America’s favorite pass time has gone through many changes throughout the course of its existence but one thing that has held strong besides the love of the game, is the love of baseball cards.
- Honus Wagner T206 1909-1911 $2.8M
One of the games finest players, Honus Wagner, put an end to producing his baseball card for the purpose of selling in cigarette packs. The reason? So that child would not be enticed to purchase cigarettes to obtain his card. A card from this series in excellent condition has most recently fetched over $2 million USD.
- Babe Ruth Baltimore News 1914 $517,000
Inarguably one of the greatest players baseball has ever seen with a whopping 714 home runs throughout his career. The hard swinging and gregarious player, began his profession with the Baltimore Orioles as a pitcher in 1914. The Babe’s rookie card, presently only ten are thought to be in existence, now commands over half a million dollars when found in good condition.
- Joe Doyle T206 1909-1911 $329,000
Joe Doyle had a short-lived five season career as a pitcher for the New York Highlanders. He is depicted on his card with his hands wound above his head, in perfect position for an all-star pitch, however, after printing, it became apparent that there was a slew of issues with the pitchers details. After printing a small amount of the cards, it was noted that the pitcher was a member of the “N.Y. Nat’L” when Doyle was a member of the American League. It was later discovered Joe Doyle had been confused with Larry Doyle, second baseman of the New York Giants. This error card is now worth over $300,000 USD.
- Mickey Mantle 1952 Topps $282,000
Baseball enthusiasts long for the chance to get their hands on the infamous 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. While this card is not the baseball legends rookie card, it has become one of baseball’s most recognized cards in the hobby. On average, the card has an asking price of $282,000, while the same in mint condition can demand a price tag of well over $1 million USD.
- Lou Gehrig 1933 Goudey $275,000
Commonly overlooked but the novice collector, the Lou Gehrig 1933 Goudey has been an underrated item for years due to the color and focus lacking appeal. Those lucky enough to come in contact with this “ugly duckling” know its true swan worth runs an average of $275,000.
- Ty Cobb 1911-1914 General Banking Co. (D304) $273,000
Part of the tiny collection released by General Banking Co., Ty Cobb’s aggressive field behavior translates into obtaining one of the rarest cards known in baseball card collecting. In good condition, this slightly larger than standard card has been purchased for an average of $273,000.
- Honus Wagner 1910 Standard Caramel $219,000
The Flying Dutchman finally found his place as the shortstop for the Pittsburg Pirates, helping the team defeat the Detroit Tigers and their best player, Ty Cobb, in the 1909 World Series. Pittsburg’s’ first ever win. Wagner’s red background card from the era is now worth an estimated $219,000.
8/9. Joe Jackson 1914 Boston Garter/1910 T210 Red Border Old Mill Cigarettes $204,000/$199,750
“Shoeless” Joe Jackson, like Honus Wagner, makes the list twice with two cards back to back. The baseball legend got his moniker while playing a game in Greenville, South Carolina where he had such painful blisters on his feet from new cleats; he stepped up to the plate with no shoes. The nickname followed Jackson through the remainder of his career adding an extra layer to his legacy. Each of Jackson’s cards to make the list have less than ten cards left in existence, bringing their value to $204,000 for a 1914 Boston Garter and $199,750 for a T210 Red Border Old Mill Cigarettes edition.
- Eddie Plank 1909-1911 T206 Sweet Caporal Cigarettes $188,000
There is considerable speculation as to why the Eddie Plank 1909-1911 T206 has become so rare. Some theories state a printing plate ceased production, while others claim Plank refused to allow cigarette companies to sell his card, much like Honus Wagner. In any case, the few left call for a price tag of $188,000.
If you like this article, then you might enjoy other articles in our archives, such as Take Me Out
Liberty Coin & Currency specializes in rare coins and currency. We are a family-owned business located in Portland and Vancouver. We are also gold, silver, diamond, currency and jewelry buyers. Visit us first for a free evaluation.
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