Top Ten

[GaryPassamonte]

I was looking through some old catalogs and books this morning and picked up a 1980 Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide. Included in the guide was a top ten list of cards from the collection of Barry Halper. This got me thinking about what would be today's top ten most valuable baseball cards. To come up with cards that are truly the most valuable, I am asking this question for cards in the lowest grades PSA 1, Sgc 10, or authentic grades. I am asking what cards would be the most valuable regardless of condition. This caveat would exclude post war cards completely, including the 1952 Topps Mantle. which "only" sells for maybe a couple thousand dollars in the lowest grades. Obviously the T206 Wagner would be there, but I'm interested in which other cards would make your list.

[seablaster]

I'd think a Baltimore News Ruth would make the cut as would the N172 Anson in uniform.

[phikappapsi]

E90-1 Jackson. T206 plank

[Rhotchkiss]

I don’t know pre 1900, and I am sure there are many/several. Off the top of my, sitting in the stands at my son’s wrestling match:

T206 wagner
Baltimore news Ruth
M101-5 Ruth (and related)
1915 Red Sox post card (w/ Ruth)
W600 Cobb
T206 Cobb, Cobb back
T206 Plank
T210 Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Matty
1933 Goudey Lajoie

[Leon]

1893 Just So Cy Young.

[x2drich2000]

T206 Doyle
E107 Wagner & Mathewson

And 1 post-war that comes to mind is the 1961 Dice Mantle, a PSA 1 sold for over $100k in REA last year.

[CuriousGeorge]

As I’m looking at your list and seeing how many I have I keep getting screwed up and then finally I count and there’s 11! Can we remove the Goudey Lajoie since I don’t have that one?

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

I don’t know pre 1900, and I am sure there are many/several. Off the top of my, sitting in the stands at my son’s wrestling match:

T206 wagner
Baltimore news Ruth
M101-5 Ruth (and related)
1915 Red Sox post card (w/ Ruth)
W600 Cobb
T206 Cobb, Cobb back
T206 Plank
T210 Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Matty
1933 Goudey Lajoie

[RedsFan1941]

Originally Posted by CuriousGeorge

As I’m looking at your list and seeing how many I have I keep getting screwed up and then finally I count and there’s 11! Can we remove the Goudey Lajoie since I don’t have that one?

goudey lajoie wouldn’t be in the top ten anyway

[CuriousGeorge]

Originally Posted by RedsFan1941

goudey lajoie wouldn’t be in the top ten anyway

Please list yours.

[ullmandds]

The list from back then would differ greatly from the list today if you are basing your list just on values or sold prices. Do a search for the 10 biggest prices baseball cards I’ve ever sold for eliminating duplicates and there is your answer.

If you’re talking top 10 most desirable cards in the hobby that’s a totally different story.

[RedsFan1941]

Originally Posted by CuriousGeorge

Please list yours.

in no particular order and keeping in mind that condition doesn’t matter

t206 wagner
T206 Doyle
T206 plank
Balt news Ruth
Anson uniform
Cobb/Cobb
M101-4 Ruth
E107 Mathewson
Boston garter jackson
T210 jackson

I am light on 19th century cards. not my area of knowledge. the first 6 or so on the list are no brainers. lots of cards can fill the 7-10 slots. all of them are expensive to ship.

[Rhotchkiss]

Since I can’t even count to 10, then what credibility is there any list I make?!?! Sure, ditch the 33 Goudey Lajoie, but I like the t206 Doyle (forgot that one). The e107 Matty and Wags are interesting too, as is the e90-1 Jackson. I think if it was top 15, this would be easy. It’s those final 5 in the top 10 that are tough

[CuriousGeorge]

We both have a long way still to go.

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

Since I can’t even count to 10, then what credibility is there any list I make?!?! Sure, ditch the 33 Goudey Lajoie, but I like the t206 Doyle (forgot that one). The e107 Matty and Wags are interesting too, as is the e90-1 Jackson. I think if it was top 15, this would be easy. It’s those final 5 in the top 10 that are tough

[Aquarian Sports Cards]

Originally Posted by CuriousGeorge

As I’m looking at your list and seeing how many I have I keep getting screwed up and then finally I count and there’s 11! Can we remove the Goudey Lajoie since I don’t have that one?

[rats60]

Originally Posted by Rhotchkiss

I don’t know pre 1900, and I am sure there are many/several. Off the top of my, sitting in the stands at my son’s wrestling match:

T206 wagner
Baltimore news Ruth
M101-5 Ruth (and related)
1915 Red Sox post card (w/ Ruth)
W600 Cobb
T206 Cobb, Cobb back
T206 Plank
T210 Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Jackson
1914 Cracker Jack Matty
1933 Goudey Lajoie

The problem is do we count cards that are 1/1 like the Just So Cy Young? The Baltimore News Ruth has 4 copies I believe. If that is on the list, then the t206 Doyle which I believe there are 9-10 Is on the list. What are the populations of the W600 Cobb or the Red Sox PC? Or does the card need a population sufficient enough to be sold on a regular basis?

For example the cheapest sale on a Lajoie the last couple years was 22k for a PSA 2. A PSA 2 mk CJ Jackson sold for 19k. A PSA 1 CJ Matty sold for 14k. So if we take your list, which presents 11 worthy candidates, how would we choose one or two of these 3? Or do we cut the low pop cards to pick cards that are easier to value?

[Rhotchkiss]

Steve, great questions. If we are going pure value, which is what I think the OP asked, I recognize that several on my list will fall away for very rare examples (as you point out). And actually, value should be easy with a little research. I just rattled off what I think are the 11 (bc I cant count) most iconic cards from 1900-1933, many of which will also be most valuable, but some of which will not. As Pete points out, the list for iconic is likely fairly different from most expensive/valuable.

[oldjudge]

T206 Wagner
Baltimore News Ruth
Anson in Uniform
Just So Young
1869 Cincinnati Peck and Snyder TRADE CARD (not more common CdV)
Cobb with Cobb back
1860 Brooklyn Atlantic's CdV
Cobb W600
Ruth M101-5 Ad back (blank backs less valuable)
T210 Jackson


All of the above should exceed $100,000 with a number grade. The Buttercream Ruth and Doyle NY could fit also.

[CuriousGeorge]

Incredible list Jay! A lot of very tough ones there.

Originally Posted by oldjudge

T206 Wagner
Baltimore News Ruth
Anson in Uniform
Just So Young
1869 Cincinnati Peck and Snyder TRADE CARD (not more common CdV)
Cobb with Cobb back
1860 Brooklyn Atlantic's CdV
Cobb W600
Ruth M101-5 Ad back (blank backs less valuable)
T210 Jackson


All of the above should exceed $100,000 with a number grade. The Buttercream Ruth and Doyle NY could fit also.

[oldjudge]

Originally Posted by CuriousGeorge

Incredible list Jay! A lot of very toughr ones there.

LOL, I wish that was my card inventory. The interesting thing is that no one collector owns every card on the list. In fact, I believe every collector is missing at least two of the ten cards.

[GaryPassamonte]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

T206 Wagner
Baltimore News Ruth
Anson in Uniform
Just So Young
1869 Cincinnati Peck and Snyder TRADE CARD (not more common CdV)
Cobb with Cobb back
1860 Brooklyn Atlantic's CdV
Cobb W600
Ruth M101-5 Ad back (blank backs less valuable)
T210 Jackson


All of the above should exceed $100,000 with a number grade. The Buttercream Ruth and Doyle NY could fit also.

Jay - The Peck and Snyder trade card is actually more plentiful in the combined PSA and SGC population reports. Total graded 34 with only 13 being cdvs. I was a little surprised at this.

[benjulmag]

Originally Posted by GaryPassamonte

Jay - The Peck and Snyder trade card is actually more plentiful in the combined PSA and SGC population reports. Total graded 34 with only 13 being cdvs. I was a little surprised at this.

Yes, but of the 21 that are P&S trade cards, how many are untrimmed? My guess is the (great) majority are trimmed.

[Baseball Rarities]

Originally Posted by rats60

The problem is do we count cards that are 1/1 like the Just So Cy Young? The Baltimore News Ruth has 4 copies I believe. If that is on the list, then the t206 Doyle which I believe there are 9-10 Is on the list. What are the populations of the W600 Cobb or the Red Sox PC? Or does the card need a population sufficient enough to be sold on a regular basis.

There are 10 or 11 Baltimore News Ruth cards. I know of 6 W600 Cobbs. I would guess that there are 15 or so 1915 Red Sox postcards.

Originally Posted by oldjudge

If the card wouldn't sell for over $100,000 as a PSA1 it should not be on the list. This eliminates the Plank.

Jay - Do you think that a P&S Trade Card would sell for $100K in a 1? Also, I do not think that most M101-5/4 Ruth cards in a 1 would sell for $100K.

[oldjudge]

The question was what are the ten most valuable cards, not most valuable cards with ten or more copies. The Just So Young absolutely belongs on the list even though it is currently unique, and the T206 Plank absolutely does not. Supply does not solely determine value. There are plenty of unique cards that don’t carry a six figure price tag.

[rats60]

Originally Posted by oldjudge

The question was what are the ten most valuable cards, not most valuable cards with ten or more copies. The Just So Young absolutely belongs on the list even though it is currently unique, and the T206 Plank absolutely does not. Supply does not solely determine value. There are plenty of unique cards that don’t carry a six figure price tag.

Sure, but the t206 Doyle absolutely would. It is more valuable than Cobb/Cobb or t210 Jackson and probably several others on your list.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by GaryPassamonte

I was looking through some old catalogs and books this morning and picked up a 1980 Sport Americana Baseball Card Price Guide. Included in the guide was a top ten list of cards from the collection of Barry Halper. This got me thinking about what would be today's top ten most valuable baseball cards. To come up with cards that are truly the most valuable, I am asking this question for cards in the lowest grades PSA 1, Sgc 10, or authentic grades. I am asking what cards would be the most valuable regardless of condition. This caveat would exclude post war cards completely, including the 1952 Topps Mantle. which "only" sells for maybe a couple thousand dollars in the lowest grades. Obviously the T206 Wagner would be there, but I'm interested in which other cards would make your list.

Why not post the 1980 list?