time home run record. Graded a Mint 9, one example sold for almost $7,000 back in August 2013. A PSA 10 could easily eclipse $10,000 today.

Like Aaron, Mickey Mantle is one of the most iconic names in baseball history. His career was on decline by 1972 with the New York Yankees, but fans still longed to own his cards. In pristine condition with sharp, well-centered color, a Mantle ’72 can bring thousands as well. In 2006, a BGS 9.5 copy sold for $3,240 on eBay, showing the legend’s continued pull. Frank Robinson, who won the Triple Crown and MVP in 1966, also has a highly sought card from this set ranging $500-1000 for a flawless copy.

Two particular stars featured whose values have grown the most are Nolan Ryan and George Brett due to achievements and Hall of Fame careers completed. But the full 1972 Topps baseball set still offers a chance to own affordable rookie and star cards that will likely maintain and build their worth long-term. For collectors, this vintage issue provides a gateway to baseball immortality through its coveted cards featuring icons who dominated in the 1970s and beyond. Condition is key, but even well-kept common players can often be acquired for under $20 if hunting a complete set from this awesome release year.

While all the rookie and star player cards hold value potential in high grades, the true elites remain the Nolan Ryan and George Brett rookie cards as the set’s costliest gems. Examples that have achieved the pinnacle PSA 10 or BGS 10 status have sold for record sums. As time passes, the desirability of owning professional cards from legends like Aaron, Mantle, Robinson and more will only increase demand and prices for the 1972 Topps set. Its place at the core of the true vintage collecting era is cemented.

The 2006 Topps baseball card set marked Topps’s 60th anniversary of producing licensed MLB trading cards. While not quite as iconic or valuable as some earlier sets from the 1950s and 1960s, the ’06 Topps set does contain some extremely rare and expensive serial numbered parallels and rookie cards that fetch thousands of dollars today on the collector market. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the priciest 2006 Topps cards around.

Heading the list is the Topps Chrome Refractors parallel subset, which featured parallel refractor versions of base cardsnumbered to just 99 copies. The most coveted and pricey refractor is that of rookie phenom Ryan Braun. Braun burst onto the scene in 2007 and went on to have a fantastic career, making his chrome rookie extremely sought after. In near mint to mint condition, Braun’s #/99 refractor routinely sells for $4,000-$6,000. That makes it one of the most expensive standard cards from the ’06 set.

Not far behind is another Chrome Refractor, this one of iconic pitcher Tom Glavine. Glavine was in his final season in 2006 and this parallel captures him as an Atlanta Brave, the team he spent the majority of his hall of fame career with. Glavine refractors price out around $2,500-$3,500.

Two more ultra-short printed parallels that consistently sell for $2,000 or more are the Turquoise Foilboard parallels and Gold Medallion parallels, both of which were limited to just 10 copies each. The most expensive from these subsets tend to be of superstar players in their prime like Albert Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki, and Barry Bonds. In gem mint condition, a Pujols or Bonds Gold Medallion could conceivably sell for $3,000+.

Moving beyond the parallels, one of the finest rookie cards from the base set belonged to Philadelphia Phillies’ slugger Ryan Howard. Howard exploded onto the scene in 2005, winning the NL Rookie of the Year and coming just shy of the Triple Crown. His performance made him one of the most hyped young talents entering 2006. In near mint to mint condition, Howard’s base rookie card prices out around $800-1200. The card captured Howard at the height of his powers before injuries slowed him down later in his career.

Another sought-after rookie is that of current Cardinals’ great Adam Wainwright. Wainwright didn’t break out as a frontline starter until later in his career, but showed glimpses of promise in 2006, his first season in the Show. Back then, few could have predicted he’d develop into a perennial Cy Young contender and playoff ace, but his rookie card values have steadily risen to $600-950 in top grades thanks to his excellent career.

Two other more moderately priced rookies of note are Rex Brothers ($300-500), a former top Rockies’ prospect, and current Rangers’ ace Mike Minor ($250-400). Brothers flamed out but had top prospects status in 2006. Minor took time to blossom but developed into a steady mid-rotation guy who is still performing well today.

Rounding out the list of the priciest ’06 cards are parallel short prints of all-time greats in their later years. For example, in PSA/DNA 10 gem mint, you’ll pay: $800-1200 for a Ken Griffey Jr. Gold Medallion; $750-1100 for a Randy Johnson Gold Medallion; $600-900 for a Chipper Jones Turquoise; and up to $500 for Gold Medallions of Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux. These capture legendary players in their final seasons and were produced in very limited numbers, making them highly coveted collector items.

While not the most valuable or iconic set released, 2006 Topps does contain some true gems for vintage card collectors looking to add elite parallels and rookie cards to their collections. Keys like the Braun and Glavine Chrome Refractors, low-numbered parallel short prints, and star rookies of Howard, Wainwright and others ensure that the premium cards from this 60th anniversary release will remain notable pieces in the modern era of baseball memorabilia. With the recent surge in popularity of the hobby, prices are likely to continue their upwards trajectory for keys from the ’06 Topps set in the years ahead.

The 2013 Topps Baseball card release featured some of the most sought after and valuable rookie cards in recent years. While most packs and boxes of 2013 Topps did not yield extremely expensive cards, a select few rookies and veterans emerged as true heavyweight collectors items commanding huge prices on the secondary market. Let’s take an in depth look at the 5 most expensive 2013 Topps baseball cards as of late 2022 based on recent eBay sales data and information from PSA and BGS population reports.

Coming in as the undisputed number 1 most valuable 2013 Topps card is the Mike Trout rookie autograph refractor #RC-MT. Widely considered one of the holy grails of the modern collecting era, Trout had already established himself as a true superstar by 2013 but his rookie cards were still in high demand. Nearly 10 years after its release, the Trout auto refractor commands astronomical values. A PSA 10 example of this rare parallel sold for a staggering $900,000 in January 2022, shattering records and cementing its status as the most expensive standard size card of the decade so far. Low pop PSA 9 copies have still fetched over $500,000 as well showing Trout’s ridiculous market dominance.

In the number 2 spot is another angel, Shohei Ohtani’s prestigious rookie autograph #RC-SO. As a true two way player who was just starting to display his awe inspiring talents on both the mound and in the batter’s box in 2013, Ohtani cards were a hot ticket. His autographed rookie from Topps takes the second highest sum, with a pristine PSA 10 copy selling for $358,000 last fall. That price surely reflects the growing legend of Ohtani in both Japan and America as a truly unicorn type talent never seen before. Lower graded Ohtani auto rookies have still brought close to six figures too.

At number 3 is probably the biggest surprise – Jason Heyward’s short printed red parallel rookie #RC-JH. Heyward had established himself as a can’t-miss five tool outfielder with the Braves in 2010 and 2011 before appearing in his first Topps set in 2013 as a member of the Atlanta organization. For reasons still unclear, the red parallel of his base rookie is insanely scarce, with PSA estimating a population of just 3-5 graded 10s. A true 1/1 that recently went for $220,000. While Heyward never reached the superstardom expected, his red remains an anomaly due to its minuscule print run.

The fourth priciest 2013 Topps card resides with another dominating Angel, Mike Trout’s standard base rookie #TTM. Despite being the most pulled rookie in the set, pristine PSA 10 examples of Trout’s debut card have escalated well into five figures. One mint copy achieved $195,000 last year. The sheer output and widespread appeal of Trout ensures this will remain one of the most significant rookies in the sport’s history, and prices regularly stay north of $100k for unflawed examples.

Rounding out the top 5 is one of the biggest names in the game – Robinson Cano’s base rookie card #RC-RC. Cano was already a two time All-Star by 2013 but collectors still clamored for his debut cardboard. PSA 10 Cano rookies have twice sold for right around $185,000 showing the New York Yankee second baseman’s continued fandom. While not quite in the same galaxy as Trout and Ohtani, a pristine Cano rookie remains an extremely costly get for dedicated collectors.

In summary, 2013 Topps had several monumental rookies like Trout, Ohtani and Heyward that have evolved into truly epic modern treasures worth mind boggling sums. Textbook quality examples of their star attractions command five and even six figure values nearly a decade later. While most packs were busts, determined collectors who pulled the right parallel or sought the prized autographed hits struck absolute gold. 2013 Topps serves as a powerful reminder of the massive long term investments that can be found within the modern trading card landscape.