Ryan any chance you can do other decades? This is why the 1980 Topps card sold for an impressive $2,400. Sparky Anderson did Kirk Gibson no favors comparing him to Mickey Mantle before Gibson fully figured out major league baseball. Sure, Gwynn was one of the greatest hitters who ever played with 8 batting titles to his name, but why are collectors willing to pay so much for this card in top grade? 25 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards . From 1986-90, Davis averaged 30 home runs and 90 RBI, and finished with a .900-plus OPS in three of those seasons. Despite the controversy that will forever surround McGwire, the card can still be worth a lot of money in high grade, especially if it's the Tiffany version. BASEBALL CARD COLLECTOR INVESTOR DEALER (in that order)w/ Chris SewallCounting down the 25 most expensive baseball cards from the 1980s, using PSA 9 values.=. That said, there's no questioning how talented Clemens really was as he was mowing down opposing batters right from the beginning of his career well before the PED scandal took place. Rookie of the Year Mark McGwire. 9 of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards in History. For that reason, finding a 1987 O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie in pristine condition is quite challenging, but if you do, you'll see them sell for around $12,000 or so. If you've made it down this far on the list, I want to thank you for taking the time to read through it. Both Donruss and Fleer produced Canseco Rookie Cards for their mainstream sets, but the choice of the masses was Donruss. This was a really fun read and great for this time in particular. . Topps produced their Tiffany collectors edition cards in their regular Topps issue sets, Topps Traded sets, and Bowman sets in 1989. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. With only 56 found in gem mint condition, they are challenging to find. If youre a Barry Bonds collector or an 80s baseball card collector, O-Pee-Chee cards are the way to go. It holds the #5 spot on this list by consistently reaching prices over $5,000 when found in PSA 10 conditions. The 1980s was a decade of big change for baseball cards. And pricier. But he flourished as a second baseman and was one of the better contact hitters of his era. Nor did as many pristine examples survive as centering and print bubbles were always tough challenges with this set. They are far less populated than regular-issue Topps cards. Valenzuela appeared alongside Joe Perconte and Mike Scioscia in the base 1981 Topps set as the three "Dodgers Future Stars" on card #302. 7 Most Valuable Baseball Rookie Cards From the 1980s - Gold Card Auctions As is this case when comparing the quality of O-Pee-Chee cards to their Topps counterparts, the stock and print quality of early Leaf cards were not on par with their Donruss cousins. Most Valuable Baseball Cards From The 80s And 90s A Ripken Jr. This is one of the hobbys most iconic and recognizable error cards. This RC was on fire when pulled from 1988 Donruss packs. A PSA Mint 9 card is worth $1.2 million, while a PSA NM-MT 8.5 card sells for $700,000. There were other significant cards when 1986 Topps Traded sets dropped Bo Jackson, Will Clark and Wally Joyner to name just a few but the companys first Canseco card did move the needle in the secondary market, even though Donruss and Fleer had included the youngster in their regular sets that year. But when Topps did get around to including Junior in its 89 Traded box set, they had produced one of The Kids best-looking early cards. Had he not been involved with PEDs, there's no doubt he would be a Hall of Famer and this card would likely appear much higher on this list. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. The cards were designed and produced by Classic with a full license, and were well received, perhaps none more than this auburn shot of Bo with the baseball/football theme. Interestingly, he bounced back in 1981 to dominate not in strikeouts but by turning in an incredible 1.69 ERA with a .688 winning percentage, both career bests, while finishing fourth in Cy Young voting. There are four variations: a whiteout, a black box, and scribbled-out black and white. One of Ken Griffey Jrs biggest sleeper cards is his 1988 Best minor league cards. But there is a snake in this picture. It is collectible from the get-go, with only 5,000 Tiffany sets printed in 85. But the key card of the set would be of a 20-year-old guy who posted a 2-4 mark and 5.56 ERA in 31 innings the year before. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an all-star in baseball and football. Many collectors prefer the 1952 card, but the 1951 Bowman is still a piece of baseball history. But theres a freakin snake in this picture . Oversized cards dont fit into traditional sheets and are as popular as a gassy dog on a long car ride. Nobody knew it at the time, but the presses ran day and night for 87 Topps Baseball. But, given its popularity, it became one of the most frequently-submitted cards to third-party grading companies like PSA as collectors sought to capitalize on the high values. And you get a Griffey Jr. RC! 8 Great 1980 Topps Baseball Cards Beyond Rickey Henderson. There is an error version with the SS in the upper-right corner upside down. Now that he's forever a Los Angeles sports hero, Gibson's rookie card is a must-have. Although the 1980 season would mark the first of a nine-year stint for Nolan Ryan with the Houston Astros, Topps still had to show him as a member of the California Angels because of the timing of their print run for their 1980 Topps set. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. For example, I didn't include the 1980 Charlotte O's team issue cards for Cal Ripken Jr., even though the blue variation can approach $10,000 in top condition and the rarer orange variation can fetch five figures in just about any condition: Second, I only included cards produced by mainstream companies and avoided any of the various "oddball" issues that appeared during the 1980s. 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn RC #482 1983 Topps Baseball is one of the best sets of the decade. Great article. It was the be-spectacled Ron Kittle, who slugged home runs a very, very far distance and at a rate that caught fans and collectors attention. Still one of the greatest newspaper headlines ever featured a picture of Strawberry getting some extra fly ball work as dusk began to creep in one spring training day. The value goes through the roof when found in PSA 10, gem mint condition. Furthermore, he is the only pitcher in major league history to record over 350 wins and strike out over 4,500 batters. With 76 in population, the Frank Thomas card owns 37% of the report for the entire set. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay in the know about the latest sports card, hobby news, and promotions from Beckett. You just wish he had embraced it more. In addition to picking up his only career Gold Glove, he also snagged his first Silver Slugger and finished second in MVP voting to Milwaukee pitcher, Rollie Fingers. So, it's tough to say which of them is the most desirable of the three, although most hobbyists would likely side with the Topps issue. When found in gem mint condition, these demand upwards of $2,000. He pointed out a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card to his 11-year-old son, Gavin. My next move was to go diving through my cards to see if I had one. And with every new season came some great and memorable cards. The Tiffany version ranks high on our list due to a modest print run of 6,000 sets, but this regular non-Tiffany RC still ranks here because its Griffey. Had that trend held, it would've easily made this list. Most know that during the hobby craze of that era, rampant overproduction led to a bubble that eventually burst. Not many of his rookie cards have yet made it into PSA for grading. But three years after this RC was released, the lefthander won the first of his two Cy Young awards and went on to earn a plaque in Cooperstown. After two years of bouncing back and forth from Triple-A Columbus and the Bronx, first baseman/outfielder Don Mattingly was relieved when Yankees manager Yogi Berra declared intentions to keep him with the big club for all of 1984. Baseball Card Values: How To Determine Their Worth As a result of the legal process, Rose accepted his placement on baseball's permanently ineligible list, which would ban him from the game and Cooperstown for life. Card Number. One of three mainstream Puckett Rookie Cards in 1985, this is actually the Hall of Famers second Fleer release. The white lettering with pink Two For the Title came from factory sets. For those who dont know, Bill Ripken had the word F**k Face boldly written in black sharpie on the bottom of his bat. Not only are the Tiffany cards rare, but theyre also somewhat challenging to find in high grades. 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux RC #36 (buy on eBay) We feel the 1987 Greg Maddux Leaf rookie cards is not only one of the most underrated baseball cards of the 1980s but one of the most underrated in all of the card hobby. And you get to learn that in French, you would refer to Outfield as Voltigeur. The heavy gloss and stark white borders have proven to be the obstacles that have made Gem Mint examples like this so challenging. This Topps RC was, and is, Rynos card of choice as he played a near-flawless second base throughout his Hall of Fame career on the North Side. Like, almost anything else. The blue border was susceptible to some chipping. It was only available in Canadas O-Pee-Chee baseball packs, as part of the companys emphasis on its nations teams the Toronto Blue Jays and Montreal Expos. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. Five hundred thirtyhave been found in gem mint 10 condition, which means only 10% of the population has reached the highest grade, making them relatively rare. 4,700 versions of Henderson's 1980 rookie card have been put forward for grading by the BVG and of those only one has been graded as a 10 giving it a worth well into the thousands. The evidence is that a PSA 9 mint copy, with 748 in existence, sells for considerably less than $100. One of the true highlights of the 1980s. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. Bo Jackson was one of the biggest superstars in all of sports during the late 1980s and early 1990s. What list of valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is complete without the Johnny Ray/Barry Bonds error card? Because Platinum has less available, they are naturally more valuable. Ken Griffey Jr. Who knew that the Donruss presses would be rolling with 1988 product from late 1987 until, presumably, the early part of the George H. W. Bush presidency in early 1989? all different years. Join the hundreds of thousands of collectors who have benefited from the OPG. Furthermore, the cardstock on the Tiffany cards is bright white instead of yellow or grey, making them much more appealing. The 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s - YouTube Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980's - YouTube Fleer used a great image for this Rookie Card, opting for a dialed-in Clemens, which seems appropriate. First, new collectors entered the hobby based on the idea of treating baseball cards as an investment. Wally World took the league by storm by hitting .290 with 22 HR and 100 RBI as a 24-year-old getting his first taste of big-league pitching. Furthermore, the back also has the O-Pee-Chee logo and a much brighter card stock than the regular issue Topps. Lee Smith is recognized as one of the dominant closers in baseball history. The 22-year-old future Hall-of-Famer put on a show in the days after the manager's announcement, winning Berra over with his impact bat and elite fielding instincts. The availability of this set is much more limited than the regular issue Topps Traded set. Great ballplayer for much of the decade. With 354 career wins, 7 Cy Young awards, and 4,672 strikeouts (just to name a few of his unbelievable achievements) he certainly has the numbers to be inducted into the Hall of Fame. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. Top 1980s Baseball Rookie Cards 10. Heres a vote to return to the yellow helmets full-time. So far, I have found that in 1985, Topps commissioned O-Pee-Chee, its Canadian branch, to make a test mini set similar to the 1975 Topps Mini set. Having won the 1985 Heisman Trophy Award while at Auburn, he was then selected No. There are a few Frank Thomas minor league cards, but the 1987 Auburn Tigers are the most elusive. Back in 1983, the bubble in the baseball card market had already started to form as Donruss and Fleer had both entered the market in 1981 and all three companies started to boost production. But even before the allegations, Bonds was a great player. 1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Topps #647 Randy Johnson Rookie Card. Being the Canadian cousin to Donruss, you can see that there isn't much different about the Leaf design overall except for the green leaf logo in the upper-left and the French text and Leaf trademark data on the reverse. On August 17 in the 1980 baseball season, George Brett doubled to reach the .400 mark an amazing feat made even more spectacular considering he was batting just .259 after the first month of the season. If you were around for the card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, you'll surely recognize this iconicMark McGwire rookie card. And, fortunately for the collecting world, Topps gave him a standalone rookie card when they included him in their 1982 Topps Traded set. Those ripping packs of 1989 Upper Deck looking for Ken Griffey Jr. cards did find this RC of a Brewers shortstop who, at the time, was most known for being Dwight Goodens nephew and for his gold front teeth. Fleer corrected it quickly, but the error fire had already been stoked. The ten-time All-Star who could hit and field with the best of him and his charismatic personality made him quite the popular ball player among not only Twins fans but baseball fans in general. Carter was class. Those are the kinds of memories that make this hobby so great. 1989 Topps Traded #110T Deion Sanders. Thats an incredible difference in availability. At season's end, Valenzuela stood with a 13-7 record, 2.48 ERA, 1.05 WHIP, and 180 strikeouts, all good enough to win him both Rookie of the Year and Cy Young honors.Valenzuela remains the only rookie ever to win the Cy Young. Ask i may have it for sslr. Theres no Roberto Ramos or Bobby Pate to have to share on the front of this Raines card. We use cookies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience. Fernandos 1981 Topps Traded appears elsewhere on this list, but this is Valenzuelas actual Topps RC. And as you can see, it's value has held up very well over time. What is known as the Highlights in White version has white text, while the intended version has yellow letters, which have a much higher print run. 5. A whopping 12,188 of these Ripken rookies have been submitted to PSA. 12. And its Tiffany version is easily the most expensive of them all. Because Jackson was such a massive prospect in football and baseball, he is still highly collectible. After tallying 138 wins and 2,416 strikeouts over eight seasons with the California Angles, Nolan Ryan signed a $4.5 million four-year deal with the Houston Astros during the 1979 offseason. Bonds' legacy will forever be shadowed in controversy, but with or without PEDs there is no question he was one of the game's most talented players who ever stepped onto the field. Nearly 700 examples of Gwynn's Topps rookie card have achieved a PSA 10 grade, while only 32 of the O-Pee-Chee versions have done so. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Apparently there were some concerns over Hatchers defensive abilities. Other than that, the design is exactly the same as the base card. The other version has blue borders and is more populated than the Platinum. Because he played for four different MLB teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros, hes a highly collectible player. The driver of sales for Topps inaugural boxed Traded Set, the thought of getting a Valenzuela card picturing him alone during Fernandomania caused many a collector to dig for the wallet. While vintage cards like the T206 Honus Wagner and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle have continued to soar in value, baseball card's boom times produced no such valuable merchandise. Bonner and Schneider didn't have the career that Cal Ripken Jr. did, and to say that "The Iron Man" lived up to the "Future Star" tag would be an understatement. At the time, who could have known the highs and lows that would mark an amazing career on the field? Not many 1981 Donruss cards can be called classic or important. None maybe. Barry appeared in several 1986 year-end releases that are considered XRCs. It took less than a month for Mattingly to convince Berra otherwise. Bo Jackson washuge when I was a kid and his popularity is still quite high to this day. 834 have been submitted to PSA, and only 54 were declared gem mint 10. So, it might be shocking to find that some baseball cards from the 1980scan be worth five and six figures You see, not every card fell victim to overproduction. I remember several years ago you could find this card in a PSA 9 holder quite easily for $400 or so, which made it undervalued even back then. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. PSA has seen just 728 copies of this specific Mattingly rookie card. It is said that only 1,400 sets were printed, but many were thrown away or deemed worthless at the time. Donruss dramatically changed its look from its first set in 1981 to its second in 1982. Because there werent many produced, the market has not been flooded with these. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. Although he fell short of the .400 mark at the end of the season, he still finished at an eye-popping .390, to win his second batting title. And everybody paid good money for it two years later when McGwire was slugging his way to 49 home runs as a rookie. Period. Of course, I'm talking about the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card: During the recent hobby boom, prices of this card in PSA 10 holders soared beyond $5,000. In 1989, Jackson ranked fourth in the American League in both home runs, with 32, and RBI, 105. With only 371 found in gem mint condition, they are relatively rare and expensive. These "Fleer Glossy" cards were printed on higher quality cardboard and contained a much glossier finish on them. For decades, O-Pee-Chee played the role of Topps' counterpart in the Canadian market. They were based in Passaic, New Jersey. Thats okay. It was pure genius when someone at Topps said, Lets take our 1984 Baseball Set and cover each card in a glossy coat. That made an already scorching Don Mattingly card even hotter. Lee Smith was primarily a relief pitcher during his 18-year career in the Major Leagues. The most valuable 1980s baseball cards hit that defnition "valuable" on multiple fronts. For whatever reason, some moments in sports history seem to resonate with people in such a way that they almost become locked in memory. With just 29 of the 1,000 Gwynn rookies submitted graded gem mint 10, finding one for auction will be complicated. Thank you! Not only isMattingly's rookie card the face of this set, but it's also one of the most iconic of the 1980s. For example, the 1989 Topps Heads Up set turned out to be a test issue that the company released to expand its reach into the hot market. Some hold out hope that baseball will someday forgive him and allow the all-time hits leader into the Hall of Fame, but it still seems highly unlikely. 6. Read our methodology . Viewing the population report for the two makes it clear just how rarer they are than the Topps cards. But the best thing that the 82 set had going for it was this very affordable Cal Ripken Jr. RC. However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. But, as we know, things turned out okay for Gibby, both in Detroit and L.A. Like Topps Tiffany cards, O-Pee-Chee cards are relatively difficult to come across. 1980-1989 Baseball Cards Checklists, Set Info, Reviews, Guide Well, with over 2,200 examples authenticated and graded by PSA, only 89 were declared near-perfect. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800 Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. This second-year card of Gwynn may be the best looking of any of his other releases over the years. 1989 Topps #380 Rickey Henderson. . Rather, its a card released during Juniors rookie season. The leading destination for sports card and collectible enthusiasts. Because he DHd for much of the second half of his 22-year career, people tend to forget what a great player Baines was through much of the 80s. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. This is Lee Smiths most valuable rookie card and one of the more expensive baseball cards from the 80s. There is a lot of speculation about how it hit the market with no definitive answers. But despite the image, this is a really important card of one of the games greatest pure hitters. Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980's - Update with giveaway! But, unlike the Tiffany cards, O-Pee-Chee cards weren't necessarily premium in quality. This makes the PSA 10 population just 4% of the entire graded population. This card should be an excellent investment as long as the population stays low. And shinier. Essentially, collectors are buying the grade of the card. Another Boggs RC makes the list, and this Fleer was the only one of the three (Topps, Fleer, Donruss) with a non-action shot, providing a good look at the player who collected 3,010 hits, won five batting titles and hit better than .360 in four different seasons. Great choice, and everything works on this RC. Roger Clemens played for 24 seasons in the MLB and put up some monster stats during his career. The third Clemens RC (and fourth card overall) hails from 1985 Donruss, a solid set that was met with a great deal of interest from buyers figuring that if 1984 Donruss was good, 1985 would be even better. Big Macs second Topps-issued card, but the first pictured with Oakland. This can be attributed to several things. Rounding out the top 10 is the 1983 O-Pee-Chee Tony Gwynn rookie card, in PSA 10 gem mint condition. Lets look at the population report and see just how rare the Frank Thomas cards are. Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6. Because of its rarity, this version is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Everyone wants to collect the best of the best, and Nolan Ryan is at the top of the list. 1986 Donruss Highlights cards have two versions printed. Make no mistake, the thrill of finding this card in a regular or cello pack was huge. Ken Griffey Jr. | Card Sold For: $23,100 . He hit four the next year, then exploded with 83 round-trippers from 1986-88. Chances are, the buyers are either investors to sell them in the distant future or Tony Gwynn collectors with no intention of selling at all. After Fernando started 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA with eight complete games and five shutouts in his first eight starts, "Fernandomania" swept across the country. His percentage of the voting total peaked at 6.1% in 2010 and he would fall off the ballot the next year after receiving just 4.8% of the vote. Even in lower grade they can still go for hundreds of dollars. Cards in future sets were issued with French and English descriptions on the back. For example, common 1909 T206 cards are worth something while many common cards printed in the 1980's are not. However, he and Lee Smith both received the nod to Cooperstown when the Today's Game Era Committee selected them as part of the Hall of Fame Class of 2019. Cal Ripken Jr. (1982 Topps RC #21) Ripken Jr. has to be regarded as one of the best shortstops in the history of baseball. With over 2,200 George Brett cards graded by PSA, most will agree they are highly collectible. Nolan Ryan made his debut with the Houston Astros in 1980 and that season was a bit unusual for him for one glaring reason:he did not lead the league in strikeouts. Most Valuable Topps Baseball Cards: Record Sales Price: 1952 Mickey Mantle #311 : $12.6 million : 2011 Mike Trout "Platinum" ~$1.1 million : 1969 Reggie Jackson #260 : $1.005 million So its safe to say they are scarce.