Baseball cards have been a popular collecting hobby for over a century and certain cards tend to trend in value more than others. Whether it’s rookie cards of emerging superstars or vintage legends, there are usually cards that pique collectors’ interests. Let’s take a look at some baseball cards that have been trending in the collecting world in recent years.
Perhaps the biggest trending card of the past decade is the 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects Blue Refractor autograph card of superstar Mike Trout. Even as a rookie, Trout showed incredible promise and this flashy blue refractor /99 version of his rookie card gained immediate popularity with collectors. No one could predict Trout would go on to have a career as legendary as he has. Now routinely called the best baseball player of his generation, Trout’s cards have absolutely skyrocketed in value since his early days. Mint condition copies of this blue refractor now routinely sell for well over $100,000, making it one of the most valuable baseball cards ever printed. With Trout still in his prime, this trend shows no signs of slowing down.
Staying in the realm of Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects, cards from that set featuring current stars like Ronald Acuña Jr, Juan Soto, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr have also been gaining noticeably in the market. Like Trout, these players established themselves as can’t-miss prospects and their shiny Bowman Chrome rookies are a must-have for collectors chasing the next big star. Acuña /99 blue refractors have broken the $10,000 mark and Guerrero Jr gold refractors /50 are pushing $5,000 as those players continue thriving in the big leagues.
Vintage cards are always trendy to a degree, but certain old-time players seem to capture collectors’ imaginations more than others. One of the biggest trends over the last half-decade has been anything related to Mickey Mantle. Whether it’s his 1951 Bowman, 1952 Topps, or 1956 Topps cards in varying conditions, Mantle stuff consistently moves at auction for top dollar. A PSA 8 of his 1952 is worth well over $100,000 now. Cards of fellow Yankees legend Joe DiMaggio have followed a similar trend upward as collectors chase pieces of those iconic Yankee Clipper eras.
Rookie cards for active players still early in their careers have also been popular speculative trends in recent times. Cards like the 2017 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects auto of Wander Franco when he was considered the top prospect in baseball sold briskly before he ever played a game. The same held true for 2018 Bowman Chrome autos of Fernando Tatis Jr and 2019 Topps Chrome RC Patch Autos of Juan Soto. All of those players went on to excel rapidly in the majors and their early cards gained thousands in value as a result.
Modern parallel and serial-numbered inserts have developed a strong trend following as well. Singles of /10 or lower parallels for stars like Ronald Acuña Jr, Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr, Ohtani, Vlad Jr, etc move quickly on auction sites. Lower numbered parallels that can be had for just a few hundred dollars can rapidly gain thousands in value as those players’ careers progress. Memorabilia cards like game-used relics have a similar speculative prospect element to them for emerging young talents.
Vintage stars with suspected tragic ends have also caught collectors’ attention in recent times. Anything related to Dizzy Dean, unfortunately only a star for 8 seasons before a tragic beaning accident ended his career, has been very strong. His 1933 Goudey rookie in mint shape now sells for well over $100,000. Similar interest spikes have occurred for cards featuring Lou Gehrig after his ALS diagnosis put his story in the national spotlight once more.
While certain vintage greats like Mantle and DiMaggio will probably always remain collectors’ white whales, modern trends tend to favor rookies and prospects of current stars still early in their careers. Flashy parallels and autographs capture imaginations as collectors speculate on and chase the next potential collecting legends before they’re fully formed on the field. Tragedy and humanitarian stories also seem to drive renewed collector interest in certain players from history.
