1981 topps baseball cards most valuable

While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. 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. We are user supported. 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. "I had hit .300 before, but I couldn't hold it," he said. However, when do you do it? Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. The 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. 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. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 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. He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. It is also (by a slight margin) the most valuable card in the 1984 Topps Football set. The defending AL champions were a mess early, though. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. That means the card needs to be flawless. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. Having earned the right to produce baseball cards in a court case with Topps, the 1981 Donruss set became the company's first baseball offering. 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. #10. After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. 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. 6 Rickey Henderson #180. 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. 10 Bo Jackson #600. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Read our methodology. We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. 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. However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. 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. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. 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. $195. 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. Still, as one of the game's greatest leadoff hitters and baserunners, he was overdue to get in anyway. 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. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. 725 Steve Rogers. #7. In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. Read our methodology. 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. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. Rookies - 1981 Topps Baseball | Trading Card Database And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. 25 Most Valuable 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards 1981 Topps Football Cards - 12 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods 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. Somehow during all that success with college basketball, he also found the time to play for the Blue Jays from 1979 to 1981. 4. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. 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. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. While Brett would undoubtedly be on this list anyway, this is an example of where a special season for a player can make his card stand out even more than it may have otherwise. Hold on to it. 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. 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. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable . 1981 Topps card list & price guide. 10 Most Valuable 1980s Fleer Baseball Rookie Cards - Beckett News Seaver was great in Cincinnati, but he just wasn'tas greatas he was with the Mets up to that point. 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. 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. As you can see, some of the game's biggest legends of all time can be found within the 726-card checklist. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. 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. He played parts of four seasons in the MLB between 1979 and 1986, with the Chicago Cubs, San Francisco Giants, and Montreal Expos. 1981 Topps Traded Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection The Five Most Expensive Houston Astros Baseball Cards 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. 9 Roger Clemens #530. 390 during the 1980 season. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. 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. 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. 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). And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. PSA 6. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. Track your collection for free. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. The right card could make you rich. Fans and media began to take note of his incredible defensive talent, giving him the nickname "The Wizard.". Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer Baseball 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. His full name is Peter Edward Rose and was a professional baseball player who managed to exceed Ty Cobbs record for the number of hits in a career. 3. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. 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. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - Set Info and Best Cards - Sports Cards Rock 1981 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro To top it all off, he earned his sixth All-Star selection, sixth Gold Glove, and second Silver Slugger award. buy stuff after clicking links on our site The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. 723 Bruce Bochte. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? SEE THE CARD HERE! 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. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. 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. Premium: He did his best, hitting .333 with a 1.095 in the final three games, but New York dropped all three and the series. Previous Article. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. 1981 Topps #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. 2. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). Grade: PSA 10. 207 Ozzie Smith Record Breaker - Padres. 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. 9 of the Most Valuable Baseball Cards in History - HISTORY In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. In twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs. While they both made their MLB debuts in 1961, Brock would retire after the 1979 season with 3,023 hits while Yaz would stick around until 1983 and finished with 3,419 hits. 721 Toby Harrah. 1981 Topps Basketball Cards - PSA Price Guide 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. 25 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards The greatest catcher of all time, Johnny Bench played in seventeen seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, and in 2011 the team erected a statue in his honor at Great American Ballpark. However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. Price. 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. 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. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. 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. His .246 batting average and .355 slugging percentage were also career lows. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection - http://bit.ly/W. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Cincinnati finished second in both halves of the 1981 split-season but ended the year with the best overall record in the National League. . During his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. This card features the professional baseball player Danny Ainge. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. 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. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. 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. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. The card features famous baseball player Reggie Jackson and is worth $75. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. There were tons of errors, collation inside boxes was hit and miss (mostly miss) and the . During the 1977 season, Andre Dawson batted .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, which earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. Sports Cards: 10 Most Valuable Baseball Rookie Cards of the 1990s Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. In those 108 games, they played at Fenway Park where they had a record of 56-52. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. 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. 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. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. 1. Cards like this tend to have more value than regular ones. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. 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. . Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 2 prospect in baseball at the start of the 1997 season after hitting . 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). This card is worth $45 but could go higher. Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. 1982 Topps Traded #98T: Everybody wants to make such a big fuss about a 2,632-game playing streak when the real awe lies with the steadiness of this card's value. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. He also finished fourth in the NL with a .316 batting average, narrowly missing out on a Triple Crown. . 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. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. 10 Most Valuable Rookie Cards from the 1980s, Ranked List, Best, Guide 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. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. 6. $15.00. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. 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. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. Baseball Cards. 1961 Topps Baseball Cards - 16 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods 25 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. 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. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. There's a shot of the player in Celtics training gear, staring off-camera with his hands hidden behind the green border. 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. In total, Henderson led the league in stolen bases . 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. In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. Cal Ripken Jr. Most Expensive, 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. #8. 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. 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 205 Pete Rose Record Breaker - Phillies. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . 30 Wicked Nolan Ryan Baseball Card Investments In 2023 - Gold Card Auctions 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. 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. 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. Growing up in Central Indiana surrounded by Cubs fans, I would hear about Dawson constantly as fans absolutely loved the guy, and rightly so. 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. 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.

Tuning Fork Frequency Chart, Articles OTHER