Baseball cards have been a beloved collectible for decades, with some cards dating back to the late 19th century. These cards not only hold sentimental value for fans and collectors, but they can also be incredibly valuable. While a few cards from other sports have $1 million, most of the most expensive cards are vintage baseball. While they may be out of reach for most collectors, they serve as a reminder of the enduring appeal of baseball and the nostalgia that these cards hold for fans and collectors alike. Here are the 5 most valuable baseball cards to date, as of January 2023:
5. 1909-1911 T206 Ty Cobb PSA 4.5 – $1.2 million
The 1909-11 Ty Cobb red background variation is an incredibly rare card from the T206 set. Only around 50 copies of this card are believed to still exist, making it one of the most valuable baseball cards in the world. In 2021, it sold for $1.2 million.
4. 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner PSA 5 – $3.12 million
Widely considered the “Holy Grail” of baseball cards, the T206 Honus Wagner is one of the rarest and most valuable cards in existence. Only around 200 copies of this card were ever printed, and fewer than 60 are believed to still be in existence today. In 2016, one of these cards sold for a then record-breaking $3.12 million at auction.
3. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle PSA10 – $5.2 million
The 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle is one of the most iconic baseball cards of all time. This card features a young Mantle at the start of his legendary career, and it is one of the most valuable cards from the 1950s. In 2021, a GEM-MT 10 condition copy of the card sold for a then-record $5.2 million
2. 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner SGC 3 – $6.6 million
SGC (Sports card Guaranty Corporation) is widely accepted as the leader in vintage baseball card grading. The previous record Wagner, in a PSA 5 (MC) was $3.12 million, but 5 years later in 2021, an SGC 3 copy sold for a new Wagner record $6.606 million at Robert Edwards Auctions.
1. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle, SGC 9.5 – $12.6 million
In August 2022, SGC again made hobby headlines with an all-time record sale of any baseball card, ever. An SGC 9.5 condition copy of the iconic Mickey Mantle rookie card sold for a record shattering $12.6 million at auction.
