1981 topps baseball cards most valuable

1982 Topps #30 Tom Seaver. 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. 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. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. 9 Roger Clemens #530. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. Ozzie Smith was given the name Wizard of Oz After an amazing record for the most assists at shortstop thus establishing a new record in that era. 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. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. 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. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800. 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 defending AL champions were a mess early, though. You love collecting baseball cards, right? During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. 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 Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. 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. 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. 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. Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 12. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. Yet, Bench's lousy injury luck was the real story. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! 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. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. The imagery on this card is some of the best on this list and in the set in general, as Topps perfectly captured Jackson taking a massive swing. 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. Many times, though, he'd fail to connect on those swings and would up earning himself a spot as the career leader in strikeouts with 2,597. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . 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. 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. Given how consistently great Murray was for so many years, it just seems unimaginable that he didn't lead in one of those two categories at least one other time. 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. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Total Cards: 726. While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . In total, Henderson led the league in stolen bases . Pate] #479. The first standalone Topps Traded set may belong to 1981, but the first card to really make the series a hobby burner belongs to 1982 and to Cal Ripken, Jr. . The 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. 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). The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. He struggled in 1980 (by his terms) with a career-worst 3.64 ERA and a career-low ten wins. 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. Contents hide. He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. The three-time MVP would smash 548 home runs over his career as he led the league in that category an amazing 8 times. 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. 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. 721 Toby Harrah. Henderson was also top-notch on defense as he brought home his first-and-only Gold Glove. Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals would slam the door on any hopes that Jackson and the Yankees had for a World Series ring when they swept them in the 1980 ALCS. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. 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. Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. Rookie Cards. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. 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. This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. #10. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. #8. But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. He also finished fourth in the NL with a .316 batting average, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. Fans and media began to take note of his incredible defensive talent, giving him the nickname "The Wizard.". 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 1202 items 0% Track your collection for free. Card Number: #595. Cincinnati finished the year with the best composite record in all of baseball but the nature of the strike-shortened season's playoff format bit them in the backside. 2. "I had hit .300 before, but I couldn't hold it," he said. Here is a quick rundown of those most valuable 1982 Topps baseball cards, based on recent sales for copies graded PSA 9 and presented in numerical order. 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. 1982 Donruss. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 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. 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. Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. Reginald Martinez Jackson is a former American right fielder who spent the majority of his 21-year professional baseball career with the Kansas City and Baltimore Orioles and New York Yankees, and ended his career with a two-year stint for the California Angels. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. 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. In Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he'd return with New York holding a 2-1 advantage to try and help the team across the finish line. - http://bit.ly/W. 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. 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. This trading card has been authenticated by PSA, it has the signature of Rollie fingers on the obverse. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball Cards. Value: $300-325. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. He was nicknamed Mex because his name suggested that he was of Mexican descent. 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 . Before Danny Ainge found success at the professional level in basketball as a player, coach and executive, he made his professional sports debut for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979while he was still in college. 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. When collectors think back to the junk wax era, one of the first sets to jump into minds is 1987 Topps Baseball. Ungraded. $260. 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. Wilson was incredibly speedy and was the Mets' career stolen base leader before Jose Reyes eventually broke his record many years later. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable . Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The player who played the most games at first base in major league history was Eddie Murray, who amassed 2,413-lifetime games at the position along with nearly 600 more as a designated hitter. 3. Read our methodology. 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 won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. Premium: Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # PriceIt Game | Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. A right-hander, he threw and batted right-handed. $68.95. 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. Cheapest, After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 10. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. The move worked as the Royals responded by winning 20 of their last 33 to make the playoffs. Still, as one of the game's greatest leadoff hitters and baserunners, he was overdue to get in anyway. 1981 Topps. We may earn an affiliate commission if you After the 1986 season, Dawson left Montreal as a free agent for the Chicago Cubs, where he would become their everyday right fielder on a much more knee-friendly grass field. In fact, between June 2021 and May 2022, this Ripken collectible in a PSA 10 sold for under $4,000 just once. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. 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. $12.95. 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. 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. 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. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. $9.99. 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. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . Many thought his career was slowly but surely coming to an end. In 25 postseason plate appearances (22 at-bats), Henderson hit .273 with two doubles, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. No. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. 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). 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . His 94 runs scored and 111 RBI were also high marks for Jackson during his time in the Bronx, and by season's end, he would collect his first of two career Silver Slugger awards and finished second in MVP voting. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. 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. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. 726 cards. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. Read our methodology . This article breaks down the top 19 most valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, as well as how much each card is worth. . Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Inc. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. 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. Reggie was furious and blasted The Boss in the media. 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. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. 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. The subsets in the 1981 Topps baseball cards include the league leaders (1-8), record breakers (201-208), and team cards with checklists on the back (661-686).The key rookie cards from this set include #315 Kirk Gibson, #347 Harold Baines, and #302 Fernando Valenzuela. List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; 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. Heres a rare rainbow foil card in mint condition by Risk Foil. While they used to be a bit overlooked, it's nice to see the 1980 Topps baseball set getting more love in recent years. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 1 Rickey Henderson #119. Grade: PSA 10. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. Unfortunately, his production fizzled out in the 1990s, so he didn't quite finish off a career worthy of Cooperstown. Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. Ultimately, Winfield decided to play baseball for the San Diego Padres beginning in 1973. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. In this guide, I will cover the 25 most valuable in the set. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s.

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