The reverse of the card mentions that over the last nine seasons dating back to 1972, Brett (2) and Carew (6) had combined to win eight batting titles. Price. 10. Only Tony Gwynn had come closer to batting .400 or better since Ted Williams last did it in 1941 when Gwynn batted .394 in 110 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. During the first part of his career, Tom Seaver was absolutely dominant on the mound as he racked up 20-win seasons, Cy Young Awards, ERA Titles and Strikeout Titles like it was nothing. The record-breaking card is from his rookie season and was produced by trading card giant Topps. 8. Unlike Smith, Cal Ripken's chances at the Hall of Fame were never in doubt. Value: $300-325. Previous Article. Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. Seaver was nothing short of incredible for the Reds that season but Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela was just a bit better and out-pointed Seaver in the Cy Young vote 70 to 67. The 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. The following season, Seaver was as sharp as ever as he finished with an incredible .875 winning percentage after going 14-2 on the mound. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. Within the set were also several different subsets, including: The colorful design and decent photography give this set an overall great look and feel, with many cards having fantastic eye appeal. Donruss wasted no time breaking into the hobby as they spent huge marketing dollars, targeted key dealers across the nation, and filled their checklist with some of the game's biggest names to grab collector attention. Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. On May 29th against the San Francisco Giants, Bench slid into second base, attempting to break up a double play but fractured his left ankle in the process. After a decades-long stranglehold on the market, Topps lost a key court battle with Fleer that allowed other companies to produce sets of their own. Ozzie was always one of my favorite players to watch as a kid as his acrobatic defensive play left fans in awe time after time as he went on to collect 13 Gold Glove awards. Murray was one of the greatest first basemen to ever play the game but his cards seem to be a bit overlooked at times. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. This set marked the end of an era in which Topps was the only mainstream company with the MLB's blessing to print baseball cards. Year-by-year ranking of the most valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards from 1952 to 2020. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . While it may not be one of the most popular sets of the era, the 1982 Topps baseball card set packed plenty of star power and two key Hall of Fame rookie cards. Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. Reggie Jackson played five seasons as a member of the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981, and the 1980 season turned out to be his best in pinstripes. Even though the image is kind of ghostly (see his right shoulder) on this card, it's my favorite of his three cards in this set given its an action shot. When it comes to Rookie Cards, 1981 Topps is one . In fact, between June 2021 and May 2022, this Ripken collectible in a PSA 10 sold for under $4,000 just once. Most Expensive $29. Jackson slumped out of the gates in 1981, prompting Steinbrenner to invoke a clause in his contract that forced him to undergo a full physical examination. The 1981 season stands out for Eddie Murray in a unique way: somehow, it was the only season where he managed to lead the American League in home runs (22) and RBI (78). Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. Dale Murphy enjoyed a bit of a breakout year in 1980 as he hit 33 home runs, scored 98 runs, had 89 RBI and made his first of seven career All-Star teams. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. Oakland swept three straight from the Kansas City Royals in the ALDS but, the tables turned in the ALCS when the Yankees eliminated them in three. It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. Later, his stretch from 1982 to 1987 was one of the most dominant in Major League Baseball as he was twice voted MVP, made six-straight All-Star teams while winning five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball Cards. Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. On the right side were four rows of six . This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. So, for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll have to be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. 6. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable . 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. $15.00. His struggles didn't last long, though, and maybe it was seeing Mike Schmidt win back-to-back MVPs in 1980 and 1981 because, by the following year, Murphy's production skyrocketed as he'd go on to win back-to-back MVPs of his own in 1982 and 1983. While Brett would undoubtedly be on this list anyway, this is an example of where a special season for a player can make his card stand out even more than it may have otherwise. 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.. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to . 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Card Number: #418. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . Things weren't always rocky during Jackson's time in New York, though, as they did win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Rodney Cline Carew is a former Panamanian baseball player who played first baseman and second baseman in the MLB from 1967 to 1985, primarily for the California Angels. That means the card needs to be flawless. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. The 1980 season would be Winfield's last with the Padres as the Yankees signed him to a ten-year, $23 million contract making him the game's highest-paid player at the time. In the team's NLDS loss to the Expos, Schmidt hit .250 (4-for-16) with one home run, two RBI, and four walks. JB's 1981 Fleer card is a $5 (or so) buy in PSA 9 condition. In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. Year sold: 2018. . And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . Seaver was great in Cincinnati, but he just wasn'tas greatas he was with the Mets up to that point. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! He did his best, hitting .333 with a 1.095 in the final three games, but New York dropped all three and the series. Today only a graded high-condition example gets that kind of money. But, for the 1982 season, Smith would never actually suit up for the Padres as he was traded to St. Louis for another highly-regarded shortstop in Garry Templeton. Accolades aside, Schmidt felt his best accomplishment was in one of the few offensive categories in which he didn't pace the Majors: batting average. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. Jackson's time in New York wasn't exactly smooth as he occasionally clashed with teammates, manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner, contributing to an environment that earned the team the nickname "The Bronx Zoo.". He also had a flair for the big hit and helped Philadelphia to a 34-21 record in the first half to secure a playoff spot for the Phillies halfway through the season. 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . When Bench managed to stay healthy enough to be in the lineup, he was quite productive. Hold on to it. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. Rod Carew and George Brett were not only two of the greatest hitters of their era but of all time, so seeing them both on the same card is quite a treat. All told, Bench played in just 52 of Cincinnati's 108 games. However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. This card is worth $45 but could go higher. Featured here is a rare rookie card from 1989 with an authenticated signature of Steve Avery. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". After nearly a decade-and-a-half as the standard for MLB catchers, Cincinnati Reds Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench changed positions for the 1981 season. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . The card features Pete Rose. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. Most of Tom Seaver's pitching brilliance occurred during his first eleven seasons in the Majors with the New York Mets as he was named 1967 Rookie of the Year and won three Cy Youngs (1969, 1973, and 1975) during that time. In 196 plate appearances (178 at-bats), he slashed .309/.369/.489 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Houston went just 28-29 in the first half but won the NL West's second half at 33-20. While some of the game's big names struggled with the split-season, Schmidt held things together all year to lead the Majors in home runs (31), RBI (91), OBP (.435), slugging percentage (.644), OPS (1.080), OPS + (198), and total bases (228). In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. In 493 plate appearances (423 at-bats), Henderson posted a robust .319/.408/.437 slash line with nine home runs and 53 RBI while winning his first of three Silver Sluggers. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. And, in this guide, we look at the 25 most valuable. There were tons of errors, collation inside boxes was hit and miss (mostly miss) and the . So, for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll have to be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. 0% After sixteen seasons and two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose left the "Big Red Machine" behind and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. Most Watched Baseball Cards. And, if you look back at his stats for his rookie campaign in the 1982 season, there really was no reason he shouldn't have made the All-Star team that year, too. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. $9.99. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. 723 Bruce Bochte. Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals would slam the door on any hopes that Jackson and the Yankees had for a World Series ring when they swept them in the 1980 ALCS. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. The 1977 AL Rookie of the Year, Eddie Murray made his cardboard debut in the 1978 Topps set, making his rookie card one of the most iconic of the 1970s. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. Murray's first three seasons in the Majors were incredibly productive, but he kicked things up a notch in 1980 as he batted .300, belted 32 home runs, scored 100 runs and drove in another 116. Ungraded. Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! Premium: In his seventh season in the Majors, Yount broke out in a big way in 1980 as he led the league in doubles (49) while scoring 121 runs, driving in 87 RBI, and hitting 23 home runs to earn his first trip to the All-Star Game. Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. $12.95. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. Reginald Martinez Jackson is a former American right fielder who spent the majority of his 21-year professional baseball career with the Kansas City and Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, and ended his career with a two-year stint for the California Angels. Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Price: $299.99. They didn't call him "Steady Eddie" for nothing. 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. One of the most memorable cards in the '91 Topps set, this horizontal stunner shows Clemens posing in front of Fenway Park's famed scoreboard. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. No. However, what raised eyebrows was that the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the 17th round of the NFL Draft despite having never played college football. Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. 1982 Topps Traded #98T: Everybody wants to make such a big fuss about a 2,632-game playing streak when the real awe lies with the steadiness of this card's value. Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. To commemorate Brett's 1980 MVP Award, Donruss basically changed the borders from green to red on his base card and slapped the "MVP" logo at the bottom while removing the team name and position. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 1202 items 0% Track your collection for free. Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. So for our purpose, the most expensive Nolan Ryan rookie card is the 1969 Topps RC which is valued at $20,000, give or take a thousand. Roland Glen Fingers was an American right-handed relief pitcher who played for three teams between 1968 and 1985. Top 10 Most Valuable: 1981 Topps Basketball. This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. 724 Lou Piniella. And incredibly, hed come back with a vengeance. 50. Read our methodology. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. Smith felt more welcomed by the Cardinals ownership and management and settled in quite nicely to be one of the franchise's most beloved players in team history. They finished the season with a .546 winning percentage in front of 1,060,379 fans who saw them play. 722 Joe Niekro. You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. Back to the point at hand. Grade. Click on any Donruss Set to see a full list of Cards and their current value. Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 19. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as it's one of the most expensive cards from the 1980s. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. Most Expensive, And finally, we're down to none other than Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest baseball icons of the 1980s and the game's greatest speedster to ever play. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. With the first card in the checklist, Topps paid tribute to both Lou Brock and Carl Yastrzemski crossing the 3,000 career hits mark that would put them in exclusive baseball company forever. And in this guide, I'll run through the ten most valuable. Yes, the checklist is quite messy at times with the errors and variations. Its nice design and classic pose have helped make it one of the most recognizable cards in the hobby, not just from the 1980s. Murphy was often heralded as a five-tool superstar, but unfortunately, many felt his dominant play didn't last long enough to give him the type of resume worthy of Hall of Fame recognition. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the images are just slightly different as you can see two of his teammates in the background on his MVP card versus one (plus the arm of another) on his base card. By the time these Hall of Famers retired, Brett had three batting titles and Carew had an eye-popping seven. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. And the difference lies on the reverse of the card, as one version will point collectors to see card #251 for more Rose highlights while the other will direct them to see card #371 for more. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. 1981 Topps. If you do the math on those 2,416 strikeouts he accumulated during his time with the Angels, that meant he averaged302 strikeouts per season, a mark many pitchers would be lucky to reach even once during their careers. That means the card needs to be flawless. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. 4. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. The last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. With the 22-year-old star setting the table, the As earned a playoff spot with a 37-23 first-half record and finished with the American Leagues best overall record at 64-45. 9 Roger Clemens #530. Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 6) 1981 Topps Traded Rollie Fingers (#761) This may be the most iconic 1981 baseball card of all, thanks to 1) Fingers signature mustache, 2) the old-school kneeling pose, 3) the Cy Young-MVP twofer Rollie pulled off in 1981, and the 1982 Topps Kmart set that immortalized the entire card in miniature. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. For example, in November, 2018 you could find one in PSA 10 grade for around $100 but after he was voted into the Hall they started selling for north of $600 and continue to climb today. Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. One of the most beloved New York Mets in franchise history, Mookie Wilson finished seventh in the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year race and went on to a very successful career until he retired in 1991. For his regular-season efforts, Rose earned the only Silver Slugger Award of his career, his 15th All-Star selection, and a tenth-place finish on the NL MVP ballot. At the time, two Major League Baseball clubs, the Montreal Expos, and the Toronto Blue Jays played in Canada, where . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 1 1980 Batting Leaders - George Brett / Bill Buckner 2 1980 Home Run Leaders - Reggie Jackson / Ben Oglivie / Mike Schmidt . It's no wonder why, considering how Henderson's a beloved figure in the sport whose '81 campaign included a .319 batting average, a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a second-place MVP . The offense stagnated, and the Astros fell 4-0. His standard base card (#574) is first and the card honoring his breaking of Ty Cobb's American League stolen base record (#351) follows. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 865 items PSA 6. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. Contact him at [emailprotected]. The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. Rookie Card (1982 Topps - Card #21), $700 (Photo: Amazon.com) Here is another player who enjoyed a long MLB career, spending it all with the Baltimore Orioles starting in 1981. 1961 Topps Willie Mays All-Star (#579) Here is a case where card scarcity and an immortal of the game conspire to generate a value anomaly an All-Star card worth more than the base card of the same player. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. And he struck fear into opposing pitchers at the plate, especially when Joe Morgan and Pete Rose got on base ahead of him, as he was an RBI machine, leading the league three times. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. 1909 T206 Sherry Magee (Error) Price: $660,000. It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. He earned four varsity letters, two for college and two for the major leagues. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. Considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop of all time, Smith won an incredible thirteen Gold Gloves over nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball. "I've learned to stay within myself, not be afraid to fail.". There's a shot of the player in Celtics training gear, staring off-camera with his hands hidden behind the green border. 1983 Donruss. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay; Bowman Chrome Cards; Wander Franco Cards; . Before Danny Ainge found success at the professional level in basketball as a player, coach and executive, he made his professional sports debut for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979while he was still in college.