And so they parted with a 20-year-old Michigan native named Smoltz, trading him to the Braves for 36-year-old veteran Doyle Alexander. This card should be an excellent investment as long as the population stays low. This particular card was graded by PSA and found to be in gem mint 10 conditions. 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. 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. 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens RC #27 Although it may never be made official, Roger Clemens put up Hall of Fame numbers. There wasnt a lot to get excited about when the 1987 Fleer Update sets arrived, outside of the first Fleer card of A.L. 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. Two thousand two hundred fifty were found in mint nine conditions, with the highest population. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. So they printed the cards with the words F**k Face. Top 1980s Baseball Rookie Cards 10. Not only isMattingly's rookie card the face of this set, but it's also one of the most iconic of the 1980s. If you've made it down this far on the list, I want to thank you for taking the time to read through it. Joyner and pitcher DeWayne Buice were integral in helping UD get off the ground and they both have promo cards that were huge during the 1988 National Sports Collectors Convention. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 1980 TOPPS Baseball - Base Cards (251-500) - U Pick Complete Your Set at the best online prices at eBay! Of the many Barry Bonds rookie cards, his 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany rookie card is one of the most valuable. A Ripken Jr. The Topps Traded set, however, has had a mind-blowing 46,835 submitted! You'll usually find them on lower-quality card stock or with rough, jagged cuts. Its a dude dressed like a chicken. One of Cal Ripken Jrs most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is his 1982 Topps Traded 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). Join the hundreds of thousands of collectors who have benefited from the OPG. Donruss sold a lot of 86 Donruss packs for this Canseco card alone. The same thing that had people rushing to see Ready Player One, or even, for some reason, wanting to relive the horror of It. This Mickey Mantle card sold for $5.2 million in 2021, in large part due to its high-quality rating and its rarity its assumed to be one of only 6 remaining versions of the card in the world. And that's where the substantial premium in price between the two comes into play. 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. It had a couple things going for it: The iconic Rated Rookie logo and Canseco pictured by himself. Of the 134 cards submitted, only 13 managed to make the 10 grade. So far, 2,378 of the Tiffany Bonds rookie cards have been submitted to PSA, which is not very low but not very high. A ho-hum image, maybe, but still a key card of one of the most popular players of the decade. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800 Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. Easily one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s, theDon Mattingly rookie card is the clear headliner of the 1984 Topps set. Rookie of the Year Mark McGwire. Many still are. He would win another ten years later, collecting three in three different decades. 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. 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn RC #482 1983 Topps Baseball is one of the best sets of the decade. Got thousands baseball football basketball ,and hockey . And, by default, its O-Pee-Chee cousin is also an incredibly desirable baseball card though it is much more difficult to find in top condition. In today's market, expect to pay around $400 for the base version of this card in gem mint condition and around $11,000 for the Tiffany version. Lee Smith is recognized as one of the dominant closers in baseball history. 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. Oh, there were some highlights such as Steve Carlton looking uncomfortable in a Cleveland Indians uniform. Yeah, about that. He was, then, the youngest player to ever play in an All-Star Game. The 1985 Topps Minis is one of the unique sets of the 80s. Of the two sets, his Bowman Tiffany is more valuable, by a long shot, selling for over $2,500 in PSA 10 condition. And you get to learn that in French, you would refer to Outfield as Voltigeur. Or will McGriff just be collateral damage from the misdoings around him? Of all his rookie cards, the 1986 Topps Traded is the most desirable and expensive card you can find. 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. He threw fastballs over 100mph consistently and even into his 40s. This Topps RC while maybe not as coveted as the Donruss RC was at the time, but pretty darn close still is very recognizable and stands the test of time as one of the 1980s key Rookie Cards. Five hundred thirtyhave been found in gem mint 10 condition, which means only 10% of the population has reached the highest grade, making them relatively rare. Also, the exclusive held by Topps ended in 1981, and brands like Fleer and Bowman began to produce official MLB cards again. There are no shortage of buyers for this card. There are two versions of this card. Bo warned the Bucs not to select him, but they did anyway. This second-year card of Gwynn may be the best looking of any of his other releases over the years. Organize and price your collections as we offer instant access to the world's leading trading card and collectibles databases, including baseball cards, basketball cards, football cards, non-sports cards, gaming cards and more. 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. PSA graded 1,600 of them, with 48 grading gem mint 10. MT 9. PSA has graded just 610 of the Griffey Bowman Tiffany rookie cards. . So far, there have been just 22 submitted. Ken Griffey Jr. | Card Sold For: $23,100 . However, Puckett is the only player to meet both of those criteria making this card the only Hall of Fame rookie card in the 1985 Topps set. For some reason, Topps did not include every member of the team as they notably left out players like Barry Larkin and Will Clark, among others. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. 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. The rarity of the Bo Jackson Highlights in White rookie card is quite impressive. He pointed out a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card to his 11-year-old son, Gavin. I personally love 80s baseball cards and have some in my personal collection that are worth more than just the monetary value. With only 56 found in gem mint condition, they are challenging to find. Look at Bo locked in. Topps introduced the Bowman line (remember, Topps purchased the Bowman name in the mid-1950s) with this oversized set in 1989. Be cautious of reprints and fakes because there are a lot. The 1984 Donruss baseball set features player portraits from the chest up. 1989 Topps Traded #57T Randy Johnson. 3. Rickey Henderson's 1980 rookie card is a thing of beauty, no doubt. This RC was on fire when pulled from 1988 Donruss packs. Bo Jackson is regarded as one of the best athletes to play professional sports. Sometimes youll find versions of these that look like they were hand-cut by a kid with plastic scissors and little use for even borders. This Topps card features Henderson in action in yellow and white Oakland Athletics uniform, with the bench blurred in the background. First, new collectors entered the hobby based on the idea of treating baseball cards as an investment. Wally World took the league by storm by hitting .290 with 22 HR and 100 RBI as a 24-year-old getting his first taste of big-league pitching. Before we get started, I just wanted to clarify a few "rules" that I used to generate this list. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Iconic card: 1980 Topps #482, which sold for $180,100 in February 2021. We use cookies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. Youve come to the right place. The Littlefield can still be found, but its value hasnt changed much in the last 35 years. Donruss and Fleer would join the market in 1981 and that competition would help light the spark for the hobby craze of the 1980s. And, like the 1980 Topps set that preceded it, the centering and print quality challenges with the 1981 Topps set didn't improve all that much and only boost its value in high grade even more. What makes 1980s baseball cards so great? 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. Nobody knew it at the time, but the presses ran day and night for 87 Topps Baseball. Three years ahead of Ccores famous 1990 Bo Jackson baseball/football shot, this card was part of classic Games introduction of a box set game with baseball card content. Your Account has been confirmed and activated successfully. Fleer was ahead of the curve for this one, as well as card #10 on this very list. The population report for both the Topps Traded and Topps Traded Tiffany sets will give us some insight into how rare the Tiffany version is. Meanwhile, Fleers offering paired the future Bash Brother with pitcher Eric Plunk. Not many of his rookie cards have yet made it into PSA for grading. The vintage baseball cards are some of the most collectible and highest-selling cards f. This is one of Cal Ripkens most valuable baseball cards and of the most valuable from the 80s. Rated Rookie? And there are several rookie cards in this set. 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. Your top 100 list more than anything else is what brought me back into the hobby last year after a 30 year hiatus. "10 Most Valuable 1980s Baseball Cards. There are two versions of this card yellow lettering with red Two For the Title came from wax packs. Everybody wanted one. PRICES POP APR FACTS REGISTRY SHOP WITH AFFILIATES. What list of valuable baseball cards from the 1980s is complete without the Johnny Ray/Barry Bonds error card? In 1987, the Detroit Tigers were making one last attempt at a World Series appearance with the band that had gotten them a World Championship just three years before. Hes the only American Leaguer in history to swipe one hundred bases in a season, a tally Henderson recorded three times, the first being the season that this necessary rookie card hit the shelves. 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. 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? PSA has seen just 728 copies of this specific Mattingly rookie card. Topps printed player team names embedded in a four-tier golden comb effect that adds a subtle flair to the cards. The entire 1988 season was memorable for Gibson as he picked up the only MVP and Silver Slugger awards of his career that year. The rarity of these cards is evident by how few of the Nolan Ryan cards have been submitted to PSA for grading. Viewing the population report for the two makes it clear just how rarer they are than the Topps cards. O-Pee-Chee cards can be distinguished by the O-Pee-Chee logos on the front and the back. High-grade versions of the future Hall of Famer and Oakland Athletic great's 1980 Topps card cost . 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. Consider picking up a PSA mint 9 copy for far less. As a result of the legal process, Rose accepted his placement on baseball's permanently ineligible list, which would ban him from the game and Cooperstown for life. Lifetime .312 hitter, two American League batting titles, lifetime .933 OPS, more career walks (1,283) than strikeouts (1,202) and the guy you wanted to see at the plate when the game was on the line. Big difference. In 1984, the young slugger put on a clinic that cemented his spot and won the hearts of Yankees fans the world over. 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So, it's well over twenty times more difficult to find this card in a PSA 10 holder than it is his Topps rookie. One of Ken Griffey Jr.s most sought-after rookie cards is his 1989 Bowman Tiffany card #220. After a 25-year hiatus, the 1985 Leaf set marked the brand's return to the hobby since they produced their last set back in 1960. Had that trend held, it would've easily made this list. It certainly does. An underappreciated card for much of Robbies career, it did gain some momentum as fans and followers began looking at his career as a whole and how good he was at second base. They were based in Passaic, New Jersey. Big Macs second Topps-issued card, but the first pictured with Oakland. 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. Nolan Ryan cards, especially in high grade, remain incredibly popular among hobbyists. And so on. Lets be honest. Bonus points for this one as it also features former Dodgers World Series champion and longtime Angels manager Mike Scioscia. For decades, O-Pee-Chee played the role of Topps' counterpart in the Canadian market. Since 1989, hes mostly been known for his penmanship. Topps produced their Tiffany collectors edition cards in their regular Topps issue sets, Topps Traded sets, and Bowman sets in 1989. But Fleer did have a moment of lapsed competency when it spelled Graig Nettles name as Craig (with a C) on the card back. However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. With 76 in population, the Frank Thomas card owns 37% of the report for the entire set. 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. the more valuable the card. But its still a fun card, even if it is just a guy who made a living dressed as a chicken. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. A big-shot hitter for USA Baseball and at Mississippi State, Clark was a highly anticipated rookie coming into the 1986 season. They are selling for over $1,500 today, which means they have tripled in value. With 29,032 cards in the PSA pop report, the 1982 Topps Ripken rookie card has one of the highest population reports of all 1980s baseball cards. Nolan Ryan made his debut with the Houston Astros in 1980 and that season was a bit unusual for him for one glaring reason:he did not lead the league in strikeouts. Few were released because the error was fixed shortly after it was discovered. And then got his own baseball card. Even though some baseball cards might not necessarily be iconic, they can stick out in your memory for simpler reasons, and Henderson's second-year card is one of those in my case. Now that he's forever a Los Angeles sports hero, Gibson's rookie card is a must-have. In 2012 these were selling for just over $500. There are many Hall of Famers in this set. Of those 22 submitted, 14 were found in mint condition, with just 1 being gem mint. It used to be Billy Ripken was best known for being Cals younger brother. Surprisingly, only 565 of the Tiffany Traded Bo Jackson rookies have been graded by PSA so far. And, you guessed it, the Tiffany version is even more valuable in PSA 10 condition. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. 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. The other version has blue borders and is more populated than the Platinum. These sets were given to card shops as limited edition sets and not sold in stores. The 1983 season saw the Rookie Cards of four players break out Sandberg, Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn and Ron Kittle. It is collectible from the get-go, with only 5,000 Tiffany sets printed in 85. 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. When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Surprisingly, over 7,000 Don Mattingly rookie cards have been submitted to PSA. 1989 Topps #343 Gary Sheffield Future Star. But, he was even better with the glove as he would go on to win 9 Gold Gloves over his storied career so, rather fittingly, we get a nice shot of him on defense on this card. If it looking for someone specifically. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay in the know about the latest sports card, hobby news, and promotions from Beckett. After pacing the league in strikeouts during seven of his previous eight seasons with the Angels, nearly everyone expected that he would be at the top every year. Its actually a 1988 Upper Deck promo, released to stoke interest in the companys inaugural baseball release. One of Ken Griffey Jrs biggest sleeper cards is his 1988 Best minor league cards. Otherwise, if found in PSA 9 condition, it would have sold considerably less at around $90. With only 371 found in gem mint condition, they are relatively rare and expensive. Important: Judging condition and understanding the grading system will . Indeed, Grace went on to collect the most hits of any player during the Decade of the 1990s. Some hold out hope that baseball will someday forgive him and allow the all-time hits leader into the Hall of Fame, but it still seems highly unlikely. Many people often wonder if there are any 80s baseball cards worth money. In 20 years, how will history remember The Crime Dog? Website . The original printing contained a stadium Marlboro sign over the Big Units left shoulder. Although Jeff Schneider and Bob Bonner didnt have much of a career in the Major Leagues, the player centered in the middle sure did. One of three mainstream Puckett Rookie Cards in 1985, this is actually the Hall of Famers second Fleer release. One of the more popular cards from 1985 is the Kirby Puckett rookie card. Owner of one of the most famous World Series home runs ever hit, and one of the nicest guys to ever grace the front of a baseball 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. 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. This is Lee Smiths most valuable rookie card and one of the more expensive baseball cards from the 80s. When he entered the 1984 All-Star Game in San Francisco to open up the fifth inning, Gooden was 19-years old, just two years out of Hillsborough High School in Tampa. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. Top 50 Most Valuable baseball rookie cards. The total Topps count is at 13,308! So, despite the common misconception, some cards from that infamous hobby era still have value. Value: $40-45 Check prices on eBay (affiliate link) Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link) 18) 1980 Topps Andre Dawson (#235) Lets take a look a the population report. 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. Its not necessarily the most valuable cards of the decade. But theres a freakin snake in this picture . Well done. And he was also a fantastic fielder, as he won 9 consecutive Gold Gloves during one stretch of his career. And there are plenty of people who want it. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. If the population stays this low, we can expect to see the value rise. Whatever the reason, Ryan turned in the second-lowest K/9 ratio of his career (7.7) outside of his final season in 1993. Kirby Puckett wasted no time in making his mark in Minnesota, batting .296 as a 24-year-old rookie in 1984. 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? 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. Because Platinum has less available, they are naturally more valuable. With over 2,200 George Brett cards graded by PSA, most will agree they are highly collectible. And as you can see, it's value has held up very well over time. 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? He stayed true to his word and did not sign with the team. Making them one of his most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Nice touch making Pete the leadoff hitter in the DK lineup. The 1986 Topps Traded Tiffany version of Barry Bonds' iconic rookie can be worth big bucks, as much as $1,250 in PSA condtition. Near-perfect card of a near-perfect hitter. No position player in the American League enjoyed a better all-around season as Rickey Henderson did in 1981. Nostalgia. The 87 Topps Tiffany regular set and Traded sets are believed to carry the highest print runs of any Tiffany set. Whether this was a true error of a contrived gaffe, it created attention and even bigger for UD it created interest in its premiere edition packs. He is the only professional athlete in history to be named an all-star in baseball and football. Like the Bowman Tiffany product line mentioned above, the O-Pee-Chee cards were typically produced in far fewer quantities. He won the next year. Not only did Ripken break Lou Gehrig's streak for consecutive games played, but he also left a legacy as arguably the greatest shortstop who ever played. Ask i may have it for sslr. As the kids of the era would say, Doc could bring it.. I didn't know it at the time, but these errors only turned up in factory sets and all my Donruss Opening Day cards had been pulled from packs. Like, almost anything else. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. This is because they had less distribution than regular-issue Topps cards. 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. Don Mattingly Donruss Rc #248. The 1980s marked a period of rapid interest in baseball cards. 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. Furthermore, the back also has the O-Pee-Chee logo and a much brighter card stock than the regular issue Topps. Bo Jackson has two cards, one for baseball and football. 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. Even in lower grade they can still go for hundreds of dollars. Topps decides not to follow through with the set and tells them to dispose of the cards. But when Topps did get around to including Junior in its 89 Traded box set, they had produced one of The Kids best-looking early cards. Because of its rarity, this version is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. Topps Tiffany baseball cards are by far some of the most valuable baseball cards from both the 80s and the 90s. The most valuable 1980s baseball cards hit that defnition "valuable" on multiple fronts. I grew up in the 80s and chased many of these cards and ripped hundreds of packs in my days.

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