He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. 1 Rickey Henderson #119. Most Expensive of All-Time. Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. For 15 seasons from 1982 to 1996, Smith was a key cog in the Cardinals lineup as he went on to win 11 more Gold Gloves and appear in 14 more All-Star Games. Brett's career batting average of .305 wasn't quite as good, but he did put up the better single-season effort when he batted. 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. 3. And in this guide, I'll run through the ten most valuable. 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. 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. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. . Contact him at [emailprotected]. And incredibly, hed come back with a vengeance. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. Many thought his career was slowly but surely coming to an end. February 20, 2023; Super Bowl Delivers . Ultimately, Winfield decided to play baseball for the San Diego Padres beginning in 1973. 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. However, the turf at Olympic Stadium didn't do Dawson any favors resulting in knee problems that would hamper his speed later in his career. Total Cards: 726. 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. Most Watched Baseball Cards. 726 cards. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. #8. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. Today only a graded high-condition example gets that kind of money. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. 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. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. 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. 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. His combination of speed and power was simply some of the greatest the game has ever seen. 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. He also led all of baseball with 89 runs scored and led the American League in stolen bases (56) and hits (135). 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. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. A rare 1980/81 baseball card. 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. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. While they used to be a bit overlooked, it's nice to see the 1980 Topps baseball set getting more love in recent years. 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. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. 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 Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Inc. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. 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. 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 . He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. You love collecting baseball cards, right? And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. 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. 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson RC #482. 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. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 12. 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!). 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). In 390 plate appearances (338 at-bats), Yastrzemski posted a .246/.338/.355 slash line with a career-low seven home runs and 53 RBI. Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. 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. Mike Schmidt was arguably the best third baseman in baseball history and will always be remembered for both his power and his glove. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. 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. 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. 1981 Donruss. 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. Most of Tom Seaver's pitching brilliance occurred during his first eleven seasons in the Majors with the New York Mets as he was named 1967 Rookie of the Year and won three Cy Youngs (1969, 1973, and 1975) during that time. 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. 390 during the 1980 season. 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. 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. #7. Card Number: #418. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 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. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. 9 Roger Clemens #530. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball Cards. PSA 9 examples have sold for upwards of $6,000. At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. The nerve! He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Murray was one of the greatest first basemen to ever play the game but his cards seem to be a bit overlooked at times. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. 206 Mike Schmidt Record Breaker - Phillies. 1981 Topps. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. 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. He also finished fourth in the NL with a .316 batting average, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. Even more impressive, his 1982 Topps issue wasn't his last card as he also made it into the 1983 Topps set. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. 50. 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. By the time these Hall of Famers retired, Brett had three batting titles and Carew had an eye-popping seven. 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. 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. 1981 Fleer card list & price guide. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. 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. 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. Yastrzemski played two more seasons in Boston before retiring, making All-Star appearances at the age of 42 and 43 during the 1982 and 1983 seasons, respectively. 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. Seaver would play one more year for the Reds in 1982 when he posted a 5-13 record before heading back to the New York Mets the following year. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. Donruss wasted no time breaking into the hobby as they spent huge marketing dollars, targeted key dealers across the nation, and filled their checklist with some of the game's biggest names to grab collector attention. 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). Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. 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. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. 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. #10. You are looking at a 1981 Topps Rookie Card hand-signed by George Riley. Grade: PSA 10. 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. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. SEE THE CARD HERE! 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). 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. Despite not being a Hall of Famer, Rose's legacy as one of the game's greatest hitters of all time keeps his cards in high demand throughout the hobby. On the right side were four rows of six . After nearly a decade-and-a-half as the standard for MLB catchers, Cincinnati Reds Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench changed positions for the 1981 season. The 1981 season was the St. Louis Cardinals 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and their 90th year in the National League (NL). Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # . 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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 1981 season was the seventh and final time. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. Read our methodology . 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. 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. 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. One year removed from his Rookie of the Year-winning season, this Ripken card is still a hobby favorite because it shows the Orioles third baseman's timeless swing and a close-up of his youthful mug all on one important card. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. 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. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. 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. The season was noted for the change in playoff format, which created the first-ever Divisional Series with a qualification variant that existed only for that season; and the players strike, which truncated the regular season. Known as the Man of Steal, he is widely considered to have been baseballs greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. 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. And they didn't know it at the time, but they also missed out on producing big-name rookie cards for Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines, and Kirk Gibson. 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. It was the only time in his career where he batted .300, and he also led the league in home runs with 41 round-trippers. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. 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. 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. However, once they got there, the Oakland Athletics promptly swept them in the ALDS as Brett went just 2-for-12 (.167) in the three games. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. 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. 1. 1983 Donruss. Seaver was great in Cincinnati, but he just wasn'tas greatas he was with the Mets up to that point. Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay; Bowman Chrome Cards; Wander Franco Cards; . An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. 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. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. 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. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. 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. This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. But what Bench lacks in cardboard variations, he more than makes up for in NL MVP awards, Big Red Machine savvy, and greatest-catcher-ever swagger. It would have been nice to see an action shot of Seaver on his 1982 Topps card but this is still a good-looking card overall. I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Here we see Yaz staring off into the distance almost as if he's thinking back on his careeror maybe he's just watching a teammate take batting practice. 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 . The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. 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. Unfortunately, his production fizzled out in the 1990s, so he didn't quite finish off a career worthy of Cooperstown. One of the most beloved New York Mets in franchise history, Mookie Wilson finished seventh in the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year race and went on to a very successful career until he retired in 1991. 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. In twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. The card has been authenticated by the famous Beckett grading service. 3. And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. There were tons of errors, collation inside boxes was hit and miss (mostly miss) and the . 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. At least he was voted Rookie of the Year. Value: $300-325. Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. Cards like this tend to have more value than regular ones. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 However, when do you do it? Set Links - Overview - Checklist - Teams - Errors / Variations - Hall of Famers - Rookies . Things weren't always rocky during Jackson's time in New York, though, as they did win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. Raw: $20 PSA 9: $100 PSA 10: $900 One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. It didn't matter, though, as the Reds missed out on the playoffs and a rejuvenated Tom Seaver was denied one last hurrah in October. Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. Read our methodology. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. 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. Hold on to it. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. 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. 1981 Topps Traded Tim Raines Rookie Baseball Card #816 NM-MT FREE SHIPPING.