1981 topps baseball cards most valuable

Cal Ripken Jr. 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson RC #482. So, for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll have to be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. Card Number: #595. Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. Contact him at [emailprotected]. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 865 items Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads about 1981 Topps Baseball Cards.When 1981 Topps baseball cards hit store shelves that spring, they were playing in a brav. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. 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. 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. He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie card, . At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. And they delivered a great set with many stars and Hall of Famersand one of the biggest rookie cards of the 1980s. That season set the tone for a reputation that Dawson would carve out as a player with an incredible mix of speed and power as he was seemingly always a lock for 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases throughout his time in Montreal. Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. 9 Roger Clemens #530. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. Beginning with the 1977-78 NCAA Basketball season, Ainge starred for Brigham Young University and capped things off in 1981 by being named a first-team All-American and winning the John Wooden Award as the nation's best player. . This card features the professional baseball player Danny Ainge. 6) 1981 Topps Traded Rollie Fingers (#761) This may be the most iconic 1981 baseball card of all, thanks to 1) Fingers signature mustache, 2) the old-school kneeling pose, 3) the Cy Young-MVP twofer Rollie pulled off in 1981, and the 1982 Topps Kmart set that immortalized the entire card in miniature. Rod Carew and George Brett were not only two of the greatest hitters of their era but of all time, so seeing them both on the same card is quite a treat. He was even the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. Inc. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. 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. In this guide, I will cover the 25 most valuable in the set. That means the card needs to be flawless. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. 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. Smith felt more welcomed by the Cardinals ownership and management and settled in quite nicely to be one of the franchise's most beloved players in team history. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Pictured as a member of the New York Yankees, Jackson was actually traded to the California Angels for the 1982 season where he'd play for five seasons before heading back to Oakland for one final season. #6. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. 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. With ten Gold Gloves to show for it, Bench was a monster on defense with a rifle for an arm and an ability to throw out would-be base stealers with extreme precision. Only Tony Gwynn had come closer to batting .400 or better since Ted Williams last did it in 1941 when Gwynn batted .394 in 110 games during the strike-shortened 1994 season. SEE THE CARD HERE! List; Gallery; Gallery - 6 Cards per Page; Gallery - 8 Cards per Page; Gallery - 9 Cards per Page; PSA 6. Description Card Number NM-MT 8 MT 9 GEM-MT 10; Larry Bird (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 4: 185+ 770+ 21,500+ Kareem Abdul-Jabbar (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 20: 45: 135+ 1,400-Magic Johnson (HOF) Shop with Affiliates 21: 170-850 Most Watched Baseball Cards. . After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn Rookie Card. In the teams first game back following the players strike, the 40-year-old recorded hit number 3,631, passing Stan Musial as the National Leagues all-time hits leader. 1. The 1981 season was the seventh and final time. 1981 Topps #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. 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. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. February 20, 2023; Super Bowl Delivers . He was named Rolaids Relief Man of the Year four times and led the major leagues in saves three times. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Baseball Cards. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. It has been certified authentic by Beckett Authentication (BAS) and comes encapsulated in their tamper-proof holder. Contact him at [emailprotected]. The current worth of this card is $195. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. Read our methodology. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,700. The last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. 1981 Topps. Contents hide. Keith was a baseball first baseman. Seaver was great in Cincinnati, but he just wasn'tas greatas he was with the Mets up to that point. The 1981 Topps Scratchoffs was a 108-card baseball set distributed on perforated three-card panels measuring 3-14" by 5-1/4". 723 Bruce Bochte. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. This is a 1981 fleer rookie card with card number #418. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. The Phillies had won the NL East for three straight seasons from 1976-1978, so Rose was supposed to be the guy who would finally put them over the top. 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. Grade. Roland Glen Fingers was an American right-handed relief pitcher who played for three teams between 1968 and 1985. Raines showed the world that Rickey Henderson wasn't the only guy who could light up the basepaths as he led the Majors with 71 stolen bases while slashing .304/.391.438. Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. He won the American League MVP award with one of the best offensive seasons in league history, flirted with .400, and made his first World Series appearance. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. And he didn't lose any steam in the postseason, either, as he would end up leading the Phillies to the World Series title while batting .381, belting two home runs, driving in seven RBI, and scoring six runs. Coming off a 1980 season in which he finished runner-up for the AL MVP award, New York Yankees right fielder Reggie Jackson looked to keep the momentum going in 1981. In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. Featured here is a rare rookie card from 1989 with an authenticated signature of Steve Avery. 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. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. 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. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded 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. Rose collected 140 hits in 1981, slashing .325/.391/.390 in his third year with the Philadelphia Phillies. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. His struggles didn't last long, though, and maybe it was seeing Mike Schmidt win back-to-back MVPs in 1980 and 1981 because, by the following year, Murphy's production skyrocketed as he'd go on to win back-to-back MVPs of his own in 1982 and 1983. 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. However, his production was never quite the same from 1988 until he finished his career with the Colorado Rockies in 1993. The three-time MVP would smash 548 home runs over his career as he led the league in that category an amazing 8 times. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. "I've learned to stay within myself, not be afraid to fail.". 1981 Topps Kirk Gibson RC #315. . While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. 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. 726 cards. He was nicknamed Mex because his name suggested that he was of Mexican descent. But, you'll remember that by 1982, Topps was no longer the only major company producing baseball cards as both Donruss and Fleer had joined the scene the year prior. 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. 3. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. 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. 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. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. One thing I always found a bit strange about Yount's career was that he was a two-time MVP but appeared in just three All-Star games, the lowest amount of any Hall of Famer since the game's inception.