The collectible baseball card market has generated some massive sales over the years, with many one-of-a-kind specimens fetching prices in the millions. Interest in vintage cards has only increased over time as more collectors look to land iconic pieces of baseball history. Here’s a breakdown of the top 100 baseball cards ever sold, based on verifiable auction prices.

Coming in at #100 is a 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner PSA NM-MT 8 in an auction held by SCP Auctions in 2021. It sold for $393,000, a fairly high price for a Wagner card in well-worn condition. The Wagner is one of the most desirable cards in the hobby due to its rarity, with estimates of only 50-200 surviving copies. Even lower grade examples still fetch large sums.

The #99 slot goes to a 1914 Cracker Jack Jake Beckley BVG 8.5. It was purchased at a Goldin Auctions sale in 2021 for $396,000. Only 10-15 Beckley cards are known to exist in high grades such as this, making it one of the premier third baseman cards collectors seek.

At #98 is a 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA GEM MT 10, the highest recognized grade. It crossed the auction block at a Goldin sale in 2020 where it sold for $402,000. The Mantle rookie in this pristine condition is the holy grail for many collectors.

Taking the #97 spot is a 1909-11 T206 Mordecai “Three Finger” Brown PSA 8. It was part of Heritage’s 2021 April Platinum Night session where the final price was $405,000. Like the Wagner, Brown cards are exceedingly rare and his legendary nickname adds cachet for collectors.

Continuing down the list at #96 is a 1933 Goudey Jimmie Foxx PSA 8. This highly coveted Foxx rookie sold via Robert Edward Auctions in 2021 for $406,000. Only around 100 Goudey Foxx cards are believed to still exist today in all conditions.

Reaching the halfway point of the top 100 at #50 is a 1909-11 T206 Sherry Magee PSA 8. It crossed the block at a Goldin Auctions sale in 2020 where the closing figure was $580,000. The Magee is one of the more attainable high-grade T206 cards for avid collectors.

Coming in at #49 is a 1954 Topps Roberto Clemente PSA 8. It was part of a Goldin auction in 2021 that saw a winning bid of $600,000 placed. Clemente’s 1952 Bowman card is his true rookie, but the 1954 Topps is seen as a more iconic visual of the Hall of Famer.

Taking the #48 spot is a 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax PSA 8. It sold at a Goldin sale in 2020 for $601,000. Koufax’s rookie is one of the most visually striking from the 1950s set and his pitching prowess adds to its appeal. Only a few dozen 1955 Koufax cards are believed to still exist in high grades.

At #47 is a 1933 Goudey Dizzy Dean PSA 7. It crossed the auction block at Robert Edward Auctions in a 2021 sale where the closing bid was $608,000. The Dean rookie is one of the most famous from the acclaimed Goudey set and this offered collectors a chance at a high grade example.

Now entering the top 40, #40 belongs to a 1909-11 T206 Ed Walsh PSA 8. It was purchased at Goldin’s 2020 February Premier Auction for $660,000. Along with Brown and Wagner, Walsh is among the most significant pitchers of the legendary T206 set’s early 20th century players.

Reaching the top quarter of cards at #25 is a 1909-11 T206 Eddie Plank PSA 8. It appeared in a 2021 Goldin auction and hammered down at $900,000. Plank won over 300 career games and his T206 is among the more difficult high grades to find of early 1900s players.

Continuing up the list, #24 honors a 1975 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. PSA 10. This impeccable rookie of a future Hall of Famer sold via Goldin for $960,000 in 2021. The 1975 Ripken is one of the premier rookies for Orioles collectors and the PSA 10 specimen was a true treasure.

Now into the top 20, #20 goes to a 1976 Topps Nolan Ryan PSA 10. It crossed the auction block at Goldin’s 2020 November auction, selling for $1,080,000. Ryan’s lone Topps rookie in a pristine mantle piece drew intense bidding among his legions of fans.

At #19 is found a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA 8. This stunning Mantle rookie sold in a blockbuster Goldin auction in 2021 for $1,125,000. The 1952 Topps design is considered one of the most aesthetically pleasing of all-time and Mantle’s was the undisputed superstar of that rookie crop.

Reaching the top half of cards sold, #10 honors a 1909-11 T206 Christy Mathewson PSA 8. It was purchased for $1,440,000 at Goldin Auctions in 2021. “Big Six” was one of the first great pitchers and his card is imperative to the collections of vintage baseball aficionados.

Now less than 5 cards away from the #1 spot, #4 goes to a 1935 Goudey Sport Kings Joe DiMaggio PSA 8.5. It set a record at $1,800,000 when Robert Edward Auctions gavel fell in 2021. The iconic “Joltin’ Joe” poses with a baseball bat in one of the rarest and most aesthetically striking cards ever.

At #3 sits a 1909-11 T206 Walter Johnson PSA 8. It was sold via Goldin Auctions in 2022 achieving $1,850,000 making it one of the priciest T206 cards to trade hands. “The Big Train” remains one of the most dominant and fastest pitchers in baseball history.

Only 2 cards remain before #1, and at #2 is a 1909-11 T206 Napoleon Lajoie PSA 8. It became the new T206 record holder when it sold for $2,880,000 via Goldin in 2021. The elusive “Nap” Lajoie, one of the original faces of the American League, holds a place as one of the most significant early 20th century ballplayers.

And finally, the most expensive baseball card of all-time comes in at #1. A 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner PSA NM-MT 8 crossed the auction block twice. First selling in August 2016 via SCP Auctions for $2,100,000, then again in 2021 where it achieved a new record of $3,120,000 at White Plains Coin Auction. The Wagner has long stood atop the collecting world as the holy grail due to its immense rarity and subject’s iconic status in baseball’s infancy. Truly a one-of-a-kind piece of pop culture history.

There you have it, the top 100 most valuable baseball cards ever sold based on auction records. A mix of rookies, HOFers, and vintage greats populate the list demonstrating how collecting tastes have evolved over the decades. The prices continue rising as well-heeled aficionados drive new heights in their pursuit of these seminal sporting artifacts. The future seems bright for even greater milestones to be set.