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. Cant have that. He pointed out a 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card to his 11-year-old son, Gavin. But just stick with this corrected version. There are two versions of this card. Puckett died of a stroke at age 45, becoming the second-youngest man to pass away after already being enshrined in Cooperstown. This card of the 1980 AL Rookie of the Year is credited with making the Rookie Card a thing in the industry. There are four variations: a whiteout, a black box, and scribbled-out black and white. Because he played for four different MLB teams, including the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Houston Astros, hes a highly collectible player. Top 10 Baseball Rookie Cards of the 1980s - The Cardboard Connection With 76 in population, the Frank Thomas card owns 37% of the report for the entire set. So, many collectors dont even know they exist. Who cares if there are more copies printed to stretch around the world twice? In 1962, Topps had opted not to sign Wills to a trading card deal, apparently believing he was not major league material. In any given year, an O-Pee-Chee card is usually distinguished from its Topps cousin because of the O-Pee-Chee trademark appearing on the front or back of the card. 1979 Highlights L.Brock (HOF)/C.Yastrzemski (HOF) Shop with Affiliates. 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. Coming out of Seton Hall, Biggio was a catcher. The Littlefield can still be found, but its value hasnt changed much in the last 35 years. Essentially, collectors are buying the grade of the card. Surprisingly, over 7,000 Don Mattingly rookie cards have been submitted to PSA. 1980 Rickey Henderson Topps RC #482 (buy on eBay) The most popular rookie card of one of the greatest ever baseball players. 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. 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. Its actually a 1988 Upper Deck promo, released to stoke interest in the companys inaugural baseball release. Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980's - Update with giveaway! Making this example 1 of only 13 in existence. Also, this seems to be available in fewer quantities than Topps and Donruss Clemens efforts in 1985. 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. 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. The 1985 Topps Tiffany is Roger Clemenss most valuable rookie card. the more valuable the card. For example, I didn't include the 1980 Charlotte O's team issue cards for Cal Ripken Jr., even though the blue variation can approach $10,000 in top condition and the rarer orange variation can fetch five figures in just about any condition: Second, I only included cards produced by mainstream companies and avoided any of the various "oddball" issues that appeared during the 1980s. Meanwhile, Fleers offering paired the future Bash Brother with pitcher Eric Plunk. The 87 Topps Tiffany regular set and Traded sets are believed to carry the highest print runs of any Tiffany set. Best Baseball Cards of the 1980s | Ballcard Genius Topps produced their Tiffany collectors edition cards in their regular Topps issue sets, Topps Traded sets, and Bowman sets in 1989. First, new collectors entered the hobby based on the idea of treating baseball cards as an investment. Its a dude dressed like a chicken. Another valuable card from the 1985 Topps Tiffany set is the Roger Clemens rookie card #181. Near-perfect card of a near-perfect hitter. In 20 years, how will history remember The Crime Dog? Had that trend held, it would've easily made this list. I considered picking up a mint 9 copy for less than $350. Or will McGriff just be collateral damage from the misdoings around him? And in this guide, we'll look at the 25 most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. 1980 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro Free shipping for many products! Yeah, we know. If you scan through the 1982 Topps base set checklist, you'll quickly remember that Cal Ripken Jr. first appeared alongside Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider as part of the "Baltimore Orioles Future Stars" card. Displaying Henderson trademark crouched batting stance, it'd be a nice card even if it wasn't extremely valuable. A 1982 Topps Orioles Future Stars base set card will make a great addition to any authentic Baltimore Orioles fan collection. It took less than a month for Mattingly to convince Berra otherwise. 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. Rickey Henderson's 1980 rookie card is a thing of beauty, no doubt. Most Valuable Baseball Cards From The 80s And 90s "100 Most Valuable Baseball Cards: The All-Time Dream List." Baseball Reference. There was a time when the world came together for one thing: finding Wade Boggs Topps RCs. 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. One of three mainstream Puckett Rookie Cards in 1985, this is actually the Hall of Famers second Fleer release. And it did. Interestingly, he bounced back in 1981 to dominate not in strikeouts but by turning in an incredible 1.69 ERA with a .688 winning percentage, both career bests, while finishing fourth in Cy Young voting. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Hendersons 1980 Topps rookie card. 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. Having won the 1985 Heisman Trophy Award while at Auburn, he was then selected No. Remember, the Tiffany versions were produced in much smaller quantities and were printed on premium card stock. Consider picking up a PSA mint 9 copy for far less. 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. After an eBay auction that ended in October 2022, one copy sold for an impressive $1,800. Nobody wants to look goofy while trying to make the all-important first impression and all. Old Sports Cards. However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. What is known as the Highlights in White version has white text, while the intended version has yellow letters, which have a much higher print run. Glenn Hubbard, he of the lifetime .244 batting average and .328 On-Base Percentage, wasnt one of the top 250 players of the 1980s. Let that sink in for a moment. For most players, their most valuable baseball cards will be their rookie card. This seller was unusually experienced on the auction website, with 1056117 reviews under their belt. We should have been hoarding up Michael Jordan cards back then. When it comes to rookie season debuts, the Dodgers have developed a reputation for some of the finest on record. He deserves so much more than that. We love the '80s (and '90s) baseball cards: The top 15 sets of the era These hardly ever pop up on eBay; when they do, they sell quickly. Important: Judging condition and understanding the grading system will . These "Fleer Glossy" cards were printed on higher quality cardboard and contained a much glossier finish on them. 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. The Canadian version of Gwynns Topps RC. Rated Rookie? Carter was class. 1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens RC #27 Although it may never be made official, Roger Clemens put up Hall of Fame numbers. And its Tiffany version is easily the most expensive of them all. 1989 Topps Traded #110T Deion Sanders. Making it much more collectible and valuable. If it werent for his 1989 RCs, most probably wouldnt even remember The Big Unit pitched for the Montreal Expos. It certainly does. A Ripken Jr. Top 5 Baseball Cards From the 80s Let's take a look at the top 3 cards from the Decade of Decadence. 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. These are our picks for the top 100 baseball cards of the 1980s. Sure, the same thing can be said about all eras, and each will feel different . Another thing that stands out is its deep checklist that is highlighted by rookie cards of Ryne Sandberg and Wade Boggs, and the second-year Cal Ripken Jr. He stole 80 bases in 1986, and followed that up the next season with 50 steals. Bo Jackson has two cards, one for baseball and football. Seems surprising now, but Topps failed to include Griffey in its flagship release in 1989. The third Clemens RC (and fourth card overall) hails from 1985 Donruss, a solid set that was met with a great deal of interest from buyers figuring that if 1984 Donruss was good, 1985 would be even better. 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. 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. Check out this guide if you want to learn how to submit your cards to PSA. What makes 1980s baseball cards so great? 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. So they printed the cards with the words F**k Face. And, the fact that it was "almost his rookie card" made it even more special to us. In 2007, he was elected into the National Baseball Hall of Fame in his first year of eligibility and currently has the fifth-highest voting percentage (98.53%). Check out my list of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s. Of course, I'm talking about the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card: During the recent hobby boom, prices of this card in PSA 10 holders soared beyond $5,000. Another Barry Bonds rookie card comes in at number 6 on the list. 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. Meanwhile, this might be the only time Johnny Ray was ever mistaken for Barry Bonds. Prices are updated daily based upon 1980 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Produce an Opening Day box set, they said. Nostalgia. Four straight Cy Youngs. For an era of cards that many call junk wax, the 80s have some decent cards. The vintage and prewar market is at least partially driven by the "Holy Grail" of cards, the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner. After Fernando started 8-0 with a 0.50 ERA with eight complete games and five shutouts in his first eight starts, "Fernandomania" swept across the country. Topps manufactured a striking Pete Rose card in 1980, featuring an intense close-up shot of the player's face. Also, the exclusive held by Topps ended in 1981, and brands like Fleer and Bowman began to produce official MLB cards again. Because Jackson was such a massive prospect in football and baseball, he is still highly collectible. 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. Card Number. Like Topps Tiffany cards, O-Pee-Chee cards are relatively difficult to come across. Like anything in life, demand couldn't keep up with that increasing supply. Dimensions: 4-1/2 x 6. There are many Hall of Famers in this set. And the reverse of O-Pee-Chee cards typically printed text in both English and French because of their role as the major player in the Canadian market. Not only are the Tiffany cards rare, but theyre also somewhat challenging to find in high grades. Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider theRickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. Bonus points for this one as it also features former Dodgers World Series champion and longtime Angels manager Mike Scioscia. It is, without a doubt, one of his more valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. When examining the bottom left corner, youll find the O-Pee-Chee logo instead of the Topps. Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1990's - Rookie Cards Only. Barry appeared in several 1986 year-end releases that are considered XRCs. His 1984 Fleer Update XRC is by far his greatest card released during the 1984-85 era. 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. But, PSA 10 examples of this card can sell forsix figures. It is collectible from the get-go, with only 5,000 Tiffany sets printed in 85. You just wish he had embraced it more. With just 26 making the PSA 10 grade, they are scarce in said condition. Alexander went 9-0 from mid-August on. The 1984 Donruss baseball set features player portraits from the chest up. 1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Topps #647 Randy Johnson Rookie Card. For the true Bo Jackson collector, this card is a must-have for your collection. And so on. This Barry Bonds card with Johny Ray pictured on the front goes down in hobby history as one of the most recognizable error cards ever produced. 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. After all In many ways, the 1980s were the golden era of baseball card collecting. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Amazon. This is one of the hobbys most iconic and recognizable error cards. 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? 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. A whopping 12,188 of these Ripken rookies have been submitted to PSA. Making this rookie card, in gem mint condition, the eighteenth most valuable baseball card from the 80s. And, like Tony Gwynn, Sandberg also appeared in the 1983 O-Pee-Chee set. But three years after this RC was released, the lefthander won the first of his two Cy Young awards and went on to earn a plaque in Cooperstown. So, it might be shocking to find that some baseball cards from the 1980scan be worth five and six figures You see, not every card fell victim to overproduction. The rarity of these cards is evident by how few of the Nolan Ryan cards have been submitted to PSA for grading. Price: $925,000 . That kind of of success on that stage can get a card like this released later in the season noticed. 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. 9. Part of a subset (cards #389 - 404) that paid tribute to several members of the 1984 U.S. Olympic team that took silver in Los Angeles that year, McGwire's card is clearly the key. In addition to the enormous submission number, whats even more shocking is that only 517 have been given the prestigious PSA 10 grade. Especially when compared to the 82 Ripken rookie mentioned above. 10 Most Valuable 1980s Baseball Cards - Wax Pack Gods He made one All-Star appearance and never sniffed more than 136 hits in a single season. So its safe to say they are scarce. 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn RC #482 1983 Topps Baseball is one of the best sets of the decade. Back in 1983, the bubble in the baseball card market had already started to form as Donruss and Fleer had both entered the market in 1981 and all three companies started to boost production. The third of Donnie Baseballs three 1984 Rookie Cards from the major manufacturers of the time. 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. After Docs record-breaking 1984 season, Topps opted for a non-pitching shot of the dominating righthander. And there are several rookie cards in this set. Yes, it was corrected but by then it had made industry headlines and the C Nettles was all anyone wanted. This Dick Perez-produced art was card #1 of the very first offering of his famous Diamond Kings cards that populated so many Donruss sets. And like Fernando Valenzuela two years before, Kittle without question was instrumental in advancing the chase of the Rookie Card in the industry. The most valuable 1980s baseball cards hit that defnition "valuable" on multiple fronts. This second-year card of Gwynn may be the best looking of any of his other releases over the years. 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. This can be attributed to several things. However, 1,098 were submitted and graded, with just 47 making the gem mint 10 grade. Hendersons debut cardboard is unquestionably the key to the 1980 Topps edition, submitted for PSA evaluation over 17,000 times. He won 10 Gold Glove awards, batted an even .300 over 17 years and finished less than 300 hits shy of 3,000. If the population remains low, these could increase in value over time. Because Frank Thomas had a more successful career in baseball, his cards are more valuable. 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. And, in 1989 and 1990, they also produced Bowman Tiffany sets. 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. Eric Davis was the choice of many collectors hoarding cards in the age of the era of stash-and-sell. Card values tanked and many collectors now refer to that part of the hobby as the "junk era.". The first of two Donruss cards on this list, this one features a headshot of the 1985 American League MVP, Don Mattingly. Card values tanked and many collectors now refer to that part of the hobby as the "junk era." A raw and un-graded Rickey Henderson rookie card in less-than-mint condition sells anywhere from $30 to $50. 1951 Mickey Mantle Bowman RC. This was a really fun read and great for this time in particular. You were royalty. You want the Rookie Card of the major leagues all-time runs scored and stolen base leader? Much like the Bowman and Topps Tiffany releases, Fleer also produced a premium version of their cards that year to go along with their 1989 Fleer base set. As a rookie, he did not hit a homer. 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. 1989 Topps Traded #57T Randy Johnson. Please enter the verification code that you received on your email. Because they were printed for the Canadian market, the print run was much less than the regular issue Topps. 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. 7 Most Valuable Baseball Rookie Cards From the 1980s - Gold Card Auctions He was, then, the youngest player to ever play in an All-Star Game. His mainstream Rookie Cards appeared the next spring. But, how difficult are they to find in PSA 10 condition? If you do not receive the verification code within 60 Seconds, we will send you the activation link again. 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. One of the true highlights of the 1980s. Top 100 1980s Baseball Cards and Why They're So Memorable - Beckett News "I have like eight of those at . This is Lee Smiths most valuable rookie card and one of the more expensive baseball cards from the 80s. The photographer and the entire Fleer printing team did not miss this. The total Topps count is at 13,308! For that reason, his card is easily the most desirable in the set and is worth around $250 or so in a PSA 10 holder. 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. 1980-1989 Baseball Cards Checklists, Set Info, Reviews, Guide Two thousand two hundred fifty were found in mint nine conditions, with the highest population. This is one of his most sought-after rookie cards and is one of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1980s. His 5,714 career strikeouts are an MLB record by a significant margin. 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.