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And finally, we're down to none other than Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest baseball icons of the 1980s and the game's greatest speedster to ever play. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. This trading card has been authenticated by PSA, it has the signature of Rollie fingers on the obverse. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. 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. 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. 725 Steve Rogers. The Atlanta Braves had used Dale Murphy at first base and catcher during his early years in the 1970s, but in 1980 they moved him to the outfield. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. However, Schmidt led baseball in multiple offensive categories, including home runs (31), RBI (91), OBP (.435), slugging percentage (.644), OPS (1.080), OPS+ (198), and total bases (228). He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. 206 Mike Schmidt Record Breaker - Phillies. #8. 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. Tom Seaver came within a handful of votes of winning his fourth Cy Young on the 1981 season with an incredible pitching display that saw him lead the Majors in wins (14) and winning percentage (.875). Price. 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. We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. Track your collection for free. In 1981, the 6'5 monster recorded his second straight 1000-yard season and led all of football with 88 catches. #10. 2 prospect in baseball at the start of the 1997 season after hitting . 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. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. 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. This is the rookie card for Bronco's QB great John Elway. In those 108 games, they played at Fenway Park where they had a record of 56-52. 50. buy stuff after clicking links on our site Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. But, you'll remember that by 1982, Topps was no longer the only major company producing baseball cards as both Donruss and Fleer had joined the scene the year prior. 10. 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. 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. Contents hide. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. After the Royals split their first twenty games of the second half, he was fired, and former Yankees manager Dick Howser took the reins. All told, Bench played in just 52 of Cincinnati's 108 games. 724 Lou Piniella. 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. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. 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. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. At the time, two Major League Baseball clubs, the Montreal Expos, and the Toronto Blue Jays played in Canada, where . Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? Ultimately, the Padres and Cardinals would complete a multi-player trade before the 1982 season that sent Templeton to San Diego and Smith to St. Louis, where he would play the next fifteen years and become a Cardinals icon. One of the most memorable cards in the '91 Topps set, this horizontal stunner shows Clemens posing in front of Fenway Park's famed scoreboard. In 665 at-bats for Toronto, Ainge batted .220, hit two home runs, scored 57 runs, drove in another 37 and stole 12 bases. Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. 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. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. 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. Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. Coming off a 1980 season in which he finished runner-up for the AL MVP award, New York Yankees right fielder Reggie Jackson looked to keep the momentum going in 1981. Yet, Bench's lousy injury luck was the real story. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. Over eighteen seasons in MLB, all with the Philadelphia Phillies, Schmidt won three MVPs, made twelve All-Star teams, won six Silver Sluggers, snagged ten Gold Gloves, and led the league in home runs eight times. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. But rather than hanging them up after the season, Yastrzemski got to work. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. Murray appeared in his second All-Star Game that season and finished things off with a fifth-place finish in the MVP vote, one of six times he finished in the top five in his storied career. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. He was a two-sport star in baseball and basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, so it wasn't too shocking that the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA) and San Diego Padres (MLB) each drafted him. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. Ozzie was always one of my favorite players to watch as a kid as his acrobatic defensive play left fans in awe time after time as he went on to collect 13 Gold Glove awards. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. 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. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Donruss Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable Joe Montana Cards Worth Thousands, 29 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List, 1. 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. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. 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. The three-time MVP would smash 548 home runs over his career as he led the league in that category an amazing 8 times. And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. And he was still very much a respectable pitcher during his time in Cincinnati from 1977 to 1982 as he'd win around 15 games regularly, made two All-Star teams and even finished second in the Cy Young vote for the 1981 season. 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. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. 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. 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. He also led all of baseball with 89 runs scored and led the American League in stolen bases (56) and hits (135). 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. The card is currently worth $189.99. Read our methodology. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . Enrique Romo Navarro is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. 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. 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. The problem was that the 33-year-old Bench simply wasn't healthy. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. There's no questioning the significance of 1980 Topps baseball cards in hobby history. His career was far from over at that point, but Schmidt's play showed the baseball world that they were already witnessing the greatest third baseman of all-time in the making. In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. 205 Pete Rose Record Breaker - Phillies. 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. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as it's one of the most expensive cards from the 1980s. 3. This was limited to only 504 serial-numbered porcelain cards made and it has already been authenticated by Global Authentics (GAI). 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. Average . Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . $9.99. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. 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. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. His standard base card (#574) is first and the card honoring his breaking of Ty Cobb's American League stolen base record (#351) follows. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . He won the American League MVP award with one of the best offensive seasons in league history, flirted with .400, and made his first World Series appearance. Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. While it may not be one of the most popular sets of the era, the 1982 Topps baseball card set packed plenty of star power and two key Hall of Fame rookie cards. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. Things screeched to a halt, though, when Jackson injured his calf running the bases in Game 2 of the ALCS against Oakland. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. 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. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. 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. Value: $300-325. 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! 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. 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. 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. Brock crossed the mark with a single on August 13, 1979 while Yaz hit a single of his own on September 12, 1979 to join the club. In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. 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. 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. 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. Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. 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. You'd think a third baseman with that kind of power wouldn't have had the best defensive skills but no, Schmidt was amazing on defense as well as he'd go on to win 10 Gold Gloves. Year sold: 2018. . And he didn't lose any steam in the postseason, either, as he would end up leading the Phillies to the World Series title while batting .381, belting two home runs, driving in seven RBI, and scoring six runs. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. Premium: Although Riley wasnt very popular, he was a Major League Baseball pitcher. PSA/DNA Certified. You can't help but think Topps was trying to produce as many cards as possible to keep collectors interested and to try and keep Donruss and Fleer, who had joined the scene in 1981, at bay. . 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. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. 1 Rickey Henderson #119. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. 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. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. Rodney Cline Carew is a former Panamanian baseball player who played first baseman and second baseman in the MLB from 1967 to 1985, primarily for the California Angels. After sixteen seasons and two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose left the "Big Red Machine" behind and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. And, in this guide, we look at the 25 most valuable. . 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. Canadian baseball cards printed in the French language are uncommon, which shows on this baseball card as it is bi-lingual. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. 1. 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. 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. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. 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. Perhaps Wilson's finest point of his career came during one of the most memorable at-bats in baseball history that lasted ten pitches, sent Mets fans soaring, and broke Red Sox fans' hearts. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. Bench was a complete catcher as he was dangerous with both the bat and glove and was a significant reason "The Big Red Machine" was so dominant throughout the 1970s. The 1981 season was the St. Louis Cardinals 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and their 90th year in the National League (NL). This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. As a result, Topps created this monster 792-card checklist and loaded it with subsets to try and keep collector interestand collector eyeballsaway from Donruss and Fleer. 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. The card features famous baseball player Reggie Jackson and is worth $75. 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. Brett's performance at the plate put him well above Milwaukee's Cecil Cooper and his own impressive .352 average to earn his second of three career batting titles. Unlike Smith, Cal Ripken's chances at the Hall of Fame were never in doubt. 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. I love both of these cards not so much because it's Reggie Jackson we're talking about, but because of all the 1980's awesomeness on display. 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.