12 Most Expensive Baseball Cards (+ 5 Budget Recommends to Gift Your Collector Friend)
Baseball cards are a natural fit for any collector. The game is filled with colorful characters and dramatic moments, making it the perfect subject matter for a card set. As a result, there are many valuable baseball cards available on the market today. In this guide, we’ll show you some of the most expensive ones in the world so you can learn more about them and see if your favorite player has one!
1. Honus Wagner 1909-1911 T206 Series
Honus Wagner is the most valuable baseball card in the world, as it’s worth $3.8 million. He’s also one of the most popular players in the history of baseball. Honus Wagner cards are always highly sought after by collectors because they’re so rare that only about 200 to 250 remain out there today.
2. Mike Trout 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft
This card is a rookie, limited edition, and extremely rare. It’s been in circulation for so long that it’s now worth $60,000. The card featured the Los Angeles Angels star player and was initially released in 2009. The card features Mike Trout sliding into home plate as he scores a run for the Los Angeles Angels.
3. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps
The Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps is the most expensive baseball card out there. Variations of this particular card have sold for more than $2 million in recent years. That’s a lot of money to spend on something small and simple! The card is also notable because it shows a young Mickey Mantle, possibly before he became famous! He won three MVP awards during his career with the New York Yankees and Kansas City Athletics and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1974.
4. Shoeless Joe Jackson 1910 Old Mill Tobacco
You might have heard of Shoeless Joe Jackson. He’s an American baseball player who played in the MLB (Major League Baseball) during the 1910s and 20s. He was one of the most popular players during this time, and his cards are some of the most expensive out there. The 1910 Old Mill Tobacco card is no exception!
5. Babe Ruth 1916 Sporting News Baseball Card
The Babe Ruth 1916 Sporting News Baseball Card is the first baseball card ever issued. It’s not surprising that this card has such a high price tag; it features Babe Ruth, one of the most famous players in baseball history (and arguably its most significant). It’s also one of the most valuable, with a value of $1 million.
6. Sandy Koufax 1963 Topps Baseball Card
You might not know much about baseball, but you probably know the name Sandy Koufax. He is a Hall of Fame left-handed pitcher born in 1935, played for the Los Angeles Dodgers from 1955 to 1966, and still holds several records in the game today. Koufax was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972. Sandy Koufax’s 1963 Topps Baseball Card sold for $130,000 at sports auction on August 9th, 2018, making it one of the most expensive cards ever sold!
7. Derek Jeter 1993 SP Foil Rookie Card
Did you know that the Derek Jeter 1993 SP Foil Rookie Card is one of only two known to exist? The card itself is worth $40,000 and is in mint condition. It’s also from the first year that Derek Jeter was a rookie. To give you some perspective on how valuable this card is: It’s been estimated that there are less than 20 baseball cards with a value of over $10 million in existence today (and most of those aren’t even in circulation).
8. Willie Mays 1951 Bowman Baseball Card
You may have heard of Willie Mays, one of the most famous baseball players in history. But did you know that he also has one of the most expensive baseball cards? Mays’ 1951 Bowman Baseball Card is worth around $110,000.
9. Joe DiMaggio 1951 Bowman Baseball Card
Joe DiMaggio is considered one of the greatest baseball players of all time. In addition to his incredible career numbers (3,921 hits, 361 home runs, and an average of .325), he also has a 1951 Bowman Baseball Card, the most valuable baseball card in the world. It sold for $1.2 million at sports memorabilia auctions in 2016.
1o. Ty Cobb T206 Baseball Card
The Ty Cobb, T206 Baseball Card, is considered one of the most valuable cards in the world, and with good reason. It’s a rare find that could cost you up to $250k. This baseball card isn’t expensive, though—it’s also one of the most valuable sports cards in history.
11. Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck #1 Rookie Card
This card is worth $2,000. That’s a lot more than the average baseball card. It’s one of the most expensive baseball cards in the world, but it’s not at the top of that list. The most expensive baseball cards are from 1952 Topps and sold for more than $2 million each. This card is valuable because it was one of only two rookie cards released before Griffey made his major league debut in 1989—and there aren’t very many copies of either one left in circulation today.
12. Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps #311 Baseball Card
If you or someone you know is a collector of baseball cards, then you probably already know about the famous 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle card. It is the most valuable baseball card, with only three copies existing today.
5 Budget Recommends to Gift Your Collector Friend
If you want to surprise your baseball card collector friend and keep your budget under control, here are five of the best gift options for you:
- 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
- 1970 Topps Nolan Ryan
- 1987 Fleer Update Jose Canseco
- 1988 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett
- 1909 T206 Honus Wagner
End Note
The most expensive baseball card ever sold was a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card that went for 2.8 million dollars in 2016. The 1952 Topps Baseball set is considered the most incredible baseball set of all time. At the same time, Mickey Mantle’s rookie is considered by many to be the best card from that set – leading it to become one of the most valuable trading cards ever created. So, if you’re looking for a top-quality baseball card for your collection, we hope this article has given you some ideas. While there are many more expensive cards, these are some of the most desired ones.