Since its not his rookie card or his most scarce, the1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 isnt his most expensive card but it is arguably one of his most beautiful cards. And because it features a close-up of Mantle, print defects on his face can also sometimes turn off collectors. Read our methodology. Sammy Sosa, Frank Thomas, Bernie Williams, and Larry Walker all claim Class of '90. With just one playoff appearance from 1988-2010 (2006), the Detroit Tigers' comedy of errors was a running punchline for two-plus decades. His aggressive play on the field and his generous ways off the field made him a special individual. The legendary Cap Anson appears on two different cards with the uniform version being the rarer of the two. Estimates place the number of front/back combinations around 5,500 which led to this set being nicknamed The Monster.. There are 11 different backside variations in total each with The George Close Co. printed on them. It just goes to show that scarcity and condition can have just as much of an impact on the value of a card as the player who is on it. 2010 and 2011 were two of the most emotionally draining years of Chipper Jones' Hall of Fame career. Now that we got that out of the way let's get started Like a few others on this list, this card is technically part of the 2011 Topps Update set. Not many people outside of the baseball card hobby know who Joe Doyle is. Altuve dominated in the Minor Leagues and, by 2011, found himself slashing .361/.388/.569 with five home runs and 25 RBIs in 35 games for the Class AA Corpus Christi Hooks. The card features a great image of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over his right shoulder atop a green background. Cracker Jacks cards are wildly popular and the serious-looking Cobb is one of the keys to this set. The centering can be so severe that it will cut into the text along the bottom. Their glossy obverse surface usually results in creasing and cracking issues making it tough to find these in high grade. Interestingly, the same image is used on both cards. As with any colored border, though, theyre susceptible to showing chipping and wear. In high grade, this card can fetch big bucks. The most valuable baseball cards in the hobby can easily fetch six and seven figure price levels these days. The four Ty Cobb cards in the T206 all differ in popularity, scarcity, and appearance but they are all just as important to the hobby as the 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth quartet. Top athletes from baseball, football, hockey, tennis, golf, boxing, swimming, horse racing and even dog sled racing are showcased in the set. Over time, the Freddie Freeman rookie has remained the key card from the 2011 Topps base run, while rookie cards of Mike Trout, Jose Altuve, Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Rizzo and J.D. I think it's safe to say that Topps did a great job of commemorating an incredible 60 years in the business with this set. The 2011 Atlanta Braves had an excellent crop of rookie riches. Theyre undoubtedly very condition sensitive. And, unfortunately, Goudey mailed the card with a paper clip on it that left indentations on the card. In 2012, Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Chris Sale kicked off a stunning streak of seven-straight All-Star nods and seven-straight AL Cy Young finishes of sixth or better. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. Collectors go wild for it. Anson was arguably the biggest star of his era but unfortunately, there are very few cards from those days that show him as a player. I remember seeing one of these in abaseball card shop near where I grew up and I would just stare in awe. Ten days after the Houston Astros called up Altuve from the Hooks, the team called up Martinez to make his MLB debut on July 30, 2011, replacing the recently-traded Hunter Pence. But what puts the Bat Off Shoulder relatively much higher on this list than the others is that you can find this card in PSA 9 Mint condition, unlike the others. However, Cabrera's top-five finish in the AL MVP race and sixth All-Star campaign was a warning shot of epic proportions, followed by back-to-back MVP years (2012-13). To this day, there is no clear explanation for the rarity of this card, a card that is nearly as tough as the Honus Wagner from the same set. Six hits away from 3,000 in mid-June, New York Yankees captain Derek Jeter suffered a calf strain that sidelined him for 18 games. Like many 1952 Topps cards, this Mays issue is prone to tilt and centering problems. 0% The cream of the crop. Trout didn't exactly raise any eyebrows in his first game, finishing 0-3 at the plate. Each of the 30 unnumbered cards in the set feature an artist rendering of players atop colored backgrounds. That PSA 10 copy sold for $717,000 in 2016. But the value between the two isnt affected. 4 Hank Aaron #660. In Game 1, the Phillies picked Doc up after he gave up a three-run shot to Lance Berkman in the 1st inning, scoring 11 unanswered runs as Halladay settled in to retire 21 straight in a convincing Philly win. The 1912 Plows Candy E300 Mathewson features a large photographic image of the legendary pitcher of the Dead Ball Era framed by text reading. Or, as most believe, was it because he didnt want to be involved in promoting tobacco use to children? Anthony Rizzo made his MLB debut for the San Diego Padres on June 9, 2011, against the Washington Nationals, going 1-2 at the plate with a triple and a run scored. 1990 Bowman Tiffany Sammy Sosa Rookie Card Price: $750 The 1990 Bowman Baseball set features an impressive rookie class. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. He also amassed less than 200 hits (184) and posted an OPS+ under 100 (86) for the first time in eleven MLB seasons. The 1963 ToppsPete Rose rookie cardshows the all-time hit king along with Pedro Gonzalez, Ken McMullen, and Al Weis as one of 1963s most promising youngsters. As with Mantles 1952 Topps card, some still mistake this card as Mays rookie, too. 2022 Topps Series 1 Wander Franco Photo Variation SP RC #215 Any modern flagship Topps Baseball set has a lot going on. Halladay finished with four first-place votes to Clayton Kershaws 27, finishing as the leagues Cy Young runner-up for the second time in four years. Gehrig again appeared on two different cards, #37 and #61, in the 1934 Goudey set. Rookie Cards. Most collectors will tell you they prefer the eye appeal of his 1915 Cracker Jack card but his 1914 version is the more rare and valuable of the two. 10 Most Valuable Sammy Sosa Baseball Cards 10. His .250 batting average reflected the lack of discipline and experience but his .474 slugging percentage hinted at the kind of power he could bring to the Arizona Diamondbacks. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. It was a brutal way for the season to end for the 90-win Red Sox. #1. Interest in the Dodgers/Giants rivalry was skyrocketing, and Kershaw's brilliance was a big reason for it. Followed by HBO documentary cameras during his rehab process, Jeter opened up about himself and his pursuit of baseball immortality in a way he'd never done before. Kershaw was more than up to the task, bringing home the Dodgers' first Cy Young trophy since Eric Gagne in 2003 with a banner year. So its no wonder that his 1948 Leaf rookie card is such and important piece of the hobby. Error cards like Joe Doyles that make it into circulation usually end up being very popular with collectors and this one is no exception. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. Its amazing to think of the stats that Williams could have produced had he not missed nearly five full seasons of his prime to military service. Between the Reggie and Rollie rookie cards, Bench and Ryan's second-year cards, the variations, the variety of stars and Hall of Famers, and Mantle's last card, there is just so much to appreciate. In the deciding Game 5, Halladay squared off with his former Toronto Blue Jays teammate and close friend Chris Carpenter. The card is one of Ruths most desired of all. His career cut short by arthritis in his pitching arm, he went on to become the youngest player ever elected to the Hall of Fame in 1972. That production boosted his legend and popularity making him one of the most highly collected players in the hobby. Its nearly impossible to describe the importance of Jackie Robinson to baseball and American history after breakingbaseballs color barrier in 1947. It is one of the most difficult cards to find overall, making it one of the most important cards on this list. Whether you can find one in high grade or not, though, its a superb card for any collector to own. Cabrera was consistently brilliant from start to finish in 2011, posting an MLB-best .344 batting average for his first of three-straight AL batting titles. The card shows a young Ruth in a Boston Red Sox uniform before they traded him to the rival New York Yankees. This card has been and will likely remain the most valuable baseball card for years to come. And like Altuve had done by hitting safely in the first seven games of his career to set a club record, Martinez established his own team record in August by driving in 28 runs. And its extremely rareone of the rarest in the hobby. 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson The 1914 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson has a staggering value of $200,000. The reality was that Pujols was good to go. On the plus side, Chapman struck out 71 batters and gave up just 24 hits in a variety of high-leverage situations. And with cameras rolling from every angle, Jeter made sure to give HBO a show worth airing. 1986 Topps Traded Bo Jackson Rookie Card 4. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 9496 items Halladay was great, giving up just one run on four hits in eight innings. Ryans rookie card appears in the 1968 O-Pee-Chee, Topps Milton Bradleyand Venezuela Topps sets as well but its the regular ToppsNolan Ryan rookie cardthat stands apart in value from the rest. This card can be quite challenging and is the key to the set. While Posey would recover and play an MVP-caliber role for San Francisco's 2012 and 2014 title teams, his injury in 2011 forced the hands of baseball's decision-makers. The cards design is beautiful and easily distinguished from others of the 1950s. He also posted what many believe to be the greatest single season for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. That would be his teammate, 23-year-old closer Craig Kimbrel. However, as with any colored borders, the surrounding red borders of this card are susceptible to wear making it very condition sensitive. Read our methodology . 1. By 2014, Rizzo had settled into his role as the Chicago Cubs' everyday first baseman and earned his first trip to the All-Star Game that season. Both of theDiMaggio cards in this set feature a caricature of the Yankee legend, the only difference between the two versions is that this one features small cartoons and information in the background while the other has a blank background. The 1915 version was part of a redemption program, however, thus better preserving their condition. , Bo Bichette, Luis Robert, Yordan Alvarez [SSP] #392, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Memorial Day Camo] #168, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Mother's Day Pink] #168, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Independence Day] #168, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. [Independence Day] #182, Fernando Tatis Jr. [Father's Day Blue] #168. This card is a key classic in the hobby and is Aarons only recognized rookie card. A record that is pretty safe to say will never be broken,Cy Youngtotaled an incredible 511 wins over his career. In fact, with PSA 10s in such short supply for the set's top cards, we elected to go with PSA 9 prices for this list. And with a 20-game hit streak late in the year, Freeman joined Dan Uggla as the first Braves teammates in modern history to have simultaneous hitting streaks of twenty or more.