Yet, Bench's lousy injury luck was the real story. Baseball Cards - 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs | PSA CardFacts George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. Ken Griffey Jr. After the 1986 season, Dawson left Montreal as a free agent for the Chicago Cubs, where he would become their everyday right fielder on a much more knee-friendly grass field. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? 10 Most Valuable 1980s Fleer Baseball Rookie Cards - Beckett News Most valuable baseball cards of the 1980s Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. $29. Most Expensive, He was even the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. Contents hide. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World Brock crossed the mark with a single on August 13, 1979 while Yaz hit a single of his own on September 12, 1979 to join the club. 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. Henderson was also top-notch on defense as he brought home his first-and-only Gold Glove. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . #8. 1981 Topps Basketball Cards - PSA Price Guide #10. SEE THE CARD HERE! 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. Schmidt was, arguably, the game's best player for the second-straight season. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Fleer 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. 1981 Topps Kellen Winslow Rookie Card (#150) Winslow took the big-bodied, good-hands tight end model that Newsome brought to the fore and ran with it (after the catch!). Top 10 Most Valuable: 1981 Topps Basketball. And the difference lies on the reverse of the card, as one version will point collectors to see card #251 for more Rose highlights while the other will direct them to see card #371 for more. 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. 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 twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. While they both made their MLB debuts in 1961, Brock would retire after the 1979 season with 3,023 hits while Yaz would stick around until 1983 and finished with 3,419 hits. Featured here is a rare rookie card from 1989 with an authenticated signature of Steve Avery. 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. Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). Smith earned the first of those Gold Gloves during the 1980 season when he also set the single-season record for most assists by a shortstop with an astronomical total of 621. 8. PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services Unlike George Brett's MVP card, Schmidt's featured an altogether different image than that of his base card. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. He also led the National League in runs scored (78) and walks (73). 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. 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. Card Number: #595. 1981 Topps Football Cards - 12 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods Who doesnt enjoy looking through their packs of cards whenever they find themselves in a fabled card shop. 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. 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. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. Ranking Every 1980-81 Topps Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Card 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s - Gold Card Auctions His standard base card (#574) is first and the card honoring his breaking of Ty Cobb's American League stolen base record (#351) follows. While George Brett lit up the AL in 1980, Mike Schmidt was doing the same in the NL and would take home his first of three career MVP Awards for his efforts. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. Players include Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Mike Trout. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. Top 100 1980s Baseball Cards and Why They're So Memorable - Beckett News SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. The first standalone Topps Traded set may belong to 1981, but the first card to really make the series a hobby burner belongs to 1982 and to Cal Ripken, Jr. . This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Over eighteen seasons in MLB, all with the Philadelphia Phillies, Schmidt won three MVPs, made twelve All-Star teams, won six Silver Sluggers, snagged ten Gold Gloves, and led the league in home runs eight times. Enrique Romo Navarro is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. Pate] #479. 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. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. The current worth of this card is $195. 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 2-time MVP, 19-time All-Star and record holder for most consecutive games played easily goes down in history as one of the greatest, if not the greatest, shortstops to play the game. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Which Are Most Valuable? - YouTube However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. The imagery on this card is some of the best on this list and in the set in general, as Topps perfectly captured Jackson taking a massive swing. He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 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. Cincinnati finished second in both halves of the 1981 split-season but ended the year with the best overall record in the National League. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . I remember several years ago you could find this card in a PSA 9 holder quite easily for $400 or so, which made it undervalued even back then. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. 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. Wilson hit a weak grounder towards Boston's Bill Buckner at first base, and the ball squeaked by him, allowing Wilson to reach first base safely while Ray Knight scored the winning run. Year-by-year ranking of the most valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards from 1952 to 2020. Brett was one of the finest hitters in baseball history, but I think what is most impressive was his longevity as a top hitter, having won a batting title in three different decades (1976, 1980, and 1990). Prices for 1982 Topps Baseball Cards 1982 Topps card list & price guide. Having earned the right to produce baseball cards in a court case with Topps, the 1981 Donruss set became the company's first baseball offering. An Enrique Romo Signed Baseball card that has been authenticated by a grading service is pretty hard to find. That season was the first time batted .300 or better, crossed the 30 home run mark, scored 100 runs or more and drove in 100 or more RBI. Even more impressive, his 1982 Topps issue wasn't his last card as he also made it into the 1983 Topps set. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. 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. 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson RC #482. Murray appeared in his second All-Star Game that season and finished things off with a fifth-place finish in the MVP vote, one of six times he finished in the top five in his storied career. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. 25 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards In The World I love both of these cards not so much because it's Reggie Jackson we're talking about, but because of all the 1980's awesomeness on display. He also paced the Majors in ERA+ (195) and hits per 9 innings (6.0). His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. 10 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards - Sports Card Investor Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. The defending AL champions were a mess early, though. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. Tim Haines finished second in Rookie of the Year voting, 19th in MVP, and earned his first All-Star selection. In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800. When it comes to Rookie Cards, 1981 Topps is one . Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps 21 Most Valuable 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. . Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $120. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. 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. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. 390 during the 1980 season. Heck, he even dated "Miss New York" Debra Sue Maurice from the Miss USA Beauty Pageant.