what 1980s baseball cards are valuable

With only 190 gem mint 10s in population, they are considered one of his rarest and most valuable rookie cards. His mainstream Rookie Cards appeared the next spring. Ken Griffey Jr. A PSA 10 example price is through the roof with a meager supply and very high demand. And, in 1989 and 1990, they also produced Bowman Tiffany sets. To some, the selling point might be a little high for a non-rookie card, so how did it land such a high price tag? And as you can see, it's value has held up very well over time. Donnie Baseball is pictured wearing a Yankees cap, which is the team he would go on to spend his whole 13-year pro career at. Youll notice the same image used for this card also appears on Bos Topps Traded card. This, however, is a piece of art worthy of this list. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. This is more than likely because the population is much smaller for the Bowman rookie. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. If the population stays this low, we can expect to see the value rise. Ripken was one of my favorite players as a kid and it has been nice to see this card get much more notoriety as time passes. Not only did Fleer overcompensate with multiple fixes for the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken card, they did the same with Randy Johnsons card #381 from the same set. Lee Smith was primarily a relief pitcher during his 18-year career in the Major Leagues. . Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? The third of Donnie Baseballs three 1984 Rookie Cards from the major manufacturers of the time. Last,I didn't include any test issues from those mainstream companies. Period. I personally love 80s baseball cards and have some in my personal collection that are worth more than just the monetary value. This isnt even Cals first Topps card that appears elsewhere on this list but it was more challenging, and more expensive, to secure after its release in late 1982. Whatever the reason, Ryan turned in the second-lowest K/9 ratio of his career (7.7) outside of his final season in 1993. Let that sink in for a moment. They are far less populated than regular-issue Topps cards. Nobody seriously, nobody could have seen 305 wins and the Hall of Fame in his future. The availability of this set is much more limited than the regular issue Topps Traded set. 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. Lee Smith was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on December 9, 2018, as part of the Todays Game Era Committee vote. When it comes to rookie season debuts, the Dodgers have developed a reputation for some of the finest on record. This can be attributed to several things. Check out my list of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s. Kirby Puckettwas also one of my favorite players as a kid and this card was always among the top of my want list as a young collector. Like the Bowman Tiffany product line mentioned above, the O-Pee-Chee cards were typically produced in far fewer quantities. With such a small amount of these being found in gem mint condition, its no wonder they are one of the most valuable baseball cards of the 1980s. Great choice, and everything works on this RC. Because of their relative scarcity compared to the base Bowman version, these Griffey rookies can fetch huge prices in top condition. Consider picking up a PSA mint 9 copy for far less. Thats an incredible difference in availability. These are our picks for the top 100 baseball cards of the 1980s. Also, this seems to be available in fewer quantities than Topps and Donruss Clemens efforts in 1985. To some, the selling point might be a little high for a non-rookie card, so how did it land such a high price tag? 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. Five years after that he was named the 1995 NL Most Valuable Player and in 2012, the Baseball Writers Association of America elected him to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Read our. With just 29 of the 1,000 Gwynn rookies submitted graded gem mint 10, finding one for auction will be complicated. And, speaking of classics, this 1980 Topps Schmidt qualifies, forever tied to the start of a dominant decade that left no doubt he was among the all-time greats. For those on a budget, a PSA 9 example will only throw you back about $200. While some dealers broke box sets to sell singles, others chose not to. Cant have that. 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. In his eight baseball seasons, Jackson had a career batting average of .250, hit 141 home runs, and had 415 RBIs, with a slugging average of .474. But, the ones that do pay premium prices for the near-perfect examples. Before playing for the Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. played for the Charlotte Os. The greatest lead-off hitter in the entirety of baseball history, Rickey Henderson finds no equal in the career rankings for both stolen bases and runs scored, keeping the spirit of the Dead Ball Era alive into the twenty-first century. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying to her studio guests, You get a Griffey Jr. RC! Nice touch making Pete the leadoff hitter in the DK lineup. For whatever reason, some moments in sports history seem to resonate with people in such a way that they almost become locked in memory. . 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? Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6. Many consider this card not only to be the most iconic card of the 1980s but one of the most important in the hobby in general. And then got his own baseball card. They were based in Passaic, New Jersey. Value: $40-45 Check prices on eBay (affiliate link) Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link) 18) 1980 Topps Andre Dawson (#235) This is, hands down, his best rookie card to date. These are our picks for the top 100 baseball cards of the 1980s. 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. Glenn Hubbard, he of the lifetime .244 batting average and .328 On-Base Percentage, wasnt one of the top 250 players of the 1980s. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. We should have been hoarding up Michael Jordan cards back then. Donruss did, letting collectors believe Floyd Bannister was actually Tom Seaver in the first printing of 85 Donruss. But there is a snake in this picture. Not many 1981 Donruss cards can be called classic or important. None maybe. Eric Davis was the choice of many collectors hoarding cards in the age of the era of stash-and-sell. Ryan had a lifetime winning percentage of .526 and was an eight-time MLB All-Star. This Topps card features Henderson in action in yellow and white Oakland Athletics uniform, with the bench blurred in the background. A key card in the Summer of 87 when McGwire was belting a then-rookie record 49 home runs. He would lend his bat to several teams, including the White Sox, Orioles, A's, Rangers, and Indians, as he bounced around quite a bit. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. At the time, who could have known the highs and lows that would mark an amazing career on the field? You want the Rookie Card of the major leagues all-time runs scored and stolen base leader? Cards in future sets were issued with French and English descriptions on the back. 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. For decades, O-Pee-Chee played the role of Topps' counterpart in the Canadian market. But, as we know, things turned out okay for Gibby, both in Detroit and L.A. This is one of his most sought-after rookie cards and is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Not a bad career for the kid who attended Cincinnatis Moeller High School, the same school that later graduated Ken Griffey Jr. Back before his 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, and back before Raffys life became complicated, there was this. And its Tiffany version is easily the most expensive of them all. This variation is not limited to the Bo Jackson rookie card, they can be found on other player cards like Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Roger Clemens, Darryl Strawberry, and many more. Don Mattingly Donruss Rc #248. Like, almost anything else. As you can imagine, finding PSA 10 examples of a given O-Pee-Chee card is substantially more difficult than finding a Topps example in the same condition. Don't get me wrong, it's still an expensive card and you'll find them bouncing between $1,700 and $2,000 these days. Nolan Ryan cards, especially in high grade, remain incredibly popular among hobbyists. Especially when compared to the 82 Ripken rookie mentioned above. 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. Among the most anticipated cards of the late-1986 releases were the first MLB-licensed cards of rookie sensation Wally Joyner. Making them one of his most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Yeah, about that. The blue border was susceptible to some chipping. Yeah, we know. Due to the low print run of the letters in white variation, they are much more valuable than the copies with yellow text. Cal Ripken Jr. (1982 Topps RC #21) Ripken Jr. has to be regarded as one of the best shortstops in the history of baseball. There are four variations: a whiteout, a black box, and scribbled-out black and white. PSA 9s sell for considerably less in the $300 $400 price range. Just two years after the release of his first minor league card and shortly after his trade from Detroit to Atlanta, future Hall of Famer Smoltz made his major league card debut in Fleers 1988 Update Set. Join the hundreds of thousands of collectors who have benefited from the OPG. 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. Although Jeff Schneider and Bob Bonner didnt have much of a career in the Major Leagues, the player centered in the middle sure did. Most Valuable Fleer Baseball Cards. Topps printed player team names embedded in a four-tier golden comb effect that adds a subtle flair to the cards. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 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. Fleer broke Topps' monopoly with a landmark court case in 1980 that opened the door for the Philadelphia gum maker and others to produced baseball cards starting in 1981. 3. One of the pack-pulled Rookie Cards during Juniors rookie season, but it comes with a tough blend of purple and black border. Meanwhile, this might be the only time Johnny Ray was ever mistaken for Barry Bonds. Like Topps Tiffany cards, O-Pee-Chee cards are relatively difficult to come across. 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. GEM-MT 10. If you were around for the card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, you'll surely recognize this iconicMark McGwire rookie card. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 ToppsTony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s. Mattingly struggled on Friday and Saturday but wrestled the title from Winfield with a 4-for-5 masterclass on the last day of the season. Yep, looks like a 1989 Upper Deck card but its not. Well, PSA has graded and authenticated a mere 134 to date. Everybody wanted one. 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. A fantastic example of how a card could rise and fall. And there are plenty of people who want it. The hype surrounding Ken Griffey Jr. turned out to be well-placed as the legendary slugger went on to a Hall of Fame career. 8 Great 1980 Topps Baseball Cards Beyond Rickey Henderson. 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 Big Macs second Topps-issued card, but the first pictured with Oakland. He deserves so much more than that. For those who dont know, Bill Ripken had the word F**k Face boldly written in black sharpie on the bottom of his bat. A Ripken Jr. But he flourished as a second baseman and was one of the better contact hitters of his era. Sandberg's status as a Hall of Famer and one of the most beloved Cubs of all-time keeps demand for high grade specimens of his rookie card at lofty price levels. Which is a minimal amount. However, print quantities of 1983 Topps weren't at the same levels they were by the late 80s and early 90s. "Fernandomania" still lives on with many collectors and they're willing to pay up for this card in PSA 10 condition. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. 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. This seller was unusually experienced on the auction website, with 1056117 reviews under their belt. After an eBay auction that ended in October 2022, one copy sold for an impressive $1,800. It took less than a month for Mattingly to convince Berra otherwise. Ken Griffey Jr. | Card Sold For: $23,100 . My next move was to go diving through my cards to see if I had one. Alexander went 9-0 from mid-August on. Contact him at [emailprotected]. His 5,714 career strikeouts are an MLB record by a significant margin. The USA Baseball subset in 1985 Topps introduced the program to the masses, and brought this slugging first basemans first licensed trading card to the forefront of the collectibles industry. Bo Jackson is regarded as one of the best athletes to play professional sports. He won 10 Gold Glove awards, batted an even .300 over 17 years and finished less than 300 hits shy of 3,000. 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. The one shown here is the Platinum version which has a gray border. The local TV station printed some promotional baseball cards with players from the team and handed them out during one of Ripkens first games playing for the Os. Yet only seventeen examples have achieved the services highest honor, making it one hundred times as rare as Mint 9 representations. 1989 Topps Traded #110T Deion Sanders. Other times you will find versions that look like they were just pulled from a pack. This number is mind-blowing when you think about all the time, energy, and money that goes into the grading process for 1 card, let alone 29,032. The young, bearded lefty poses in his White Sox uniform on his 1981 Topps rookie card, which has received a nice boost in price ever since his Hall of Fame induction. One of the higher-end rookies is the 1984 Topps Tiffany #8 card. 1980 Topps Baseball Cards 30 Most Valuable. A big-shot hitter for USA Baseball and at Mississippi State, Clark was a highly anticipated rookie coming into the 1986 season. As a rookie, he did not hit a homer. Interestingly, Ryan's highest single-season strikeout total in nine years with the Houston Astros was only 270 in 1987, a year in which he also led the NL with a 2.76 ERA. Making this example 1 of only 13 in existence. The white lettering with pink Two For the Title came from factory sets. 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. But, we'll just have to wait and see if voters will ever end up giving a pass to guys like Clemens, Barry Bonds, etc. Kirby Puckett wasted no time in making his mark in Minnesota, batting .296 as a 24-year-old rookie in 1984. Another Barry Bonds rookie card comes in at number 6 on the list. So far, PSA has graded roughly 1,550 of the Pete Rose #180 cards. And then there was Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A's. So, many collectors dont even know they exist. But it was baseball in 1988, so buy it we did, mostly looking for the highly-touted Mets prospect who looked like the kid who sat near the back of your social studies class. Ungraded & graded values for all '80 Topps Baseball Cards. Like anything in life, demand couldn't keep up with that increasing supply. But this isnt a Rookie Card. And he was also a fantastic fielder, as he won 9 consecutive Gold Gloves during one stretch of his career. Free shipping for many products! 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. Top 1980s Baseball Rookie Cards 10. 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. Many still are. Because Jackson was such a massive prospect in football and baseball, he is still highly collectible. Shop the 1986 Donruss Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps baseball cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars base set card, Shop the 1982 Topps Lee Smith rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1981 Topps Pete Rose baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Trade Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Kirby Puckett rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds rookie cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Topps Tiffany Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1988 Best Ken Griffey Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1983 O-Pee-Chee Tony Gwynn rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Mark McGwire rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, 565 of the Tiffany Traded Bo Jackson rookies, Shop the 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 Barry Bonds rookie card error on eBay, Shop the 1980 WBTV Cal Ripken Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card on eBay, 8 Best Baseball Cards to Collect in 2022 Hall of Fame Potential, Best Chipper Jones rookie card & baseball card list. And many of those weren't even licensed by Major League Baseball. The same thing that propelled the show Stranger Things to the top of the charts and straight to the hearts of millions across the country. Because of its rarity, this version is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Great job on this!!! Over 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, Harold Baines appeared in six All-Star games, hit 384 home runs, tallied 1,628 RBI, and scored another 1,299 runs. Because a smaller amount of these were produced and because centering is a challenge, finding these in pristine condition can be tough. This Topps RC may have been slightly overlooked upon its release, but took center stage as Hershiser pitched the Dodgers to the 1988 World Series title. So far, there have been just 22 submitted. Puckett cracks the Top Ten! And the introduction of grading to the hobby has led to some collectors paying massive amounts of money for certain cards deemed to be in pristine condition. There wasnt a lot to get excited about when the 1987 Fleer Update sets arrived, outside of the first Fleer card of A.L. With just 26 making the PSA 10 grade, they are scarce in said condition. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. From 1984 to 1991, Topps released a limited number of premium, higher-end versions of their base sets that they branded as the Topps Tiffany line. Starting off the list of most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is the 1980 Topps George Brett base set card. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. With the hunter green borders, clip art of a baseball hat with team names, and the vintage Topps logo, this card screams, collect me! With over 2,200 George Brett cards graded by PSA, most will agree they are highly collectible. With only 371 found in gem mint condition, they are relatively rare and expensive. Be cautious of reprints and fakes because there are a lot. Otherwise, if found in PSA 9 condition, it would have sold considerably less at around $90. Bo warned the Bucs not to select him, but they did anyway. . He played for seven teams, but is best remembered as the glue of the back-to-back World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 93 when he batted a combined .347 over both Series. Rod Carew and George Brett never looked better. PSA has seen just 728 copies of this specific Mattingly rookie card. However, you may wonder why one particular card didn't make the top 25. PSA has seen just 516 of the O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie cards. The 1984 American League batting championship race came down to the final game of the season, with Don Mattingly edging teammate Dave Winfield to win the title. So far, 2,378 of the Tiffany Bonds rookie cards have been submitted to PSA, which is not very low but not very high. Having won the 1985 Heisman Trophy Award while at Auburn, he was then selected No. 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. Top 5 Baseball Cards From the 80s Let's take a look at the top 3 cards from the Decade of Decadence. 25 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards. Easily one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s, theDon Mattingly rookie card is the clear headliner of the 1984 Topps set. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. Next on the list is the rookie card of fireballer and pitching icon,Roger Clemens. Even in lower grade they can still go for hundreds of dollars. Please enter the verification code that you received on your email. The 1983 season saw the Rookie Cards of four players break out Sandberg, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn and Ron Kittle. Great ballplayer for much of the decade. All rights reserved. For after that victory, the narrative changed from the tired and repetitive sentence Jim Abbott, born without a right hand, to Jim Abbott, who pitched the United States to an Olympic gold medal, That alone was a great step forward in the Jim Abbott story. In addition to the low population, this example graded out to be in PSA 10, gem mint condition. Who cares if there are more copies printed to stretch around the world twice? 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?

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what 1980s baseball cards are valuable

what 1980s baseball cards are valuable

what 1980s baseball cards are valuable

what 1980s baseball cards are valuable

what 1980s baseball cards are valuablenational express west midlands fine appeal

With only 190 gem mint 10s in population, they are considered one of his rarest and most valuable rookie cards. His mainstream Rookie Cards appeared the next spring. Ken Griffey Jr. A PSA 10 example price is through the roof with a meager supply and very high demand. And, in 1989 and 1990, they also produced Bowman Tiffany sets. To some, the selling point might be a little high for a non-rookie card, so how did it land such a high price tag? And as you can see, it's value has held up very well over time. Donnie Baseball is pictured wearing a Yankees cap, which is the team he would go on to spend his whole 13-year pro career at. Youll notice the same image used for this card also appears on Bos Topps Traded card. This, however, is a piece of art worthy of this list. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. This is more than likely because the population is much smaller for the Bowman rookie. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. If the population stays this low, we can expect to see the value rise. Ripken was one of my favorite players as a kid and it has been nice to see this card get much more notoriety as time passes. Not only did Fleer overcompensate with multiple fixes for the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken card, they did the same with Randy Johnsons card #381 from the same set. Lee Smith was primarily a relief pitcher during his 18-year career in the Major Leagues. . Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? The third of Donnie Baseballs three 1984 Rookie Cards from the major manufacturers of the time. Last,I didn't include any test issues from those mainstream companies. Period. I personally love 80s baseball cards and have some in my personal collection that are worth more than just the monetary value. This isnt even Cals first Topps card that appears elsewhere on this list but it was more challenging, and more expensive, to secure after its release in late 1982. Whatever the reason, Ryan turned in the second-lowest K/9 ratio of his career (7.7) outside of his final season in 1993. Let that sink in for a moment. They are far less populated than regular-issue Topps cards. Nobody seriously, nobody could have seen 305 wins and the Hall of Fame in his future. The availability of this set is much more limited than the regular issue Topps Traded set. 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. Lee Smith was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on December 9, 2018, as part of the Todays Game Era Committee vote. When it comes to rookie season debuts, the Dodgers have developed a reputation for some of the finest on record. This can be attributed to several things. Check out my list of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s. Kirby Puckettwas also one of my favorite players as a kid and this card was always among the top of my want list as a young collector. Like the Bowman Tiffany product line mentioned above, the O-Pee-Chee cards were typically produced in far fewer quantities. With such a small amount of these being found in gem mint condition, its no wonder they are one of the most valuable baseball cards of the 1980s. Great choice, and everything works on this RC. Because of their relative scarcity compared to the base Bowman version, these Griffey rookies can fetch huge prices in top condition. Consider picking up a PSA mint 9 copy for far less. Thats an incredible difference in availability. These are our picks for the top 100 baseball cards of the 1980s. Also, this seems to be available in fewer quantities than Topps and Donruss Clemens efforts in 1985. To some, the selling point might be a little high for a non-rookie card, so how did it land such a high price tag? 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. Five years after that he was named the 1995 NL Most Valuable Player and in 2012, the Baseball Writers Association of America elected him to the Baseball Hall of Fame. Read our. With just 29 of the 1,000 Gwynn rookies submitted graded gem mint 10, finding one for auction will be complicated. And, speaking of classics, this 1980 Topps Schmidt qualifies, forever tied to the start of a dominant decade that left no doubt he was among the all-time greats. For those on a budget, a PSA 9 example will only throw you back about $200. While some dealers broke box sets to sell singles, others chose not to. Cant have that. 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. In his eight baseball seasons, Jackson had a career batting average of .250, hit 141 home runs, and had 415 RBIs, with a slugging average of .474. But, the ones that do pay premium prices for the near-perfect examples. Before playing for the Baltimore Orioles, Cal Ripken Jr. played for the Charlotte Os. The greatest lead-off hitter in the entirety of baseball history, Rickey Henderson finds no equal in the career rankings for both stolen bases and runs scored, keeping the spirit of the Dead Ball Era alive into the twenty-first century. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying to her studio guests, You get a Griffey Jr. RC! Nice touch making Pete the leadoff hitter in the DK lineup. For whatever reason, some moments in sports history seem to resonate with people in such a way that they almost become locked in memory. . 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? Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6. Many consider this card not only to be the most iconic card of the 1980s but one of the most important in the hobby in general. And then got his own baseball card. They were based in Passaic, New Jersey. Value: $40-45 Check prices on eBay (affiliate link) Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link) 18) 1980 Topps Andre Dawson (#235) This is, hands down, his best rookie card to date. These are our picks for the top 100 baseball cards of the 1980s. 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. Glenn Hubbard, he of the lifetime .244 batting average and .328 On-Base Percentage, wasnt one of the top 250 players of the 1980s. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. We should have been hoarding up Michael Jordan cards back then. Donruss did, letting collectors believe Floyd Bannister was actually Tom Seaver in the first printing of 85 Donruss. But there is a snake in this picture. Not many 1981 Donruss cards can be called classic or important. None maybe. Eric Davis was the choice of many collectors hoarding cards in the age of the era of stash-and-sell. Ryan had a lifetime winning percentage of .526 and was an eight-time MLB All-Star. This Topps card features Henderson in action in yellow and white Oakland Athletics uniform, with the bench blurred in the background. A key card in the Summer of 87 when McGwire was belting a then-rookie record 49 home runs. He would lend his bat to several teams, including the White Sox, Orioles, A's, Rangers, and Indians, as he bounced around quite a bit. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. At the time, who could have known the highs and lows that would mark an amazing career on the field? You want the Rookie Card of the major leagues all-time runs scored and stolen base leader? Cards in future sets were issued with French and English descriptions on the back. 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. For decades, O-Pee-Chee played the role of Topps' counterpart in the Canadian market. But, as we know, things turned out okay for Gibby, both in Detroit and L.A. This is one of his most sought-after rookie cards and is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Not a bad career for the kid who attended Cincinnatis Moeller High School, the same school that later graduated Ken Griffey Jr. Back before his 3,000 hits and 500 home runs, and back before Raffys life became complicated, there was this. And its Tiffany version is easily the most expensive of them all. This variation is not limited to the Bo Jackson rookie card, they can be found on other player cards like Nolan Ryan, George Brett, Roger Clemens, Darryl Strawberry, and many more. Don Mattingly Donruss Rc #248. Like, almost anything else. As you can imagine, finding PSA 10 examples of a given O-Pee-Chee card is substantially more difficult than finding a Topps example in the same condition. Don't get me wrong, it's still an expensive card and you'll find them bouncing between $1,700 and $2,000 these days. Nolan Ryan cards, especially in high grade, remain incredibly popular among hobbyists. Especially when compared to the 82 Ripken rookie mentioned above. 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. Among the most anticipated cards of the late-1986 releases were the first MLB-licensed cards of rookie sensation Wally Joyner. Making them one of his most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Yeah, about that. The blue border was susceptible to some chipping. Yeah, we know. Due to the low print run of the letters in white variation, they are much more valuable than the copies with yellow text. Cal Ripken Jr. (1982 Topps RC #21) Ripken Jr. has to be regarded as one of the best shortstops in the history of baseball. There are four variations: a whiteout, a black box, and scribbled-out black and white. PSA 9s sell for considerably less in the $300 $400 price range. Just two years after the release of his first minor league card and shortly after his trade from Detroit to Atlanta, future Hall of Famer Smoltz made his major league card debut in Fleers 1988 Update Set. Join the hundreds of thousands of collectors who have benefited from the OPG. 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. Although Jeff Schneider and Bob Bonner didnt have much of a career in the Major Leagues, the player centered in the middle sure did. Most Valuable Fleer Baseball Cards. Topps printed player team names embedded in a four-tier golden comb effect that adds a subtle flair to the cards. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 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. Fleer broke Topps' monopoly with a landmark court case in 1980 that opened the door for the Philadelphia gum maker and others to produced baseball cards starting in 1981. 3. One of the pack-pulled Rookie Cards during Juniors rookie season, but it comes with a tough blend of purple and black border. Meanwhile, this might be the only time Johnny Ray was ever mistaken for Barry Bonds. Like Topps Tiffany cards, O-Pee-Chee cards are relatively difficult to come across. 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. GEM-MT 10. If you were around for the card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, you'll surely recognize this iconicMark McGwire rookie card. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 ToppsTony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s. Mattingly struggled on Friday and Saturday but wrestled the title from Winfield with a 4-for-5 masterclass on the last day of the season. Yep, looks like a 1989 Upper Deck card but its not. Well, PSA has graded and authenticated a mere 134 to date. Everybody wanted one. 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. A fantastic example of how a card could rise and fall. And there are plenty of people who want it. The hype surrounding Ken Griffey Jr. turned out to be well-placed as the legendary slugger went on to a Hall of Fame career. 8 Great 1980 Topps Baseball Cards Beyond Rickey Henderson. 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 Big Macs second Topps-issued card, but the first pictured with Oakland. He deserves so much more than that. For those who dont know, Bill Ripken had the word F**k Face boldly written in black sharpie on the bottom of his bat. A Ripken Jr. But he flourished as a second baseman and was one of the better contact hitters of his era. Sandberg's status as a Hall of Famer and one of the most beloved Cubs of all-time keeps demand for high grade specimens of his rookie card at lofty price levels. Which is a minimal amount. However, print quantities of 1983 Topps weren't at the same levels they were by the late 80s and early 90s. "Fernandomania" still lives on with many collectors and they're willing to pay up for this card in PSA 10 condition. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. 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. This seller was unusually experienced on the auction website, with 1056117 reviews under their belt. After an eBay auction that ended in October 2022, one copy sold for an impressive $1,800. It took less than a month for Mattingly to convince Berra otherwise. Ken Griffey Jr. | Card Sold For: $23,100 . My next move was to go diving through my cards to see if I had one. Alexander went 9-0 from mid-August on. Contact him at [emailprotected]. His 5,714 career strikeouts are an MLB record by a significant margin. The USA Baseball subset in 1985 Topps introduced the program to the masses, and brought this slugging first basemans first licensed trading card to the forefront of the collectibles industry. Bo Jackson is regarded as one of the best athletes to play professional sports. He won 10 Gold Glove awards, batted an even .300 over 17 years and finished less than 300 hits shy of 3,000. 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. The one shown here is the Platinum version which has a gray border. The local TV station printed some promotional baseball cards with players from the team and handed them out during one of Ripkens first games playing for the Os. Yet only seventeen examples have achieved the services highest honor, making it one hundred times as rare as Mint 9 representations. 1989 Topps Traded #110T Deion Sanders. Other times you will find versions that look like they were just pulled from a pack. This number is mind-blowing when you think about all the time, energy, and money that goes into the grading process for 1 card, let alone 29,032. The young, bearded lefty poses in his White Sox uniform on his 1981 Topps rookie card, which has received a nice boost in price ever since his Hall of Fame induction. One of the higher-end rookies is the 1984 Topps Tiffany #8 card. 1980 Topps Baseball Cards 30 Most Valuable. A big-shot hitter for USA Baseball and at Mississippi State, Clark was a highly anticipated rookie coming into the 1986 season. As a rookie, he did not hit a homer. Interestingly, Ryan's highest single-season strikeout total in nine years with the Houston Astros was only 270 in 1987, a year in which he also led the NL with a 2.76 ERA. Making this example 1 of only 13 in existence. The white lettering with pink Two For the Title came from factory sets. 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. But, we'll just have to wait and see if voters will ever end up giving a pass to guys like Clemens, Barry Bonds, etc. Kirby Puckett wasted no time in making his mark in Minnesota, batting .296 as a 24-year-old rookie in 1984. Another Barry Bonds rookie card comes in at number 6 on the list. So far, PSA has graded roughly 1,550 of the Pete Rose #180 cards. And then there was Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A's. So, many collectors dont even know they exist. But it was baseball in 1988, so buy it we did, mostly looking for the highly-touted Mets prospect who looked like the kid who sat near the back of your social studies class. Ungraded & graded values for all '80 Topps Baseball Cards. Like anything in life, demand couldn't keep up with that increasing supply. But this isnt a Rookie Card. And he was also a fantastic fielder, as he won 9 consecutive Gold Gloves during one stretch of his career. Free shipping for many products! 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. Top 1980s Baseball Rookie Cards 10. 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. Many still are. Because Jackson was such a massive prospect in football and baseball, he is still highly collectible. Shop the 1986 Donruss Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps baseball cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars base set card, Shop the 1982 Topps Lee Smith rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1981 Topps Pete Rose baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1982 Topps Trade Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Kirby Puckett rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Barry Bonds rookie cards on eBay, Shop the 1984 Topps Tiffany Don Mattingly rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1988 Best Ken Griffey Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card on eBay, Shop the 1983 O-Pee-Chee Tony Gwynn rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Mark McGwire rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay, 565 of the Tiffany Traded Bo Jackson rookies, Shop the 1989 Bowman Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1985 Topps Tiffany Roger Clemens rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie card on eBay, Shop the 1987 Barry Bonds rookie card error on eBay, Shop the 1980 WBTV Cal Ripken Jr. minor league card on eBay, Shop the 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card on eBay, 8 Best Baseball Cards to Collect in 2022 Hall of Fame Potential, Best Chipper Jones rookie card & baseball card list. And many of those weren't even licensed by Major League Baseball. The same thing that propelled the show Stranger Things to the top of the charts and straight to the hearts of millions across the country. Because of its rarity, this version is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Great job on this!!! Over 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, Harold Baines appeared in six All-Star games, hit 384 home runs, tallied 1,628 RBI, and scored another 1,299 runs. Because a smaller amount of these were produced and because centering is a challenge, finding these in pristine condition can be tough. This Topps RC may have been slightly overlooked upon its release, but took center stage as Hershiser pitched the Dodgers to the 1988 World Series title. So far, there have been just 22 submitted. Puckett cracks the Top Ten! And the introduction of grading to the hobby has led to some collectors paying massive amounts of money for certain cards deemed to be in pristine condition. There wasnt a lot to get excited about when the 1987 Fleer Update sets arrived, outside of the first Fleer card of A.L. With just 26 making the PSA 10 grade, they are scarce in said condition. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. From 1984 to 1991, Topps released a limited number of premium, higher-end versions of their base sets that they branded as the Topps Tiffany line. Starting off the list of most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is the 1980 Topps George Brett base set card. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2023 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. With the hunter green borders, clip art of a baseball hat with team names, and the vintage Topps logo, this card screams, collect me! With over 2,200 George Brett cards graded by PSA, most will agree they are highly collectible. With only 371 found in gem mint condition, they are relatively rare and expensive. Be cautious of reprints and fakes because there are a lot. Otherwise, if found in PSA 9 condition, it would have sold considerably less at around $90. Bo warned the Bucs not to select him, but they did anyway. . He played for seven teams, but is best remembered as the glue of the back-to-back World Champion Toronto Blue Jays in 1992 and 93 when he batted a combined .347 over both Series. Rod Carew and George Brett never looked better. PSA has seen just 728 copies of this specific Mattingly rookie card. However, you may wonder why one particular card didn't make the top 25. PSA has seen just 516 of the O-Pee-Chee Barry Bonds rookie cards. The 1984 American League batting championship race came down to the final game of the season, with Don Mattingly edging teammate Dave Winfield to win the title. So far, 2,378 of the Tiffany Bonds rookie cards have been submitted to PSA, which is not very low but not very high. Having won the 1985 Heisman Trophy Award while at Auburn, he was then selected No. 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. Top 5 Baseball Cards From the 80s Let's take a look at the top 3 cards from the Decade of Decadence. 25 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards. Easily one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s, theDon Mattingly rookie card is the clear headliner of the 1984 Topps set. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. Next on the list is the rookie card of fireballer and pitching icon,Roger Clemens. Even in lower grade they can still go for hundreds of dollars. Please enter the verification code that you received on your email. The 1983 season saw the Rookie Cards of four players break out Sandberg, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn and Ron Kittle. Great ballplayer for much of the decade. All rights reserved. For after that victory, the narrative changed from the tired and repetitive sentence Jim Abbott, born without a right hand, to Jim Abbott, who pitched the United States to an Olympic gold medal, That alone was a great step forward in the Jim Abbott story. In addition to the low population, this example graded out to be in PSA 10, gem mint condition. Who cares if there are more copies printed to stretch around the world twice? 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? Dave's Hot Chicken Allergen Menu, Cute Country Concert Outfits For Fall, Bart Braverman Today, Park Models For Sale At La Hacienda Rv Resort, Dr Paul Barattiero Hydrogen Water Machine, Articles W