Pete Rose is considered one of the greatest hitters in Major League Baseball history and one of the most prolific collectors of baseball cards. As a player with over 4,256 career hits spanning from 1963-1986 while playing for the Cincinnati Reds and Philadelphia Phillies, Rose amassed a huge collection of his own baseball cards over the years. Given his iconic status in baseball history and record of being the all-time hits leader, Pete Rose cards are among the most sought after and valuable baseball cards for collectors. Here’s a deeper look at some of the top Pete Rose baseball cards that often command high prices in the collector’s market.
1963 Topps #517 – Rose’s rookie card is highly coveted by collectors and regularly fetches big money at auction. The 1963 Topps design is a classic and this was the first card released showing Pete Rose in a Reds uniform at the beginning of his legendary career. In high grade conditions like Mint 9 or Gem Mint 10 status, recent sales of the 1963 Topps Rose rookie have surpassed $15,000. Even well-centered copies in Excellent-Very Good condition can sell for $1,000 or more due to the high demand for his debut card.
1970 Topps #1 – Known as the “Action All-Star” card, this is one of the most iconic Pete Rose cards ever made by Topps. It features a close-up action photo of Rose’s intense face with the #1 designation, making it highly sought after by collectors. Pristine Gem Mint 10 specimens have cracked the $25,000 mark in auction. Lower graded copies still demand thousands depending on centering and condition quality. What makes this card so expensive is its unmatched rarity, historical significance as a true superstar issue, and the intense demand to own such a famous piece of Rose’s career.
1969 Topps #166 – Marking Rose’s first season with over 200 hits as he batted .348 to win the National League batting title, this colorful card shows him in a quintessential Reds batting stance. Since it captures an important season statistically in Rose’s development, it remains a highly popular card for collectors. Near Mint to Gem Mint untouched examples in the 8 to 10 grade range have sold for $5,000 or higher. Even lower graded copies still generate four-figure prices.
1975 Topps #170 – This card commemorates Rose’s record-breaking season of 1974 when he broke Ty Cobb’s all-time hits record with his 4,192nd career safety. One of the most recognizable cards in the legendary hitter’s collection, it still appeals greatly to collectors. Mint 9 and Gem Mint 10 copies consistently sell for $3,000-$4,000 each. Lower graded copies in the $500-1,000 range are still regularly traded.
1973 Topps #9 – As one of the early “photo variations” inserted randomly in the 1973 Topps set, this card stands out for its unique staged action pose of Rose at bat. Only approximately 1 out of every 10,000 packs contained this scarce photo variation back in the 1970s, making mint condition copies astonishingly rare collector items today. Just a few years ago, a pristine PSA Gem Mint 10 bring traded hands at auction for nearly $10,000, highlighting the immense scarcity of high grade specimens. Even well-centered VG-EX condition copies sell for $1,500 or more due to the challenge of finding this special variation card.
1975 Topps Traded #52 – Often overlooked but still highly valuable, this traded set issue from 1975 features a new action pose of Rose from that season. Mint 9 and Gem Mint 10 specimens have sold for $2,000-$3,000 each, while lower grades still pull in the $400-$800 range depending on centering and condition. This parallel card falls a bit under the radar compared to the bigger name regular issues but remains a very scarce and condition sensitive Pete Rose card for dedicated collectors.
1969 Topps Super #3 – As one of the more visually striking “superstar” insert cards ever produced, this is among the most iconic Pete Rose cards period. Containing an enlarged portrait photo and text highlighting his All-Star status in 1969, Gem Mint 10 copies have changed hands for over $5,000 at auction. Due to the huge demand to own one of these flashy 1970s inserts, even lower graded examples still sell briskly for amounts in the $1,000-$2,000 range depending on centering and centering quality. For many collectors, this is simply one of the “must-have” PETE cards.
1981 Topps Traded Tiffany #107T – One of the true holy grails for Rose collectors is finding a Tiffany parallel of his 1981 Traded card. Packed one per case in special foilboard packaging back in the day, pristine Mint 9 and Gem Mint 10 examples have sold for up to $8,000 each. Even a sharp Very Fine-Very Good 8 grade specimen achieved a sales price exceeding $2,000 not long ago. Incredibly rare Tiffany parallels like this exemplify why vintage cards of such an important baseball figure will likely only increase in value over time as the hobby expands globally.
As baseball’s all-time hits king, Pete Rose generated massive card popularity over the 1960s-1980s period. Whether it’s a coveted rookie, record-setting issue, photo variation, superstar insert, or Tiffany parallel – high grade vintage Rose cards hold tremendous collector value. For the foreseeable future, conditioned copies of these top cards profiling “Charlie Hustle’s” amazing career are primed to shatter records as interest grows internationally for pieces of sports history from iconic athletes like Pete Rose.
