Reggie Jackson was one of the game's greatest power hitters and was known for taking huge rips at the ball on his way to racking up 563 career home runs. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Fleer listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. Dale Murphy enjoyed a bit of a breakout year in 1980 as he hit 33 home runs, scored 98 runs, had 89 RBI and made his first of seven career All-Star teams. 1981 Fleer card list & price guide. 207 Ozzie Smith Record Breaker - Padres. 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. 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. Jackson found a groove in the team's ALDS victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .300 with a .933 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards - 12 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. For the 1980 season, Henderson raised eyebrows with his extraordinary speed as he led the league in stolen bases (100) for the first of twelve times in his legendary career. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. And incredibly, hed come back with a vengeance. To top it all off, he earned his sixth All-Star selection, sixth Gold Glove, and second Silver Slugger award. 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods 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. PSA 9 examples have sold for upwards of $6,000. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps 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 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. In 665 at-bats for Toronto, Ainge batted .220, hit two home runs, scored 57 runs, drove in another 37 and stole 12 bases. Here are the top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards: #15 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan #400 Recent sale: $898 . Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. In 196 plate appearances (178 at-bats), he slashed .309/.369/.489 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. 10 Most Valuable Rookie Cards from the 1980s, Ranked List, Best, Guide His career was far from over at that point, but Schmidt's play showed the baseball world that they were already witnessing the greatest third baseman of all-time in the making. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. 35th Anniversary: Five Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards 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. 1981 Topps Traded Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection 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. 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. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. 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. 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. 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. The 1981 season stands out for Eddie Murray in a unique way: somehow, it was the only season where he managed to lead the American League in home runs (22) and RBI (78). 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World $12.95. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. 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. Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. 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. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. 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. Top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards - Thrillpack Cards During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! Interestingly, Ryan's highest single-season strikeout total in nine years with the Houston Astros was only 270 in 1987, a year in which he also led the NL with a 2.76 ERA. Year-by-year ranking of the most valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards from 1952 to 2020. Average . 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. 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. Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s Price Guide & Values The card is currently worth $189.99. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. 1981 Topps. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection Cards. 25 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . However, when do you do it? 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. 1981 Topps Gary Carter Autograph Card, 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World, 19 Most Valuable 1976 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Most Valuable 1988 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Rarest and Most Valuable Quarters Worth Money, 24 Rarest and Most Valuable State Quarters Worth Money, 25 Rare 50 Dollar Bills: Value And Price Chart, 26 Rarest And Most Valuable Pennies Worth Money, 15 Rarest and Most Valuable Sacagawea Coins Worth Money, Rarest and Most Valuable Charizard Pokemon Cards, 29 Most Valuable Shaq Rookie Cards Ever Sold, 29 Most Valuable Frank Thomas Cards Youd Find On eBay, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Topps Baseball Cards, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Leaf Baseball Cards in the World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Upper Deck Baseball Cards Worth Money, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Skybox Basketball Cards For Collectors. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. 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. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . 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. 21 Most Valuable 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards I used to collect baseball cards as a kid and loved pulling out a pack of 1981 Topps Coca Cola cardstheir design was so much better than the regular issue and their limited print run made them seem much more valuable. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. This is a 1981 fleer rookie card with card number #418. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. This on-card autograph card is much rarer than the typically signed cards of this all-time great as it has been likely inscribed with an 81 HRC inscription commemorating this player being tied as the 1981 American League home run champion! Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. 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. 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron RC. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - DeansCards.com 1909 T206 Sherry Magee (Error) Price: $660,000. After the Royals split their first twenty games of the second half, he was fired, and former Yankees manager Dick Howser took the reins. 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. 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. To be fair, though, his innings pitched totals in Houston weren't as steep as those during his time in California, and his 11.5 strikeouts per nine innings in 1987 was the highest mark of his career. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. For his regular-season efforts, Rose earned the only Silver Slugger Award of his career, his 15th All-Star selection, and a tenth-place finish on the NL MVP ballot. 1981 Topps Basketball Cards - PSA Price Guide The continued adoption of Sabermetrics no doubt helped push him across the finish line and into Cooperstown. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. 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. Houston went just 28-29 in the first half but won the NL West's second half at 33-20. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. Plus Bonus Listings! However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards In the World To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. 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. Jackson's time in New York wasn't exactly smooth as he occasionally clashed with teammates, manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner, contributing to an environment that earned the team the nickname "The Bronx Zoo.". During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. Total Cards: 726. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. On the right side were four rows of six . He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1993. 6 Don Mattingly 1984 Donruss #248: One of the most . 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. The Reds finished a half-game behind the Dodgers in the NL West in the first half. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. Grade: PSA 10. Carew's career batting average ended up at .328, while his best single-season average was .388 in 1977. 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. . 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. 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. After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. 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. 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. Cal Ripken Jr. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 1984 Topps Football Cards: Most Valuable (Top Picks) - All Vintage Cards Incredibly consistent and productive during his 21 years in the Big Leagues, Murray ended his Hall of Fame career with 3,255 hits, 504 home runs, 1,917 RBI and set the all-time record for sacrifice flies with 128. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. 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. 724 Lou Piniella. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 206 Mike Schmidt Record Breaker - Phillies. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - Set Info and Best Cards - Sports Cards Rock 5 Most Valuable Baseball Cards 1980s - Nerdable.com And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. There are only 7 examples of this card in circulation at the time of this writing that have achieved that gradeso they're very scarce. 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.