Willie Mays is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time, holding numerous career records and honors. As an icon of the game for over two decades playing centerfield for the New York and San Francisco Giants, Mays has amassed a tremendous collection of vintage baseball cards chronicling his legendary career. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most notable and valuable Willie Mays baseball cards that frequently appear for sale on the online auction site eBay.
One of Mays’ most famous and iconic early cards is his 1954 Topps card. This was Mays’ rookie card issued during just his second season in Major League Baseball after being called up to the Giants in 1951 at age 20. The 1954 Topps set featured Mays’ name spelled incorrectly as “Mays” rather than “Mayes” as it appeared on his previous Bowman and Topps cards. This led to the 1954 Topps card taking on extra notoriety and value for collectors. In pristine mint condition, graded gem mint 10 by grading services like PSA or BGS, Mays’ 1954 Topps rookie card can fetch upwards of $500,000 at auction on eBay. Even well-centered, sharply cornered examples in near mint to mint condition 8-9 can sell for $30,000-$100,000 depending on demand.
Another notable early Mays card is his distinctive 1954 Bowman card issued during his breakout MVP season. The colorful design with Mays posing alongside a posed shot made this a highly appealing and popular card among collectors. In top PSA 10 or BGS 9.5-10 grade, the 1954 Bowman card has sold for over $150,000 in recent eBay auctions. Lower graded copies in the 7-8 range can still sell in the $5,000 to $15,000 range. Also highly sought after is Mays’ 1956 Topps card, which was part of the brand’s Photostats subset that featured enlarged player photographs. Excellent condition PSA/BGS 10 examples have exceeded $50,000 at auction.
Moving into the late 1950s and 1960s, Mays’ 1957, 1958, 1959 Topps flagship cards remain must-have items for any serious vintage baseball card collection. As the centerpiece of many sets during his playing prime, these cards routinely sell for thousands even in lower grades due to their iconic imagery and status as definitive Mays issues. The high-grade population is extremely limited, so pristine PSA/BGS 10 examples can often fetch five figures or more. Also very collectible from this era is Mays’ iconic 1963 Topps card showing him sliding into third base, which has become one of the most enduring baseball card images of all time. Even well-centered near-mint to mint 8-9 copies sell for $1,000 or more on eBay.
In the 1970s as Mays began wrapping up his storied career, his 1969, 1970, and 1972 Topps cards remained hugely popular pull for collectors opening packs. While the populations are much higher than his 1950s rookie issues, excellent top-graded examples still command robust prices. A PSA/BGS 10 1969 or 1970 Mays routinely brings in $2,000-$5,000, with the rarer 1972 PSA/BGS 10 potentially reaching $10,000 given its status as one of the final flagship Topps cards issued of the Say Hey Kid. Many late-career Mays highlights also appeared in the 1976 SSPC and 1979 Topps Traded sets upon his retirement, adding to the lore surrounding his historic playing tenure.
Beyond his standard Topps flagship cards, Mays was also well-represented in the numerous oddball and regional baseball sets released throughout the 1950s-70s. High-grade specimens from issues like 1959 Post Cereal, 1968 Woolworth, 1972 Pic, or 1974 Kellogg’s can sell for thousands due to their scarcity compared to Topps. One of the rarest Mays cards remains the never-mass produced 1959 Bat Masterson Golden Years card issued by Leaf Candy Company. Only a handful are known to exist in any condition, with a PSA-graded example changing hands for $36,000 in a 2015 eBay sale.
Whether seeking a key early issue rookie from the 1950s, a sharp full-color card from his Giants playing years, or a final card showing one of history’s premier five-tool players, Willie Mays’ iconic baseball cards remain a cornerstone of the hobby. Even eighty years after his debut, demand remains sky high on auction sites like eBay for any Mays cardboard in top-notch condition due to his standing as “The Say Hey Kid” and one of the all-time baseball greats. With new generations of collectors entering the market each year, prices for Mays’ comprehensive card portfolio should stay robust for years to come.