1981 topps baseball cards most valuable 1981 topps baseball cards most valuable

This is a rare Topps card from 1981 containing his signature. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. In his first full season in the big leagues in 1981, Tim Haines batted .304 with 71 stolen bases in a strike-shortened seasonmaking an instant impression on fans with his ability to make players look foolish on the base paths. On the field, Jackson had his worst offensive season since his sophomore campaign as he slashed a modest .237/.330/.428 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. He also led all of baseball with 89 runs scored and led the American League in stolen bases (56) and hits (135). Inc. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. It's no wonder why, considering how Henderson's a beloved figure in the sport whose '81 campaign included a .319 batting average, a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a second-place MVP . Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. 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. Growing up in Central Indiana surrounded by Cubs fans, I would hear about Dawson constantly as fans absolutely loved the guy, and rightly so. Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 19. 8. Track your collection for free. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. 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. The three-time MVP would smash 548 home runs over his career as he led the league in that category an amazing 8 times. This card has been signed by him and is currently worth $49. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. The problem was that the 33-year-old Bench simply wasn't healthy. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Mookie came up big for the Mets again in Game 7, going 1 for 3 with a run scored to help the Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5 to win the title. 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. 10. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. In fact, between June 2021 and May 2022, this Ripken collectible in a PSA 10 sold for under $4,000 just once. Today only a graded high-condition example gets that kind of money. 1982 Donruss. 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). Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . #5. Rookie Card (1982 Topps - Card #21), $700 (Photo: Amazon.com) Here is another player who enjoyed a long MLB career, spending it all with the Baltimore Orioles starting in 1981. 1909 T206 Sherry Magee (Error) Price: $660,000. 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. PSA 6. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. 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. Struggling through back issues and other accumulated aches and pains, Yastrzemski had the worst offensive season of his 21-year career thus far. But rather than hanging them up after the season, Yastrzemski got to work. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. In the tenth inning of Game 6 of the 1986 World Series, Wilson stepped up to the plate with runners on first and third with his team trailing 5-4. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Fleer listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. 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 card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. 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. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. And, in this guide, we look at the 25 most valuable. 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. 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. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Many thought his career was slowly but surely coming to an end. If you do the math on those 2,416 strikeouts he accumulated during his time with the Angels, that meant he averaged302 strikeouts per season, a mark many pitchers would be lucky to reach even once during their careers. He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. 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. Heck, he even dated "Miss New York" Debra Sue Maurice from the Miss USA Beauty Pageant. Within the set were also several different subsets, including: The colorful design and decent photography give this set an overall great look and feel, with many cards having fantastic eye appeal. 726 cards. 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. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. Price: $299.99. 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. After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. - http://bit.ly/W. 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. 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. The nerve! He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . Cards like this tend to have more value than regular ones. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. . The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. Rookie Cards: Options . Featured here is a rare rookie card from 1989 with an authenticated signature of Steve Avery. 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. 726 Rick Monday. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . Getting hands on a card like this is pretty difficult. 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. 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. 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. And, yes, it would've been nice to see rookie cards of Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines and Kirk Gibson as well. Now anchoring the back of the Brewers bullpen, Fingers won by a mere eleven points. 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 1982 season saw Henderson set a single-season best for stolen bases as he swiped a ridiculous 130 bases in total. 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. 1. Canadian baseball cards printed in the French language are uncommon, which shows on this baseball card as it is bi-lingual. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 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. 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. 725 Steve Rogers. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 721 Toby Harrah. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. His .246 batting average and .355 slugging percentage were also career lows. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). buy stuff after clicking links on our site It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. The move worked as the Royals responded by winning 20 of their last 33 to make the playoffs. 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. He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). The 1981 season was the seventh and final time. List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; However, when do you do it? 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 . 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. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. Henderson was also top-notch on defense as he brought home his first-and-only Gold Glove. SEE THE CARD HERE! Here are the top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards: #15 1978 Topps Nolan Ryan #400 Recent sale: $898 . 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. 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. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 206 Mike Schmidt Record Breaker - Phillies. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services The NL Rookie of the Year Award was close, with Raines receiving 85 vote points to Valenzuela's 107, but the Expos and all of baseball knew that Raines was something special. 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. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. 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. Ultimately, the Padres and Cardinals would complete a multi-player trade before the 1982 season that sent Templeton to San Diego and Smith to St. Louis, where he would play the next fifteen years and become a Cardinals icon. 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. 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. To top it all off, he earned his sixth All-Star selection, sixth Gold Glove, and second Silver Slugger award. Despite the poor production, Jackson still earned a spot on the All-Star team for the eleventh time in his career. Although Riley wasnt very popular, he was a Major League Baseball pitcher. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. Aurelio Alejandro Lpez Rios was a Mexican professional baseball player. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. 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. 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. . 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. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. This card is worth $45 but could go higher. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . After the 1981 season, however, Ainge decided to call it quits with baseball. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. . 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. 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. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. $9.99. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. Although the 1980 season would mark the first of a nine-year stint for Nolan Ryan with the Houston Astros, Topps still had to show him as a member of the California Angels because of the timing of their print run for their 1980 Topps set. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! In 1981, the 6'5 monster recorded his second straight 1000-yard season and led all of football with 88 catches. Murray's first three seasons in the Majors were incredibly productive, but he kicked things up a notch in 1980 as he batted .300, belted 32 home runs, scored 100 runs and drove in another 116. 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. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. 723 Bruce Bochte. His combination of speed and power was simply some of the greatest the game has ever seen. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. 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. 1981 Topps. As his time with the Yankees had come to a close, Jackson packed his bag and headed back to the West Coast, signing to play for the California Angels. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. It has been authenticated and graded a 10 by Beckett Authentication Services. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. Read our methodology. Most Expensive 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 . 9 Roger Clemens #530. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. 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. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 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. And unlike Brett, Schmidt followed up his 1980 MVP campaign with another one during the 1981 season. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. 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. 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). The current value of this baseball card is $199.99, it has the signature of Tim Raines. Boggs was a perennial contender for American League batting titles during the 1980s and 1990s. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. During the offseason, the Padres and Cardinals worked a multi-player deal headlined by sending Smith to St. Louis and Garry Templeton to San Diego. Murray was one of the greatest first basemen to ever play the game but his cards seem to be a bit overlooked at times. 722 Joe Niekro. On September 26, 1981, Houston Astros ace Nolan Ryan passed Sandy Koufax with a record fifth no-hitter on national television against Koufax's old team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. 3. 724 Lou Piniella. SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. Fans and media began to take note of his incredible defensive talent, giving him the nickname "The Wizard.". 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. Throughout his career, Carter was known for his hitting and excellent defense, as well as his ability to handle pitchers. And, if you look back at his stats for his rookie campaign in the 1982 season, there really was no reason he shouldn't have made the All-Star team that year, too. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. Tags 1981 Topps Baseball. #6. He struggled in 1980 (by his terms) with a career-worst 3.64 ERA and a career-low ten wins. 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. 2 prospect in baseball at the start of the 1997 season after hitting . Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All 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. Yet, Bench's lousy injury luck was the real story.