1981 topps baseball cards most valuable 1981 topps baseball cards most valuable

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. The 1981 Canadian version of the 1981 Nolan Ryan Topps baseball card came from O-Pee-Chee at a time when there were two Canadian teams registered in MLB. However, regardless of what you might think of his legacy, it's surprising that this particular card isn't worth a little more. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. Somehow during all that success with college basketball, he also found the time to play for the Blue Jays from 1979 to 1981. For one more year, at least, Topps was the only game in town in 1980. He was nicknamed Mex because his name suggested that he was of Mexican descent. Tim Raines first became eligible for the Hall of Fame in 2008 but wasn't elected until 2017 when he received a convincing 86% of the vote. Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . 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. Each 1-13/16" by 3-1/4" card featured a small full-color portrait of the player with his name printed below his image on the left side of the card. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! In Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he'd return with New York holding a 2-1 advantage to try and help the team across the finish line. 1982 Topps #30 Tom Seaver. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. #7. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). 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. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. 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. The current worth of this card is $195. Although Riley wasnt very popular, he was a Major League Baseball pitcher. This card once was worth upwards of $50, and until Jose Canseco came along, it was the most valuable regular-issue 1980s card in the book. Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. 1 Rickey Henderson #119. Price: $299.99. The 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. 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. He is ranked 33rd on the all-time list of career leaders for batting average among Major League Baseball players with at least 1,000 appearances at-bat. $68.95. Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. 725 Steve Rogers. $195. Ken Griffey Jr. 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. 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. But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. Several of the game's biggest stars of the day appeared on two cards in this set, but I think Pete Rose was one of only two guys, along with Reggie Jackson, who appeared on three. Wilson hit a weak grounder towards Boston's Bill Buckner at first base, and the ball squeaked by him, allowing Wilson to reach first base safely while Ray Knight scored the winning run. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Rookie Cards. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. To be fair, though, his innings pitched totals in Houston weren't as steep as those during his time in California, and his 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 1987 was the highest mark of his career. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. You are looking at a 1981 Topps Rookie Card hand-signed by George Riley. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. The 2-time MVP, 19-time All-Star and record holder for most consecutive games played easily goes down in history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, shortstops to play the game. 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. Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. 390 during the 1980 season. 2. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 721 Toby Harrah. We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. . Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. They finished the season with a .546 winning percentage in front of 1,060,379 fans who saw them play. Raines showed the world that Rickey Henderson wasn't the only guy who could light up the basepaths as he led the Majors with 71 stolen bases while slashing .304/.391.438. In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. 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. . Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. And that's when his career started to take off as he made his first of seven career All-Star Games during the 1980 season and would finish twelfth in the MVP vote. 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. Murphy was outstanding during the 1980s as he racked up two MVPs, seven All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers on his way to becoming one of the most popular players in baseball. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. Most Watched Baseball Cards. Wilson was incredibly speedy and was the Mets' career stolen base leader before Jose Reyes eventually broke his record many years later. 1981 Topps #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. The continued adoption of Sabermetrics no doubt helped push him across the finish line and into Cooperstown. Known as the Man of Steal, he is widely considered to have been baseballs greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 12. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. Rookie Cards: Options . He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. "I've learned to stay within myself, not be afraid to fail.". However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. This card is worth $45 but could go higher. In 25 postseason plate appearances (22 at-bats), Henderson hit .273 with two doubles, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. The 1981 O-Pee-Chee features the Canadian version of the 1981 Topps set, where it is uncommon to see French on an MLB card. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. Card Number: #418. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. 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. 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. He earned four varsity letters, two for college and two for the major leagues. And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . Cincinnati finished the year with the best composite record in all of baseball but the nature of the strike-shortened season's playoff format bit them in the backside. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. Here is a quick rundown of those most valuable 1982 Topps baseball cards, based on recent sales for copies graded PSA 9 and presented in numerical order. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. Smith earned the first of those Gold Gloves during the 1980 season when he also set the single-season record for most assists by a shortstop with an astronomical total of 621. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. . 4. After fifteen-straight All-Star appearances from 1965-79, Yastrzemski was left out of the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row in 1981. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. After all, Rickey Henderson is the greatest lead-off hitter of all time, whose records for runs scored (2,295) and stolen bases (1,406) may very well never be broken. . Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Heck, he even dated "Miss New York" Debra Sue Maurice from the Miss USA Beauty Pageant. On the right side were four rows of six . The card features famous baseball player Reggie Jackson and is worth $75. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. 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. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. The move worked as the Royals responded by winning 20 of their last 33 to make the playoffs. He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Growing up in Central Indiana surrounded by Cubs fans, I would hear about Dawson constantly as fans absolutely loved the guy, and rightly so. Click on any Donruss Set to see a full list of Cards and their current value. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. He also finished fourth in the NL with a .316 batting average, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. To top it all off, he earned his sixth All-Star selection, sixth Gold Glove, and second Silver Slugger award. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. 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 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, 10. Philadelphia fell in five games to the Montreal Expos in an entertaining National League Division Series. Raw: $20 PSA 9: $100 PSA 10: $900 One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. Jackson found a groove in the team's ALDS victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .300 with a .933 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI. On the field, Jackson had his worst offensive season since his sophomore campaign as he slashed a modest .237/.330/.428 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. Despite the poor production, Jackson still earned a spot on the All-Star team for the eleventh time in his career. Contact him at [emailprotected]. The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? At 41 years of age, it seemed time had finally caught up to Boston Red Sox designated hitter/first baseman Carl Yastrzemski in 1981. Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. While George Brett lit up the AL in 1980, Mike Schmidt was doing the same in the NL and would take home his first of three career MVP Awards for his efforts. Like his base card, his All-Star card is just as tough to find in PSA 10 condition and also carries a large price tag. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. 50. For a guy who had his rookie card debut in the 1960 Topps set, it's impressive that Yaz played long enough to be featured in this set as well. If not for Fernando Valenzuela's incredible rookie performance and "Fernandomania" taking the sport by storm, Raines would've easily won the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. The card has been authenticated by the famous Beckett grading service. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. 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. Its one thing to have an expos future stars card signed by one of the 3 players, however, the value and rarity goes all the way up when you have the signatures of two players on one card. List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; Seaver was great in Cincinnati, but he just wasn'tas greatas he was with the Mets up to that point. While eligible for induction, Murphy peaked at 23% of the vote in 2000, falling well short of the 75% needed for entry. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. His combination of speed and power was simply some of the greatest the game has ever seen. 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. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most important and iconic baseball cards of the 1980's.. 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 . However, his relationship with the San Diego Padres ownership continued to sour and by season's end, both were looking to move on from each other. 726 Rick Monday. 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. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. 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. Card Number: #595. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). For the 1980 season, Henderson raised eyebrows with his extraordinary speed as he led the league in stolen bases (100) for the first of twelve times in his legendary career. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. Cheapest, To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. 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). While this is considered one of his rookie cards, it doesn't command quite the price premium as his 1982 Topps Tradedrookie card which can sell for north of $5,000 in top condition. #6. 3. 10 Bo Jackson #600. 6 Rickey Henderson #180. 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 . Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: The 1981 American League MVP race came down to two men, Oakland Athletics left fielder Rickey Henderson and former As closer Rollie Fingers. We are user supported. In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. 1981 Topps Kellen Winslow Rookie Card (#150) Winslow took the big-bodied, good-hands tight end model that Newsome brought to the fore and ran with it (after the catch!). The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. Read our methodology. 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SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. Value: $300-325. Description Card Number NM-MT 8 MT 9 GEM-MT 10; Larry Bird (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 4: 185+ 770+ 21,500+ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 20: 45: 135+ 1,400-Magic Johnson (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 21: 170-850 SEE THE CARD HERE! 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. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. 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. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. The right card could make you rich. Beginning with the 1977-78 NCAA Basketball season, Ainge starred for Brigham Young University and capped things off in 1981 by being named a first-team All-American and winning the John Wooden Award as the nation's best player. This was limited to only 504 serial-numbered porcelain cards made and it has already been authenticated by Global Authentics (GAI). 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. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. . Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. PSA/DNA Certified. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection.