Top 10 — Most Collected Players

[LincolnVT]

I’m sure that forms of this have been discussed before. Interested on peoples list of the top 10 most collected baseball players. Thinking this would be my list. Tough exercise.

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Ted Williams
Joe Jackson
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron

[T_Hamilton]

Nice list, thanks for getting us started...

I would sub out Ted Williams for Ken Griffey Jr, who seems to be one of the most collected players still today.

[rats60]

My list would be
Honus Wagner
Ty Cobb
Joe Jackson
Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Jackie Robinson
Mickey Mantle
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Roberto Clemente

[oldjudge]

I like Ethan's list except I would include Gehrig and delete Aaron. My real preference would be a list of 11 with both Gehrig and Aaron included.

[jsfriedm]

I don't think there are enough Wagners and Jacksons, especially at reasonable prices, to make them collectable for any but a small elite. I also don't think DiMaggio is quite up there. My (strictly vintage baseball) list would therefore be:

Babe Ruth
Lou Gehrig
Ty Cobb
Mickey Mantle
Willie Mays
Ted Williams
Henry Aaron
Jackie Robinson
Roberto Clemente

And for the 10th...Sandy Koufax?

[Rhotchkiss]

I collect mostly players from the turn of the century (1900s), so my personal list of players I collect are:

Honus Wagner
Ty Cobb
Babe Ruth
Joe Jackson
Cy Young
Christy Mathewson
Eddie Plank
Nap Lajoie
Lou Gehrig
Tris Speaker

That said, I recognize that 5 of the bottom 6 (excluding Gehrig) wouldn’t show up on most lists, and I think most would substitute at least Mantle, Mays, and Robinson; not sure the balance

[Jcfowler6]

Just to play devil’s advocate. Many people can’t collect those players because of cost. This may be better called “most desired” versus “most collected”.


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[LincolnVT]

Fair point.

Originally Posted by Jcfowler6

Just to play devil’s advocate. Many people can’t collect those players because of cost. This may be better called “most desired” versus “most collected”.


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[Neal]

Originally Posted by Jcfowler6

Just to play devil’s advocate. Many people can’t collect those players because of cost. This may be better called “most desired” versus “most collected”.


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120%

Who actually collects Honus Wagner, other than a few dozen?

If we are talking masses, Griffey is probably number one.

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[pokerplyr80]

My personal Top 10 in order is:

Mantle
Griffey
Ruth
Gehrig
Cobb
Wagner
Joe Jackson
Nolan Ryan
Jackie Robinson
Clemente

Honorable mention to Cy Young, Matty, Mays, and Hank Aaron.

If this were a poll of what we thought the top 10 in the hobby are, I'm not even sure Mantle or Ruth would make the list, all 10 would probably be modern.

Also I'd bet there a lot more Wagner collectors out there than Joe Jackson

I included a pic of a few of my favorites

[A2000]

I’d say Michael Jordan is more heavily collected than all the players on these top 10 lists combined.

[Peter_Spaeth]

The players I own 5 or more of are
Cobb
Ruth
Gehrig
DiMaggio
Williams
Musial
Mays
Aaron
Clemente
Jordan
Jim Brown

[todeen]

Originally Posted by A2000

I’d say Michael Jordan is more heavily collected than all the players on these top 10 lists combined.

probably correct, but I only collect baseball. so I didn't include any other sports.

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[puckpaul]

Originally Posted by Neal

120%

Who actually collects Honus Wagner, other than a few dozen?

If we are talking masses, Griffey is probably number one.

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What Griffey cards besides his UD Rookie are widely sought after?

[Bcwcardz]

Originally Posted by puckpaul

What Griffey cards besides his UD Rookie are widely sought after?

I’d say 1990s inserts. He’s been a easy sell for me for years. Some of the rare 90s inserts hit big money at auction. I’d say he’s widely collected. There does seem to be a preference of him in a Mariners uniform for a lot of collectors though.


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[todeen]

Originally Posted by puckpaul

What Griffey cards besides his UD Rookie are widely sought after?

Originally Posted by Bcwcardz

I’d say 1990s inserts. He’s been a easy sell for me for years. Some of the rare 90s inserts hit big money at auction. I’d say he’s widely collected. There does seem to be a preference of him in a Mariners uniform for a lot of collectors though.


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Oh, completely concur with Bcwcardz, his 90s inserts and autos are .

Off the top of my head, here are Griffey insert cards that are highly sought after....and some of these aren't that limited:
1993 Topps Finest Refractor
1994 UD Griffey and Mantle dual auto
1995 Stadium Club Ringmaster
1996 Topps Chrome Refractor
1997 UD Game Jersey (first relic set ever created)
90s UD Chirography
Late 90s Topps Gallery "Gallery of Heroes"
1995 Leaf Statistical Standouts
1998 Donruss Crusade
1994 - 1997 Flair Showcase Hot Glove



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[x2drich2000]

Originally Posted by LincolnVT

I’m sure that forms of this have been discussed before. Interested on peoples list of the top 10 most collected baseball players. Thinking this would be my list. Tough exercise.

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Ted Williams
Joe Jackson
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron

I would drop out Jackson, DiMaggio, and maybe Williams and add in Griffey, Ryan, and maybe Trout or Rose. As a group this board might not care, but modern is still part of the hobby.

[babraham]

Originally Posted by LincolnVT

I’m sure that forms of this have been discussed before. Interested on peoples list of the top 10 most collected baseball players. Thinking this would be my list. Tough exercise.

My list for my personal collecting would be:

Joe Jackson
Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Lou Gehrig
Mickey Mantle
Willie Mays
Hank Aaron
Kirby Puckett (was a big MN Twins fan growing up)
Rod Carew
Harmon Killebrew

[Touch'EmAll]

Most collected, hmm. For me, that is a balance between affordability and desirability: Walter Johnson, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, Nolan Ryan, Steph Curry, Walter Payton and Derrick Henry. If for some crazy reason I have big money burning a hole in my pocket - Cobb, Mathewson, Ruth & Ted Williams.

[MR RAREBACK]

ty cobb
mathewson
cy young
walter johnson
clemente
ruth
paige
Rod carew and Pete rose
hornsby
greenberg

[todeen]

I going to include up to ultra modern:
Cobb
Ruth
Gehrig
Mantle / or sub Jackie Robinson
Mays
Aaron / or sub Clemente
Henderson
Griffey
Trout
Ohtani (for international fame) / or sub Acuna Jr

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[ValKehl]

I'm really glad to see that Sam Rice isn't on anyone's list!

[brianp-beme]

I am approaching this from a strictly 20th century/Prewar point of view, and also from a 'Top 10 Most Desired' angle. Ted Williams and Joe DiMaggio were considered for the list, but since they were both at the start of their careers when WW2 lowered its boom, I decided instead to include a couple of others (Hornsby and Foxx) in their place.

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Joe Jackson
Lou Gehrig
Cy Young
Christy Mathewson
Walter Johnson
Rogers Hornsby
Jimmie Foxx

Brian

[Peter_Spaeth]

If the question is meant to include all collectors in the hobby, none of these lists is even close, with Tim's being the closest. Vintage is a small portion of the hobby now and probably has been for quite a while. Most people here are just listing their favorite players, predictably, but that is not the question. Joe Jackson in the top 10 collected players? Uh, no.

[mrreality68]

I would not take Wagner or Jackson off the list unless the criteria was changed. I understand based on prices cards are now tougher to buy. If the criteria was based on available to the masses then I could see potentially taking Jackson off the list I can understand since limited # and sets of cards resulted in low supply and high demand so higher prices. But there is a huge number of sets and cards that Wagner was in and there are still enough supply to make him having cards just as available and affordable as other stars on the list

[JustinD]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

If the question is meant to include all collectors in the hobby, none of these lists is even close, with Tim's being the closest. Vintage is a small portion of the hobby now and probably has been for quite a while. Most people here are just listing their favorite players, predictably, but that is not the question. Joe Jackson in the top 10 collected players? Uh, no.

Agreed.

I am not in a bubble on this and I thought last year BR did a decent research job to take all transactions into account. Unsurprisingly, the most veteran player was Trout -

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/...ll-card-market

This has likely changed a bit as modern changes with the winds, but the real talk is that my cards are nowhere near the masses due to cost and quantity. I think the question is not being answered, all of these are no where near the top 10 most collected players, but maybe somewhere in the top 10 most known players...likely that is still a stretch to the common collector under 35.

[Jcfowler6]

When I’m selling I get the most requests for

Clemente
Jackie Robinson
Mantle
Nolan Ryan
Jeter
Aaron
Koufax
HOF rookies


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[todeen]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

If the question is meant to include all collectors in the hobby, none of these lists is even close, with Tim's being the closest. Vintage is a small portion of the hobby now and probably has been for quite a while. Most people here are just listing their favorite players, predictably, but that is not the question. Joe Jackson in the top 10 collected players? Uh, no.

I agree with you. But I took into account desire to collect player XYZ. But I forgot Jackie Robinson. He is definitely top 10. I'm on Twitter, and the amount of buyers seeking Jackie Robinson is partially what inflated his prices during COVID.

Originally Posted by Jcfowler6

When I’m selling I get the most requests for

Clemente
Jackie Robinson
Mantle
Nolan Ryan
Jeter
Aaron
Koufax
HOF rookies

I forgot Jeter. That's a good choice. I'm not sure where I could fit him into my list though...I don't think I could trade out any of my modern players: Henderson, Griffey, Trout, Ohtani.

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[BeanTown]

Pre War for players I like (not most collected)
Cobb
Jackson
Gehrig
Young
Wagner
Ruth
DiMaggio
Williams
Mathewson
Johnson/Hornsby/Foxx

Postwar Cards in order:
Mantle
Clemente
Robinson, J
Jeter
Aaron
Ripken Jr
Rose
Griffey Jr
Trout
Mays/Ryan/Henderson/Ohtani/Acuna

[Johnny630]

This would be my Most Collected/Easily Liquidated/ Growth Investment Names

Ruth
Cobb
Wagner
J Jackson
J Robinson
Mantle
Mays
Clemente
Rose
Ryan

[mrreality68]

wow some great lists and I agree it is almost impossible to keep it to 10 and that is just in mlb

I like breaking it up by pre war and post war to give us 20 as Bean Town did

[Exhibitman]

Babe Ruth
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Michael Jordan
Muhammad Ali
Pele
Tom Brady
Roberto Clemente
Ohtani
LeBron James

Don't forget the rest of the world or the other sports. Their collector bases are worldwide. Also can't omit the moderns; their footprint is gigantic compared to vimtage. If limited to baseball:

Ruth
Mantle
Robinson
Clemente
Ohtani
Jeter
Griffey Jr.
Cobb
Gehrig
Ryan

[darwinbulldog]

As of last year, allegedly this is the top 10.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

As of last year, allegedly this is the top 10.

Much more representative of the broader hobby.

[robw1959]

These are my top ten, and I have at least two of each . . .

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Ted Williams
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Stan Musial

[jsfriedm]

Originally Posted by robw1959

These are my top ten, and I have at least two of each . . .

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Ted Williams
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Stan Musial

To paraphrase Casey Stengel, ya gotta have a pitcher, or you're not going to have any hits.

[puckpaul]

Originally Posted by robw1959

These are my top ten, and I have at least two of each . . .

Babe Ruth
Ty Cobb
Honus Wagner
Mickey Mantle
Jackie Robinson
Ted Williams
Lou Gehrig
Joe DiMaggio
Willie Mays
Stan Musial

Finally Stan the Man. He is really underrated, no?

[EddieP]

Originally Posted by darwinbulldog

As of last year, allegedly this is the top 10.

I think that list is a top 10 Flippers List.