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. It's not necessarily the most valuable cards of the decade. The entire 1988 season was memorable for Gibson as he picked up the only MVP and Silver Slugger awards of his career that year. Turns out we were all stupid. Now that he's forever a Los Angeles sports hero, Gibson's rookie card is a must-have. When found in gem mint condition, these sell for $1,500, on average. Sparky Anderson did Kirk Gibson no favors comparing him to Mickey Mantle before Gibson fully figured out major league baseball. And then there was Kirk Gibson's walk-off home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series against the Oakland A's. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Amazon. You'll also notice the numbering of the sets was different as Clemens is card #99 in the Leaf set versus #273 in the Donruss set. I remember being in that late-80s baseball card collecting frenzy, and seeing the majority of these cards. Make no mistake, the thrill of finding this card in a regular or cello pack was huge. His 5,714 career strikeouts are an MLB record by a significant margin. Because Frank Thomas had a more successful career in baseball, his cards are more valuable. Fleer may have a shorter history than some in the hobby, but they produced some real zingers during their run. This was one of the most popular Bonds RCs pulled from packs in 87. Take Roger Maris cards, for example. 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. Author Jon Gold. So, if you want a copy in gem mint condition, prepare to dish out over $800. With over 5,000 submitted to PSA, getting a gem mint copy of the actual FF error card is simple, but what about the four variations? With only 56 found in gem mint condition, they are challenging to find. The rarity of these cards is evident by how few of the Nolan Ryan cards have been submitted to PSA for grading. Topps decides not to follow through with the set and tells them to dispose of the cards. The vintage and prewar market is at least partially driven by the "Holy Grail" of cards, the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner. He stayed true to his word and did not sign with the team. And he was also a fantastic fielder, as he won 9 consecutive Gold Gloves during one stretch of his career. Donruss knew something good when they saw it, and made Wally card #1 in the inaugural The Rookies box set. 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens RC #27 Although it may never be made official, Roger Clemens put up Hall of Fame numbers. I grew up in the 80s and chased many of these cards and ripped hundreds of packs in my days. 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. Look at Bo locked in. Great article. Nolan Ryan cards, especially in high grade, remain incredibly popular among hobbyists. This is, hands down, his best rookie card to date. Furthermore, there have only been 6 found in gem mint conditions. Or will McGriff just be collateral damage from the misdoings around him? This card should be an excellent investment as long as the population stays low. With just 29 of the 1,000 Gwynn rookies submitted graded gem mint 10, finding one for auction will be complicated. New companies, new technologies and a booming marketplace all brought the hobby into the mainstream. Bo Jackson was one of the biggest superstars in all of sports during the late 1980s and early 1990s. The rare variations are the scribbled out in white, and the whited out. The only difference between the two is the color of the word Highlights, located in the lower left-hand corner of the card. Mattingly solidified himself as a solid hitter during the 1984 season as he picked up the batting title that year after finishing with a .343 average. This was the card, more so than any other in the first half of the 1980s, that promoted perceived scarcity and status. 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. Produce an Opening Day box set, they said. But, looking to capitalize as much as possible on the hype surrounding a young phenom known as "The Kid", Topps brought back the iconic brand when they released their 1989 Bowman set. But that doesnt mean this true rookie-year glossy card of a Hall of Famer (he did pitch 31 innings in 1986, not enough for rookie status) doesnt have its place in collections. If you do the math on those 2,416 strikeouts he accumulated during his time with the Angels, that meant heaveraged302 strikeouts per season, a mark many pitchers would be lucky to reach even once during their careers. But, how difficult are they to find in PSA 10 condition? All rights reserved. PSA has seen just 196 cards from this entire set, which is practically none compared to other 80s sets. But theres a freakin snake in this picture . He'd go on to win 7 Silver Sluggers over his career. 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. I think we can all agree Topps could have found a more flattering photo for Gwynns Rookie Card. One of the more anticipated Rookie Cards heading into the 1984 season, as Straw had slugged 26 HR and stolen 19 bases en route to earning the 1983 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Since the sports card market exploded during the 1980s, many food brands, toy manufacturers, and regional companies jumped into the market. This second-year card of Gwynn may be the best looking of any of his other releases over the years. 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. The same design of this card also appeared in the Nestle and O-Pee-Chee sets that year and all three cards are worth around $250-300 in top grade. This card of the 1980 AL Rookie of the Year is credited with making the Rookie Card a thing in the industry. Many collectors prefer the 1952 card, but the 1951 Bowman is still a piece of baseball history. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. Topps Tiffany baseball cards are by far some of the most valuable baseball cards from both the 80s and the 90s. 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. 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. Since 1989, hes mostly been known for his penmanship. The card shows teammate Johnny Ray but has all Barry Bondss information on the front and back. First, new collectors entered the hobby based on the idea of treating baseball cards as an investment. Having won the 1985 Heisman Trophy Award while at Auburn, he was then selected No. Its a dude dressed like a chicken. Donruss did, letting collectors believe Floyd Bannister was actually Tom Seaver in the first printing of 85 Donruss. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Both Donruss and Fleer produced Canseco Rookie Cards for their mainstream sets, but the choice of the masses was Donruss. The black box cover-up is the easiest to acquire, with over 1,200 submitted to PSA. Not many 1981 Donruss cards can be called classic or important. None maybe. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. Yeah, we know. His cards populate the majority of the rest, with about 100 submitted. Value: $40-45 Check prices on eBay (affiliate link) Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link) 18) 1980 Topps Andre Dawson (#235) A PSA Mint 9 card is worth $1.2 million, while a PSA NM-MT 8.5 card sells for $700,000. The 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken is a one-of-a-kind error card. An RC of one of the games greatest, this one isnt winning any beauty contests. We got our first look at Barry Bonds when the 1986 Traded/Update/Rookie sets were released. One of Ken Griffey Jrs biggest sleeper cards is his 1988 Best minor league cards. The white lettering with pink Two For the Title came from factory sets. Seems like this was a good day. Well done. Lee Smith was primarily a relief pitcher during his 18-year career in the Major Leagues. With only 190 gem mint 10s in population, they are considered one of his rarest and most valuable rookie cards. The largest and most complete database in the industry. . Unlike his regular 81 Topps RC, the then future Hall of Famer is pictured on his own card, another gem from the ground-breaking 1981 Topps Traded set. A Ripken Jr. Another valuable card from the 1985 Topps Tiffany set is the Roger Clemens rookie card #181. First, I didn't include any college or Minor League cards and stuck with only those cards that featured a given player when he was in the Majors. 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. We should have been hoarding up Michael Jordan cards back then. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. And many collectors already have figured that out. With just 26 making the PSA 10 grade, they are scarce in said condition. But just stick with this corrected version. However, the baseball world was stunned years later in 1989 when allegations surfaced that Rose gambled on baseball while a player and manager for the Reds from 1985-1987. Since it was located along the left side, you'll often find this card cut in such a way that throws off its left-to-right centering, which prevents it from achieving gem mint status. If you were around for the card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s, you'll surely recognize this iconicMark McGwire rookie card. 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. So far, 2,378 of the Tiffany Bonds rookie cards have been submitted to PSA, which is not very low but not very high. Bonus points for this one as it also features former Dodgers World Series champion and longtime Angels manager Mike Scioscia. This is why the 1980 Topps card sold for an impressive $2,400. That kind of of success on that stage can get a card like this released later in the season noticed. Ryan any chance you can do other decades? "Honus Wagner." Sports Card Investor. And you get a Griffey Jr. RC! No position player in the American League enjoyed a better all-around season as Rickey Henderson did in 1981. The cards look exactly like their Topps counterparts, save for the Nestle logo in place of Topps. Despite his complicated legacy,Pete Rose cardsalso remain some of the most desirable in the hobby. One of the main reasons his rookie card is valuable is that even though he was a relief pitcher, he still made it into the Hall of Fame. 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. Your Account has been confirmed and activated successfully. Who cares if there are more copies printed to stretch around the world twice? In 20 years, how will history remember The Crime Dog? 12. Because Jackson was such a massive prospect in football and baseball, he is still highly collectible. Future Star, indeed. For most players, their most valuable baseball cards will be their rookie card. Because there werent many produced, the market has not been flooded with these. 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. Ken Griffey Jr. But its still a fun card, even if it is just a guy who made a living dressed as a chicken. Those 1988 . Starting off the list of most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is the 1980 Topps George Brett base set card. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. However, print quantities of 1983 Topps weren't at the same levels they were by the late 80s and early 90s. The 87 Topps Tiffany regular set and Traded sets are believed to carry the highest print runs of any Tiffany set. Pucketts quick emergence brought this RC a lot of attention from the first day 85 packs began surfacing. 834 have been submitted to PSA, and only 54 were declared gem mint 10. 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. So, the supply is meager. 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. Of those submitted, 271 have been declared PSA 10 gem mint condition. A first-time All-Star and fifth-place finisher in the AL's MVP race, Mattingly's time as the face of the Yankees was here. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. It changed the game when it first hit the market. This is Lee Smiths most valuable rookie card and one of the more expensive baseball cards from the 80s. With the hunter green borders, clip art of a baseball hat with team names, and the vintage Topps logo, this card screams, collect me! There wasnt a lot to get excited about when the 1987 Fleer Update sets arrived, outside of the first Fleer card of A.L. Whatever the reason, Ryan turned in the second-lowest K/9 ratio of his career (7.7) outside of his final season in 1993. Even so lets just say the Braves won the trade. Anyone hear from Bonner or Schneider lately? Somehow, these cards managed to make it into the market by an employee or O-Pee-Chee themselves. the more valuable the card. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 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. Especially when compared to the 82 Ripken rookie mentioned above. Many still are. A fantastic example of how a card could rise and fall. Iconic card: 1980 Topps #482, which sold for $180,100 in February 2021. But there is a snake in this picture. There are many Hall of Famers in this set. Making it much more collectible and valuable. Also, this seems to be available in fewer quantities than Topps and Donruss Clemens efforts in 1985. Be cautious of reprints and fakes because there are a lot. For an era of cards that many call junk wax, the 80s have some decent cards. There is, however, a big market for older baseball cards and other sports cards (generally cards manufactured before 1980). Copyright 2023, Beckett Collectibles, LLC. 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. Nobody wants to look goofy while trying to make the all-important first impression and all. And it was a more affordable option than the 84 Fleer Update an important fact to budget-conscious collectors. If the population stays this low, we can expect to see the value rise. If you owned a 84 Donruss Mattingly, you owned the neighborhood. Website . For example, as of this writing, there are just under 700 examples of Gwynn's Topps rookie card that achieved PSA 10 grade status, while there are over 13,000 examples of Ken Griffey Jr.'s 1989 Topps Traded rookie graded in PSA 10 holders. Because a smaller amount of these were produced and because centering is a challenge, finding these in pristine condition can be tough. Your top 100 list more than anything else is what brought me back into the hobby last year after a 30 year hiatus. Old Sports Cards. Finding a PSA 10 example of any card in the 1980 Topps set can be challenging because of poor centering and other print issues that plagued this set. Youve come to the right place. PSA has seen just 728 copies of this specific Mattingly rookie card. The young speedster was brilliant on offense as he batted .319 (nearly a career-high) and led the league in runs scored (89), hits (135), and stolen bases (56). 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. As a rookie, he did not hit a homer. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. These "Fleer Glossy" cards were printed on higher quality cardboard and contained a much glossier finish on them. Barry looks thrilled to be getting his picture taken. Displaying Henderson trademark crouched batting stance, it'd be a nice card even if it wasn't extremely valuable. When found in gem mint condition, these demand upwards of $2,000. That's part of it but more important are the cards' legacy and. 1989 Topps #530 Nolan Ryan. Puckett cracks the Top Ten! Donruss sold a lot of 86 Donruss packs for this Canseco card alone. 1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Topps #647 Randy Johnson Rookie Card. PSA 9s sell for considerably less in the $300 $400 price range. Nostalgia. I have 75 of these and am working on completing my little set!! So its safe to say they are scarce. Of the many Barry Bonds rookie cards, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany rookie card is one of the most valuable. The blue border was susceptible to some chipping. And you were living large. 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. 5 Surging Panini Prizm Basketball Cards 1980 Dodgers TCMA 1959 Checklist and Details, Turning Back the Clock: 1989 Topps Baseball Cards Commercial, 1983 O-Pee-Chee Baseball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 1981 Topps Baseball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, Sports Cards Release Dates, Calendar and Whats New, 2023 Baseball Cards Release Dates, Checklists and Set Information, 2022-23 Panini Obsidian Basketball Details, Beckett Sports Card Hot / Cold April 29, 2023, 10 Career-Defining Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards Instant PC, 2022 Topps Renaissance MLS Checklist and Details, 2023 Panini Stars & Stripes USA Baseball Checklist and Details, 2023 Topps Baseball Team Sets Checklists and Details, 2023 Rittenhouse Doctor Who Series 1-4 Checklist and Details, 2023 Upper Deck Jay and Silent Bob Reboot Checklist, Trading Cards Details, 2022-23 Leaf Optichrome Basketball hecklist and Details. Sure, the same thing can be said about all eras, and each will feel different . He was, then, the youngest player to ever play in an All-Star Game. 9 of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards in History. Baseball had two tall guys breaking in at about the same time: 6-foot-7 Ben McDonald and 6-foot-10 Randy Johnson. 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. Big difference. The first of two Donruss cards on this list, this one features a headshot of the 1985 American League MVP, Don Mattingly. Which gives them a much more elegant look. 1980 Topps. . If the population remains low, these could increase in value over time. Bo Jackson washuge when I was a kid and his popularity is still quite high to this day. There was a time when the world came together for one thing: finding Wade Boggs Topps RCs. 1989 Topps #380 Rickey Henderson. 8 Great 1980 Topps Baseball Cards Beyond Rickey Henderson. Completely missed him, while Upper Deck, Fleer and Donruss did include the games top prospect. However, he was openly disappointed with Berra's assertion in Spring Training that he'd open the season on the bench. Price: $925,000 . Wills was slow to forget the slight, not signing a deal with Topps until 1967. Of the two sets, his Bowman Tiffany is more valuable, by a long shot, selling for over $2,500 in PSA 10 condition. "Fernandomania" still lives on with many collectors and they're willing to pay up for this card in PSA 10 condition. And, like Tony Gwynn, Sandberg also appeared in the 1983 O-Pee-Chee set. And, you guessed it, the Tiffany version is even more valuable in PSA 10 condition. Yet only seventeen examples have achieved the services highest honor, making it one hundred times as rare as Mint 9 representations. Rated Rookie? The third and fourth are the hardest and come close to a tie. This, however, is a piece of art worthy of this list. While others bought and sold lots of this XRC, smart buyers figured What the heck, and bought the limited edition glossy Tiffany version. Thank you! 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. 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? They are selling for over $1,500 today, which means they have tripled in value. 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. These sets were given to card shops as limited edition sets and not sold in stores. A 1963 Topps Pete Rose is worth more than a 1983 Topps Pete Rose. 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. . Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Nobody knew it at the time, but the presses ran day and night for 87 Topps Baseball. Ken Griffey Jr. | Card Sold For: $23,100 . 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. This RC was on fire when pulled from 1988 Donruss packs. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. This can be attributed to several things. There is an error version with the SS in the upper-right corner upside down. After Docs record-breaking 1984 season, Topps opted for a non-pitching shot of the dominating righthander. 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. From 1992-1995, the guy with the pencil-thin mustache on this card won four consecutive National League Cy Young awards, leading the league in innings pitched each time. What list of valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is complete without the Johnny Ray/Barry Bonds error card? A few months later, the Kansas City Royals took Bo in the fourth round of the 1986 MLB Draft. Fleer corrected it quickly, but the error fire had already been stoked. But despite the image, this is a really important card of one of the games greatest pure hitters. 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.