And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. 1984 Topps Football Cards: Most Valuable (Top Picks) - All Vintage Cards Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. Reggie was furious and blasted The Boss in the media. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. The greatest catcher of all time, Johnny Bench played in seventeen seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, and in 2011 the team erected a statue in his honor at Great American Ballpark. 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. 3. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. No. 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. In the second half, they finished 1.5 games behind the Astros to miss the playoffs entirely. He also had a flair for the big hit and helped Philadelphia to a 34-21 record in the first half to secure a playoff spot for the Phillies halfway through the season. . And, over the next twenty-two years, he would develop into one of the greatest players of his era with twelve All-Star selections, seven Gold Gloves and six Silver Sluggers to his name. Click on any Donruss Set to see a full list of Cards and their current value. "I've learned to stay within myself, not be afraid to fail.". 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. . He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. 10 Most Valuable 1980s Fleer Baseball Rookie Cards - Beckett News 1961 Topps Baseball Cards - 16 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. Smith continued his outstanding defensive work in 1981 by leading the National League in assists for the third straight year to pick up his second straight Gold Glove. 723 Bruce Bochte. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. And incredibly, hed come back with a vengeance. With the 22-year-old star setting the table, the As earned a playoff spot with a 37-23 first-half record and finished with the American Leagues best overall record at 64-45. Rookies - 1981 Topps Baseball | Trading Card Database Even though the image is kind of ghostly (see his right shoulder) on this card, it's my favorite of his three cards in this set given its an action shot. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. Incredibly consistent and productive during his 21 years in the Big Leagues, Murray ended his Hall of Fame career with 3,255 hits, 504 home runs, 1,917 RBI and set the all-time record for sacrifice flies with 128. Ungraded. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. 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. One thing I always found a bit strange about Yount's career was that he was a two-time MVP but appeared in just three All-Star games, the lowest amount of any Hall of Famer since the game's inception. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. That season was the first time batted .300 or better, crossed the 30 home run mark, scored 100 runs or more and drove in 100 or more RBI. During his first year with the Angels, Jackson proved he still had plenty left in the tank and led the Majors with 39 home runs and finished sixth in the MVP vote. 1961 Topps Willie Mays All-Star (#579) Here is a case where card scarcity and an immortal of the game conspire to generate a value anomaly an All-Star card worth more than the base card of the same player. On May 29th against the San Francisco Giants, Bench slid into second base, attempting to break up a double play but fractured his left ankle in the process. In the tenth inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Wilson stepped up to the plate with runners on first and third with his team trailing 5-4. 30 Wicked Nolan Ryan Baseball Card Investments In 2023 - Gold Card Auctions 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. Year sold: 2018. . He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). Accolades aside, Schmidt felt his best accomplishment was in one of the few offensive categories in which he didn't pace the Majors: batting average. On the other hand, Ozzie's bat did nothing but improve and combined with the amazing glove he already had, he'd deliver Hall of Fame-caliber play for years in St. Louis. And, over the years, it's started to grow on collectors more and more after nostalgia for that era has increased and many collectors have a newfound appreciation for hobby history. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Most valuable baseball cards of the 1980s 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. And, in this guide, we look at the 25 most valuable. Canadian baseball cards printed in the French language are uncommon, which shows on this baseball card as it is bi-lingual. $195. 1981 Topps. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Roland Glen Fingers was an American right-handed relief pitcher who played for three teams between 1968 and 1985. 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # 726 Rick Monday. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Ryan went 1-1 in two starts with a 1.80 ERA in the team's five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers, striking out 14 batters in 15 innings while walking just three. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. While the 1982 Topps baseball card set may not ever be known as the company's best-looking in terms of design, it did pack a lot of star power and two Hall of Fame rookie cards. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. 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 . Featured here is a rare rookie card from 1989 with an authenticated signature of Steve Avery. The card has been authenticated by the famous Beckett grading service. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 1202 items 0% Track your collection for free. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. Rod Carew and George Brett were not only two of the greatest hitters of their era but of all time, so seeing them both on the same card is quite a treat. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. 207 Ozzie Smith Record Breaker - Padres. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. . At the time, two Major League Baseball clubs, the Montreal Expos, and the Toronto Blue Jays played in Canada, where . It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. Had Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela's not been so dominant in 1981, dousing the baseball world in "Fernandomania," Seaver would have earned his fourth Cy Young as he finished runner-up. Keith was a baseball first baseman. The course of Seaver's career would take a significant turn at the trading deadline in 1977, though, when he was involved in "the Midnight Massacre" that sent him to the Reds. This Baseball card is in very good condition, with sharp corners and slight wear on the lower right corner. He struggled in 1980 (by his terms) with a career-worst 3.64 ERA and a career-low ten wins. Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s Price Guide & Values They didn't call him "Steady Eddie" for nothing. 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. The nerve! A remarkable all-around . Price. 1981 Topps Basketball Cards - PSA Price Guide Checklist Top. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. Unfortunately, his production fizzled out in the 1990s, so he didn't quite finish off a career worthy of Cooperstown. Within it, there were also several different subsets, including: For those collectors on the lookout for great Hall of Famers of the era or just a large checklist to complete, this set has it all. 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. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. 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. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. After the 1981 season, however, Ainge decided to call it quits with baseball. It was featured by the Boston Celtics in the 2 times NBA championship (1984 and 1986), NBA champion 2008 executive, NBA executive of the year 2008 is also a serial numbered card. #9. Later, his stretch from 1982 to 1987 was one of the most dominant in Major League Baseball as he was twice voted MVP, made six-straight All-Star teams while winning five Gold Gloves and four Silver Sluggers. After the Royals split their first twenty games of the second half, he was fired, and former Yankees manager Dick Howser took the reins. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. SEE THE CARD HERE! However, what raised eyebrows was that the Minnesota Vikings selected him in the 17th round of the NFL Draft despite having never played college football. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Tim Raines was one of the most successful stealers in baseball history and can be seen on the far left of the card. Read our methodology. In 493 plate appearances (423 at-bats), Henderson posted a robust .319/.408/.437 slash line with nine home runs and 53 RBI while winning his first of three Silver Sluggers. 10 Most Valuable Rookie Cards from the 1980s, Ranked List, Best, Guide Carew's career batting average ended up at .328, while his best single-season average was .388 in 1977. 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. Contact him at [emailprotected]. I know the game is played differently these days but even if it weren't, I'd be stunned if anyone in the future ever meets or bests his 130 stolen bases in a season. Although Riley wasnt very popular, he was a Major League Baseball pitcher. For his regular-season efforts, Rose earned the only Silver Slugger Award of his career, his 15th All-Star selection, and a tenth-place finish on the NL MVP ballot. Unfortunately, they failed to make the playoffs during his first year in Philadelphia, but things changed for the better as the Phillies outlasted George Brett and the Kansas City Royals in six games to win the 1980 World Series. In other years, Seaver used his overpowering stuff to outduel hitters but in 1981, he wasn't quite the fireballer as he struck out only 4.7 batters per nine innings, the second-lowest rate of his career. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . 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. 1983 Donruss. Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. 1. With the first card in the checklist, Topps paid tribute to both Lou Brock and Carl Yastrzemski crossing the 3,000 career hits mark that would put them in exclusive baseball company forever. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. When Bench managed to stay healthy enough to be in the lineup, he was quite productive. 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. 6. 50. $68.95. 205 Pete Rose Record Breaker - Phillies. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. $260. Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. Premium: 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. The 1980 season would be Winfield's last with the Padres as the Yankees signed him to a ten-year, $23 million contract making him the game's highest-paid player at the time. Average . Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. However, when do you do it? *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". The current worth of this card is $195. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. #10. 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs. 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. This is the rookie card for Bronco's QB great John Elway. That season set the tone for a reputation that Dawson would carve out as a player with an incredible mix of speed and power as he was seemingly always a lock for 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases throughout his time in Montreal. The reverse of the card mentions that over the last nine seasons dating back to 1972, Brett (2) and Carew (6) had combined to win eight batting titles. Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! If you do the math on those 2,416 strikeouts he accumulated during his time with the Angels, that meant he averaged302 strikeouts per season, a mark many pitchers would be lucky to reach even once during their careers. The wrist band, the glasses.and that awesome stache You just don't see that kind of stuff in today's game so this card perfectly captures the style of the era and that's the great thing about baseball cards in general. 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). Jackson's time in New York wasn't exactly smooth as he occasionally clashed with teammates, manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner, contributing to an environment that earned the team the nickname "The Bronx Zoo.". At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. 1982 Topps #30 Tom Seaver. Grade. While eligible for induction, Murphy peaked at 23% of the vote in 2000, falling well short of the 75% needed for entry. In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. Rose collected 140 hits in 1981, slashing .325/.391/.390 in his third year with the Philadelphia Phillies. The card features famous baseball player Reggie Jackson and is worth $75. The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. 1981 Topps Gary Carter Autograph Card, 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World, 19 Most Valuable 1976 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Most Valuable 1988 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Rarest and Most Valuable Quarters Worth Money, 24 Rarest and Most Valuable State Quarters Worth Money, 25 Rare 50 Dollar Bills: Value And Price Chart, 26 Rarest And Most Valuable Pennies Worth Money, 15 Rarest and Most Valuable Sacagawea Coins Worth Money, Rarest and Most Valuable Charizard Pokemon Cards, 29 Most Valuable Shaq Rookie Cards Ever Sold, 29 Most Valuable Frank Thomas Cards Youd Find On eBay, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Topps Baseball Cards, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Leaf Baseball Cards in the World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Upper Deck Baseball Cards Worth Money, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Skybox Basketball Cards For Collectors. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Reggie Jackson played five seasons as a member of the New York Yankees from 1977 to 1981, and the 1980 season turned out to be his best in pinstripes. It was also the first Topps set to feature a monster 792-card checklist. Even more impressive, his 1982 Topps issue wasn't his last card as he also made it into the 1983 Topps set. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And in this guide, I'll run through the ten most valuable. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. 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!). Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. . All told, Bench played in just 52 of Cincinnati's 108 games. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. Pate] #479. Ryan's stellar age-34 campaign earned him his sixth All-Star selection, a fourth-place finish in the National League's Cy Young race, and a 16th-place finish in the NL's MVP balloting. But, hey, that's the kind of excitement that he brought to the game: you never knew if he were going to bury one over the fence or get sent right back to the dugout. 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. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. Contents hide. Rickey Henderson, an American retired professional baseball player who played his entire 24-year career in Major League Baseball, helped break the sports color barrier. Hold on to it. After rookie Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as Fernandomania, the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season with a flourish. JB's 1981 Fleer card is a $5 (or so) buy in PSA 9 condition. 25 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards Throughout his career, Carter was known for his hitting and excellent defense, as well as his ability to handle pitchers. Only Tony Gwynn had come closer to batting .400 or better since Ted Williams last did it in 1941 when Gwynn batted .394 in 110 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. 1981 Fleer Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson RC #482. 1. Here are the top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards: #15 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan #400 Recent sale: $898 . As his time with the Yankees had come to a close, Jackson packed his bag and headed back to the West Coast, signing to play for the California Angels. The card features Pete Rose. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. 21 Most Valuable 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards Over his long and storied career, Henderson broke many records and helped transform the lead-off position. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . Ultimately, Winfield decided to play baseball for the San Diego Padres beginning in 1973. 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 . Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. Seaver was nothing short of incredible for the Reds that season but Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela was just a bit better and out-pointed Seaver in the Cy Young vote 70 to 67. For example, his .693 OPS was the worst of his career by nearly 40 points (.721, 1961), and it was almost 150 points less than his career mark of .841. Getting hands on a card like this is pretty difficult. And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. . 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Ozzie Smith's 1979 Topps rookie card is also one of the last great rookie cards of the vintage era, but his second-year card isn't a bad consolation prize either. 721 Toby Harrah. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? In his seventh season in the Majors, Yount broke out in a big way in 1980 as he led the league in doubles (49) while scoring 121 runs, driving in 87 RBI, and hitting 23 home runs to earn his first trip to the All-Star Game. 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. 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. Card Number: #418. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads about 1981 Topps Baseball Cards.When 1981 Topps baseball cards hit store shelves that spring, they were playing in a brav.