Mark McGwire had an illustrious baseball career playing mostly for the Oakland A’s and St. Louis Cardinals from 1986 to 2001. As one of the preeminent power hitters of his generation, McGwire broke the single season home run record in 1998 and helped revive interest in Major League Baseball. His legendary home run race with fellow slugger Sammy Sosa that season captivated sports fans nationwide.
Not surprisingly, Mark McGwire rookie cards and cards from his record-breaking 1998 season are highly sought after by collectors and can be quite valuable depending on the card’s condition, year, and rarity. Some of the most valuable and desirable Mark McGwire baseball cards worth highlighting include:
1987 Topps Rookie Card (RC): This is considered McGwire’s true rookie card since it was from his first season in the majors in 1987 with the A’s. High grade copies in near mint to mint condition can fetch thousands of dollars, with a PSA 10 Gem Mint copy selling for over $25,000. Even well-centered copies in excellent condition routinely sell for $500-1500. The 1987 rookie card is arguably McGwire’s most iconic and valuable card despite it coming out over a decade before his home run surge.
1989 Bowman McGwire Rookie (RC): While not technically his “true” rookie, the 1989 Bowman issue is still considered a very desirable McGwire rookie by collectors. PSA 10 copies have sold for over $10,000. Graded versions in the PSA 8-9 range sell in the $500-2500 range depending on centering and surface quality. This was McGwire’s first major national release as a rookie after a few seasons in the bigs.
1994 Upper Deck MVP Autograph #274: Pulling this rare autographed card signed by McGwire from UD’s 1994 flagship baseball set would be a huge hit. In PSA/BGS Gem Mint 10 condition, examples have reached astronomical prices above $50,000. Even lower graded 9’s still command sums in the $10,000+ range. It doesn’t get much rarer or more valuable than a premiere autographed McGwire rookie issue.
1998 SP Authentic Home Run Challenge #43: Capturing McGwire’s pursuit of Maris’ home run record, this card pictures him clad in a St. Louis uni. Pristine PSA 10 copies have sold for close to $10,000 as one of the most iconic inserts from the record-setting ’98 season. Expect to pay $2,000-5000 for aesthetically pleasing raw or graded versions in top condition of this ultra popular chase card.
1998 Stadium Club Chrome Refractors #116/#205: Issued in the premium Stadium Club Chrome set that year, these McGwire refractors pop nicely in person. High grade special PSA 10 POP 1 gems in the Red Refractor parallel have commanded $7000-10,000. But any pristine chrome McGwire refractor from ’98 including the more available Blue variety still fetches $1000-3000 graded or raw depending on exact parallel and grade.
1998 Score #646 MVP ’84 Draft Class: Commemorating McGwire and some other stars who were drafted together in 1984 like Barry Bonds and Mark Grant, this retro-styled card pairs well with collectors of that era. Mint PSA 10 copies in the $2000-3000 range exemplify the strong demand for anything related to his ’98 season. Elsewhere in the PSA 8-9 range still provides a nice affordable option for fans.
Whether it’s his iconic rookie cards from 1987 Topps and 1989 Bowman or inserts and parallels commemorating his record-setting 1998 campaign, high grade or rare versions of Mark McGwire’s baseball cards can certainly hold significant long-term value for savvy collectors and investors. With Hall of Fame voting in the rearview mirror, interest in McGwire’s accomplishments on the diamond may also help support healthy resale prices for his desirable vintage cardboard in the years ahead. For fans of the game’s home run hitters, collecting McGwire’s best cards remains a solid niche within the flashy world of sports memorabilia.
