Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 1202 items 0% Track your collection for free. $9.99. Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 12. And unlike Brett, Schmidt followed up his 1980 MVP campaign with another one during the 1981 season. 1. Its one thing to have an expos future stars card signed by one of the 3 players, however, the value and rarity goes all the way up when you have the signatures of two players on one card. In 1981, Donruss and Fleer gave Topps some much-needed competition. And, over the next twenty-two years, he would develop into one of the greatest players of his era with twelve All-Star selections, seven Gold Gloves and six Silver Sluggers to his name. 390 during the 1980 season. While it's not known for any iconic cards like some of the other sets of the era, the 1981 Donruss baseball card set is iconic itself for one reason: collectors now had an alternative choice to Topps for the first time in years. You can't help but think Topps was trying to produce as many cards as possible to keep collectors interested and to try and keep Donruss and Fleer, who had joined the scene in 1981, at bay. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. A rare 1980/81 baseball card. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Had Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela's not been so dominant in 1981, dousing the baseball world in "Fernandomania," Seaver would have earned his fourth Cy Young as he finished runner-up. The legal system would clear the way for Donruss and Fleer to enter the market in 1981, sparking a ramp-up in competition that led to an overheated decade of baseball card production. 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. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. For his regular-season efforts, Rose earned the only Silver Slugger Award of his career, his 15th All-Star selection, and a tenth-place finish on the NL MVP ballot. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Brett's performance at the plate put him well above Milwaukee's Cecil Cooper and his own impressive .352 average to earn his second of three career batting titles. 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. But, for the 1982 season, Smith would never actually suit up for the Padres as he was traded to St. Louis for another highly-regarded shortstop in Garry Templeton. He is the younger brother of Vicente Romo, who also pitched in the majors. Had Fred Lynn (.333) not barely edged out Brett (.329) for the title in 1979, then they would've had all nine of them. Jackson's time in New York wasn't exactly smooth as he occasionally clashed with teammates, manager Billy Martin and owner George Steinbrenner, contributing to an environment that earned the team the nickname "The Bronx Zoo.". 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. Murray was one of the greatest first basemen to ever play the game but his cards seem to be a bit overlooked at times. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. Even more impressive, his 1982 Topps issue wasn't his last card as he also made it into the 1983 Topps set. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. The right card could make you rich. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. In those 108 games, they played at Fenway Park where they had a record of 56-52. The previous record which he broke was 601 assists by a shortstop was done by Glenn Wright of the pirates. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. However, the turf at Olympic Stadium didn't do Dawson any favors resulting in knee problems that would hamper his speed later in his career. You are looking at a 1981 Topps Rookie Card hand-signed by George Riley. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps On the field, Jackson had his worst offensive season since his sophomore campaign as he slashed a modest .237/.330/.428 with 15 home runs and 54 RBI. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. From there you can also add a Card to your collection or wishlist. JB's 1981 Fleer card is a $5 (or so) buy in PSA 9 condition. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. In total, Henderson led the league in stolen bases . Card Number: #418. And he struck fear into opposing pitchers at the plate, especially when Joe Morgan and Pete Rose got on base ahead of him, as he was an RBI machine, leading the league three times. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 202 Steve Carlton Record Breaker - Phillies. Things weren't always rocky during Jackson's time in New York, though, as they did win back-to-back World Series titles in 1977 and 1978. 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. Read our methodology. The 1981 season stands out for Eddie Murray in a unique way: somehow, it was the only season where he managed to lead the American League in home runs (22) and RBI (78). 726 cards. 1961 Topps Willie Mays All-Star (#579) Here is a case where card scarcity and an immortal of the game conspire to generate a value anomaly an All-Star card worth more than the base card of the same player. He played most of his career with the St Louis Cardinals and New York Mets. Most Watched Baseball Cards. Cheapest, Aurelio Alejandro Lpez Rios was a Mexican professional baseball player. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. 1909 T206 Sherry Magee (Error) Price: $660,000. 722 Joe Niekro. 50. Thats why everyone is constantly asking the question: What are the most valuable 1981 Topps baseball cards?. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. However, his relationship with the San Diego Padres ownership continued to sour and by season's end, both were looking to move on from each other. His 94 runs scored and 111 RBI were also high marks for Jackson during his time in the Bronx, and by season's end, he would collect his first of two career Silver Slugger awards and finished second in MVP voting. . Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. 1981 Topps. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Tags 1981 Topps Baseball. 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. Inc. This card features the professional baseball player Danny Ainge. Growing up in Central Indiana surrounded by Cubs fans, I would hear about Dawson constantly as fans absolutely loved the guy, and rightly so. 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. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. The Boston Celtics drafted Ainge in the 1981 NBA Draft and bought his contract from the Blue Jays and the rest was history. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn Rookie Card. . And ever since his induction into the Hall of Fame, his 1981 Donruss rookie card has enjoyed a nice bump in value. Cal Ripken Jr. After tallying 138 wins and 2,416 strikeouts over eight seasons with the California Angles, Nolan Ryan signed a $4.5 million four-year deal with the Houston Astros during the 1979 offseason. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Baseball; Sets; 1981; Overview; 1981 Topps. 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. Ozzie was always one of my favorite players to watch as a kid as his acrobatic defensive play left fans in awe time after time as he went on to collect 13 Gold Glove awards. He won the World Series with the Yankees in 1996. Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. 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. Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Like his base card, his All-Star card is just as tough to find in PSA 10 condition and also carries a large price tag. While they used to be a bit overlooked, it's nice to see the 1980 Topps baseball set getting more love in recent years. He was even the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. Because of his career accomplishments and his overpowering style, Ryan remains one of the game's most popular players to ever play and you'll see his name in just about every set's log of key 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. Ungraded. Local card shops, department stores and gas stations-- to say boxes of these cards were everywhere might be the understatement of the decade. One of the most beloved New York Mets in franchise history, Mookie Wilson finished seventh in the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year race and went on to a very successful career until he retired in 1991. And they delivered a great set with many stars and Hall of Famersand one of the biggest rookie cards of the 1980s. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. Read our methodology. 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. The greatest catcher of all time, Johnny Bench played in seventeen seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 1967 to 1983, and in 2011 the team erected a statue in his honor at Great American Ballpark. The problem was that the 33-year-old Bench simply wasn't healthy. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. Seaver would play one more year for the Reds in 1982 when he posted a 5-13 record before heading back to the New York Mets the following year. 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. 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. 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. Before the season, Steinbrenner went to Jackson for his thoughts on the team's pursuit of free-agent slugger Dave Winfield. He was named Player of the Decade by The Sporting News at the end of his career. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. Pate] #479. Boggs reached 3,000 hits during his career and became the 23rd player to do so. The Reds put him at first base for the first time as he dealt with nagging injuries. Jackson found a groove in the team's ALDS victory over the Milwaukee Brewers, hitting .300 with a .933 OPS, two home runs, and four RBI. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. Considered by many to be the best defensive shortstop of all time, Smith won an incredible thirteen Gold Gloves over nineteen seasons in Major League Baseball. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . During his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. 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. They finished the season with a .546 winning percentage in front of 1,060,379 fans who saw them play. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. . The 1981 Canadian version of the 1981 Nolan Ryan Topps baseball card came from O-Pee-Chee at a time when there were two Canadian teams registered in MLB. 1981 Topps Baseball Set Checklist. The 1981 O-Pee-Chee features the Canadian version of the 1981 Topps set, where it is uncommon to see French on an MLB card. For 15 seasons from 1982 to 1996, Smith was a key cog in the Cardinals lineup as he went on to win 11 more Gold Gloves and appear in 14 more All-Star Games. So for our purpose, the most expensive Nolan Ryan rookie card is the 1969 Topps RC which is valued at $20,000, give or take a thousand. That means the card needs to be flawless. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. 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. Checklist Top. The season was noted for the change in playoff format, which created the first-ever Divisional Series with a qualification variant that existed only for that season; and the players strike, which truncated the regular season. As their everyday first baseman, that put Rose on the opposite corner of the field as Phillies icon Mike Schmidt at third. 724 Lou Piniella. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. This was limited to only 504 serial-numbered porcelain cards made and it has already been authenticated by Global Authentics (GAI). Tom Seaver came within a handful of votes of winning his fourth Cy Young on the 1981 season with an incredible pitching display that saw him lead the Majors in wins (14) and winning percentage (.875). 2017-18 Panini National Treasures Donovan Mitchell RC Auto Patch /99. Houston went just 28-29 in the first half but won the NL West's second half at 33-20. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. Rookie Cards: Options . Rookie Cards. Heck, he even dated "Miss New York" Debra Sue Maurice from the Miss USA Beauty Pageant. While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. 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. Despite the ups and downs, there isplentyto enjoy about this set. 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. He helped to redefine the value of relievers within baseball and ushered in the modern closer role. And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom. Enrique Romo Navarro is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. But, this will always be the set that got their foot into the red-hot market of the 1980s. $195. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. On September 26, 1981, Houston Astros ace Nolan Ryan passed Sandy Koufax with a record fifth no-hitter on national television against Koufax's old team, the Los Angeles Dodgers. Yes, the checklist is quite messy at times with the errors and variations. 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. . Read our methodology . Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800. Card Number: #595. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. He did his best, hitting .333 with a 1.095 in the final three games, but New York dropped all three and the series. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. 1981 Donruss. 6 Rickey Henderson #180. However, when do you do it? 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. Seaver was nothing short of incredible for the Reds that season but Los Angeles's Fernando Valenzuela was just a bit better and out-pointed Seaver in the Cy Young vote 70 to 67. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps The player who played the most games at first base in major league history was Eddie Murray, who amassed 2,413-lifetime games at the position along with nearly 600 more as a designated hitter. Most Valuable Baseball Cards of All Time . Read our methodology. The reverse of the card mentions that over the last nine seasons dating back to 1972, Brett (2) and Carew (6) had combined to win eight batting titles. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. . Keith was a baseball first baseman. Still, as one of the game's greatest leadoff hitters and baserunners, he was overdue to get in anyway. 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. Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie. #9. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps rookie card. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. Track your collection for free. 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 #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. 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.