Some of the most valuable baseball cards that could retain or increase in value in 2023 include rare vintage rookie cards from the 1950s and 1960s. Iconic rookie cards for players like Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, and Willie Mays from Topps sets in those years can be worth tens of thousands up to over $1 million depending on the player, year, and card condition. Mantle’s 1952 Topps rookie card regularly tops auction results at over $2 million for near-mint examples.
Other valuable pre-1970s rookie cards to watch include Sandy Koufax’s 1955 Topps, Roberto Clemente’s 1955 Topps, and Nolan Ryan’s 1966 Topps. Koufax and Clemente rookie cards in top grades can reach $100,000+, while a pristine Ryan rookie has brought over $500,000. Non-rookie vintage stars like Willie McCovey, Roberto Alomar, and Harmon Killebrew also have valuable early Topps issues.
Moving into the 1970s-1980s, desirable rookie cards include George Brett’s 1973 Topps, Mike Schmidt’s 1974 Topps, and Cal Ripken Jr.’s 1981 Topps. Brett and Schmidt rookies in top condition have sold for $50,000+, while a perfect Ripken could approach $100,000. Other noteworthy 1970s/80s rookies are Dwight Gooden’s 1984 Topps and Barry Bonds’ 1986 Topps, which have reached the $10,000-20,000 range for top grades.
Modern stars whose rookie cards remain in high demand into 2023 include Ken Griffey Jr.’s upper deck rookie from 1989, which has exceeded $10,000 for pristine copies. Similarly, Chipper Jones’ 1993 Bowman paper rookie and Derek Jeter’s 1996 Topps Chrome rookie both command over $5,000 in top condition. Fernando Tatis Jr.’s 2019 Topps Series 1 paper rookie has also surpassed $1,000 for a PSA 10 gem.
Beyond rookies, valuable vintage hits from the 1950s-1980s consist of incredibly rare parallel variants like error cards, test issues, prototype designs, and uncut sheets. One such card is the famous 1952 Topps Mantle error which features an upside-down photograph – highly graded examples sell for over $100,000. Uncut vintage sheets containing 16+ cards can reach $10,000-50,000 depending on the era and players featured.
Continued high demand is anticipated in 2023 for serial numbered parallel inserts from the 1990s featuring star players like Griffey, Bonds, Jeter, and Piazza. Ultra-premium parallels like the rare 1998 Finest Refractors remain highly coveted by collectors and command up to $10,000 each. High-grade treasures from 1993 Sportflics, 1998 Sports Illustrated for Kids, and 2000 Playoff Prestige could also retain/increase value next year.
Auto/relic cards of modern stars like Mike Trout and short printed parallels from sets like Topps Chrome, Bowman Chrome, and Stadium Club might also appreciate in the next year if the player continues to perform at an elite level. High-value autos/relics to follow include Trout’s 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Picks & Prospects auto, graded gems of which sell for over $30,000.
Vintage 1950s-1980s rookie cards, record setting rare variants and parallel inserts from the 1990s featuring all-time player icons like Mantle, Aaron, Bonds, and Griffey will likely retain or potentially increase in value in 2023 if economy and demand remains stable. Modern star rookies, serial numbered/short printed parallels and prestigious on-card autos for Trout and other active elites may also appreciate given continued on-field success and collector enthusiasm. Any issues impacting overall sports card market confidence next year could see some fluctuations across various areas. But long-term, investment-grade vintage and star player cards should remain strong.
