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. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn Rookie Card. This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. Gary Carter, nicknamed Kid and The Kid, was a professional baseball player whose 19-year career in Major League Baseball was spent primarily with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. 9 Roger Clemens #530. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. Considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop of all time, Smith won an incredible thirteen Gold Gloves over nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball Cards. 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. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. His .246 batting average and .355 slugging percentage were also career lows. Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! 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. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs. However, when do you do it? Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. 724 Lou Piniella. In 665 at-bats for Toronto, Ainge batted .220, hit two home runs, scored 57 runs, drove in another 37 and stole 12 bases. Cheapest, 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. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 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. He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). That effort would place him sixth in MVP voting and solidify his reputation for similar, consistent production over the rest of his Hall of Fame career. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. He struggled in 1980 (by his terms) with a career-worst 3.64 ERA and a career-low ten wins. Murphy struggled a bit during the 1981 split season as his batting average fell to a paltry .247 and his slugging percentage plunged to .390 from .510 the year before. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. Most Expensive, At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. This Baseball card is in very good condition, with sharp corners and slight wear on the lower right corner. They finished the season with a .546 winning percentage in front of 1,060,379 fans who saw them play. 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. 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. Despite the ups and downs, there isplentyto enjoy about this set. 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. 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. 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. 1983 Donruss. #6. This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. 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. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. After the Royals split their first twenty games of the second half, he was fired, and former Yankees manager Dick Howser took the reins. 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). 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. He finished the year with the best winning percentage of any starter in baseball (.875), notched his 3000th career strikeout on April 12th, and earned his twelfth-and-final All-Star appearance after a two-year absence. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. . The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. 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. 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 last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Mookie came up big for the Mets again in Game 7, going 1 for 3 with a run scored to help the Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5 to win the title. The card features Pete Rose. 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. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . The Phillies had won the NL East for three straight seasons from 1976-1978, so Rose was supposed to be the guy who would finally put them over the top. $68.95. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. 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. List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; 1982 Donruss. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. 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. It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. On his 1982 Topps card, Ripken is sandwiched between Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider as part of the "Future Stars" subset with the Baltimore Orioles. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. "I had hit .300 before, but I couldn't hold it," he said. At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. This is a 1981 fleer rookie card with card number #418. 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). Checklist Top. 6 Don Mattingly 1984 Donruss #248: One of the most . 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. The 1980 season turned out to be historic for George Brett as he won the only MVP of his legendary career and fell just short of batting .400 on the year with an eye-popping .390 average. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. 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. 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. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. With ten Gold Gloves to show for it, Bench was a monster on defense with a rifle for an arm and an ability to throw out would-be base stealers with extreme precision. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the images are just slightly different as you can see two of his teammates in the background on his MVP card versus one (plus the arm of another) on his base card. 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. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. $260. Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. Mike Schmidt was arguably the best third baseman in baseball history and will always be remembered for both his power and his glove. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. The legal system would clear the way for Donruss and Fleer to enter the market in 1981, sparking a ramp-up in competition that led to an overheated decade of baseball card production. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. 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. 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. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. He earned four varsity letters, two for college and two for the major leagues. Easily the most valuable gem mint in the set, this card from the Man of Steal garners between $600-900 on the secondary markets. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. On our list is an ungraded card featuring the 1981 Boston Red Sox, it was probably signed by the manager for the team, it is currently worth $72. 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. buy stuff after clicking links on our site 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. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . There were tons of errors, collation inside boxes was hit and miss (mostly miss) and the . $15.00. 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. SEE THE CARD HERE! Over 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, Harold Baines appeared in six All-Star games, hit 384 home runs, tallied 1,628 RBI, and scored another 1,299 runs. Despite the poor production, Jackson still earned a spot on the All-Star team for the eleventh time in his career. . He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. 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. Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 12. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? In the second half, they finished 1.5 games behind the Astros to miss the playoffs entirely. 50. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . Pictured as a member of the New York Yankees, Jackson was actually traded to the California Angels for the 1982 season where he'd play for five seasons before heading back to Oakland for one final season. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. However, regardless of what you might think of his legacy, it's surprising that this particular card isn't worth a little more. 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. 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. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. 725 Steve Rogers. This is a rare Topps card from 1981 containing his signature. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. Price. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. The defending AL champions were a mess early, though. For example, in November, 2018 you could find one in PSA 10 grade for around $100 but after he was voted into the Hall they started selling for north of $600 and continue to climb today. The 1990 American League Most Valuable Player, Henderson also was the lead-off hitter for two World Series championship teams, the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. 206 Mike Schmidt Record Breaker - Phillies. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. 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. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. 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. 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. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. 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. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. Card Number: #595. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . Despite missing the call to the Hall, Murphy was a hero to many kids who collected during his brilliant run in the 1980s, and today those kids are adult collectors with money to spare, keeping his cards in decent demand. 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. Unfortunately, his production fizzled out in the 1990s, so he didn't quite finish off a career worthy of Cooperstown. The right card could make you rich. Cal Ripken Jr. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Its nice design and classic pose have helped make it one of the most recognizable cards in the hobby, not just from the 1980s. 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. 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. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. Most Expensive Things screeched to a halt, though, when Jackson injured his calf running the bases in Game 2 of the ALCS against Oakland. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. - http://bit.ly/W. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. At 41 years of age, it seemed time had finally caught up to Boston Red Sox designated hitter/first baseman Carl Yastrzemski in 1981. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. 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. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. And unlike Brett, Schmidt followed up his 1980 MVP campaign with another one during the 1981 season. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . Click on any Donruss Set to see a full list of Cards and their current value. 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. When it comes to Rookie Cards, 1981 Topps is one . This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. Jackson slumped out of the gates in 1981, prompting Steinbrenner to invoke a clause in his contract that forced him to undergo a full physical examination. A rare 1980/81 baseball card. 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. 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. . However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: Lee Smith was one of the greatest relief pitchers to ever step on the mound and is currently a distant number three on the all-time saves list with 478 behind Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601). Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. Aurelio Alejandro Lpez Rios was a Mexican professional baseball player. 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. Because of his career accomplishments and his overpowering style, Ryan remains one of the game's most popular players to ever play and you'll see his name in just about every set's log of key cards. Smith felt more welcomed by the Cardinals ownership and management and settled in quite nicely to be one of the franchise's most beloved players in team history. In twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. This is the rookie card for Bronco's QB great John Elway. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. 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. 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. 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. You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. The nerve! 726 cards. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. 722 Joe Niekro. Players include Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Mike Trout. He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 390 during the 1980 season. 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. Shortcuts: He played parts of four seasons in the MLB between 1979 and 1986, with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Montreal Expos. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. 721 Toby Harrah. Keith was a baseball first baseman. Our hunt for the 80s most valuable baseball cards includes Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Ricky Henderson. JB's 1981 Fleer card is a $5 (or so) buy in PSA 9 condition. "I've learned to stay within myself, not be afraid to fail.". 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. Heres a rare rainbow foil card in mint condition by Risk Foil. 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. PriceIt Game | After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. And in this guide, I'll run through the ten most valuable. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Fleer listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies.