1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. After the 1981 season, however, Ainge decided to call it quits with baseball. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Most of Tom Seaver's pitching brilliance occurred during his first eleven seasons in the Majors with the New York Mets as he was named 1967 Rookie of the Year and won three Cy Youngs (1969, 1973, and 1975) during that time. Or, feel free to call/text me at 305-684-6680! Top 10 Most Valuable: 1981 Topps Basketball. Thats why everyone is constantly asking the question: What are the most valuable 1981 Topps baseball cards?. Their scarcity is a result of several situations that can apply to baseball card collecting. It has been certified authentic by Beckett Authentication (BAS) and comes encapsulated in their tamper-proof holder. To make things even stranger, you could even say that Rose appeared on fourcards in this set because this one comes in two variations. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . 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. The continued adoption of Sabermetrics no doubt helped push him across the finish line and into Cooperstown. At the time, everyone thought the Padres were getting the better end of the deal as Templeton was a much better hitter. And he was still very much a respectable pitcher during his time in Cincinnati from 1977 to 1982 as he'd win around 15 games regularly, made two All-Star teams and even finished second in the Cy Young vote for the 1981 season. Plus Bonus Listings! Here is a quick rundown of those most valuable 1982 Topps baseball cards, based on recent sales for copies graded PSA 9 and presented in numerical order. 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. The 1977 AL Rookie of the Year, Eddie Murray made his cardboard debut in the 1978 Topps set, making his rookie card one of the most iconic of the 1970s. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. 0% 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Despite missing the call to the Hall, Murphy was a hero to many kids who collected during his brilliant run in the 1980s, and today those kids are adult collectors with money to spare, keeping his cards in decent demand. Ultimately, Winfield decided to play baseball for the San Diego Padres beginning in 1973. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. 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. 2. In 1981, Schmidt became the eighth player in MLB history to do just that. 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. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. There are no scratches, bends, or folds. 1909 T206 Sherry Magee (Error) Price: $660,000. Bench is somewhat of an anomaly on this list, showing up with only one 1981 Fleer card, and all. While they used to be a bit overlooked, it's nice to see the 1980 Topps baseball set getting more love in recent years. His .246 batting average and .355 slugging percentage were also career lows. 3. . 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. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. The following season, Seaver was as sharp as ever as he finished with an incredible .875 winning percentage after going 14-2 on the mound. Premium: Sandwiched in between the "normal", if limp 1979 issue, and that 1981 set is another oddity. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. Growing up in Central Indiana surrounded by Cubs fans, I would hear about Dawson constantly as fans absolutely loved the guy, and rightly so. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. It is also (by a slight margin) the most valuable card in the 1984 Topps Football set. George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 14. Somehow during all that success with college basketball, he also found the time to play for the Blue Jays from 1979 to 1981. His full name is Peter Edward Rose and was a professional baseball player who managed to exceed Ty Cobbs record for the number of hits in a career. The 1984 Topps Football set is THE landmark football card set of the 1980s. Tim Raines was one of the most successful stealers in baseball history and can be seen on the far left of the card. 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. Ozzie Smith's 1979 Topps rookie card is also one of the last great rookie cards of the vintage era, but his second-year card isn't a bad consolation prize either. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. At least he was voted Rookie of the Year. He was a two-sport star in baseball and basketball for the Minnesota Golden Gophers, so it wasn't too shocking that the Atlanta Hawks (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA) and San Diego Padres (MLB) each drafted him. Year-by-year ranking of the most valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards from 1952 to 2020. During his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. The card features famous baseball player Reggie Jackson and is worth $75. Let's be honest, it didn't matter what jersey Ryan wore or what style it was, he was going throw major heat regardless. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. He was a member of the Atlanta Braves, Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, and Detroit Tigers. 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. Mike Schmidt was arguably the best third baseman in baseball history and will always be remembered for both his power and his glove. The last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. This Baseball card is in very good condition, with sharp corners and slight wear on the lower right corner. In 379 plate appearances (347 at-bats), Brett slashed .314/.364/.484 with 24 home runs and 118 RBI to make his sixth-straight All-Star Game and finish 27th in the AL MVP race. Within the set were also several different subsets, including: The colorful design and decent photography give this set an overall great look and feel, with many cards having fantastic eye appeal. Brett's career batting average of .305 wasn't quite as good, but he did put up the better single-season effort when he batted. Owchinko played baseball for Eastern Michigan University. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . Most Expensive, His standard base card (#574) is first and the card honoring his breaking of Ty Cobb's American League stolen base record (#351) follows. 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). 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Baseball Cards. After all, Rickey Henderson is the greatest lead-off hitter of all time, whose records for runs scored (2,295) and stolen bases (1,406) may very well never be broken. Regardless of its market value at any given point in time, the significance of this rookie card cannot be overstated as it's one of the most expensive cards from the 1980s. 390 during the 1980 season. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million By Zoe Sottile, . #10. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. 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. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. He also paced the Majors in ERA+ (195) and hits per 9 innings (6.0). Rookie Card (1982 Topps - Card #21), $700 (Photo: Amazon.com) Here is another player who enjoyed a long MLB career, spending it all with the Baltimore Orioles starting in 1981. Read our methodology. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. 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. Its $300 PSA 10 price tag is no mistake. Despite the ups and downs, there isplentyto enjoy about this set. Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 19. In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). 1981 Topps #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. The 1961 Topps All-Star Mays falls in line with the others in the semi-high-number subset. 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. 1981 Fleer Rickey Henderson #351, #574. 726 Rick Monday. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn Rookie Card. 207 Ozzie Smith Record Breaker - Padres. That means the card needs to be flawless. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. $260. Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. Most Watched 2022 Baseball Rookie Cards on eBay; Bowman Chrome Cards; Wander Franco Cards; . 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. 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.". And they didn't know it at the time, but they also missed out on producing big-name rookie cards for Fernando Valenzuela, Harold Baines, and Kirk Gibson. 724 Lou Piniella. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . 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. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. The most valuable baseball card from the 1980s is Rickey Henderson's 1980 Topps 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. 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. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, Tim Raines & Ramos Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, George Riley Autographed 1981 Topps Rookie Card, 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Donruss Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable Joe Montana Cards Worth Thousands, 29 Most Valuable 1980 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List, 1. The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. 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. Houston went just 28-29 in the first half but won the NL West's second half at 33-20. And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. Cards like this tend to have more value than regular ones. 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Reggie Jackson was one of the game's greatest power hitters and was known for taking huge rips at the ball on his way to racking up 563 career home runs. Previous Article. This bad boy sold for $18,500 on eBay auctions in May 2021. Mookie came up big for the Mets again in Game 7, going 1 for 3 with a run scored to help the Mets beat the Red Sox 8-5 to win the title. During Dawson's first year with the Cubs in 1987, he would lead the league in home runs (49) and RBI (137) to win MVP honors, and the fans at Wrigley instantly fell in love with "the Hawk.". However, Schmidt led baseball in multiple offensive categories, including home runs (31), RBI (91), OBP (.435), slugging percentage (.644), OPS (1.080), OPS+ (198), and total bases (228). Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. But rather than hanging them up after the season, Yastrzemski got to work. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. The Atlanta Braves had used Dale Murphy at first base and catcher during his early years in the 1970s, but in 1980 they moved him to the outfield. He struggled in 1980 (by his terms) with a career-worst 3.64 ERA and a career-low ten wins. 1981 Topps Enrique Romo Signed Pittsburgh Pirates, 15. 1 Rickey Henderson #119. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. 1985 Fleer Kirby Puckett RC #286. 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 card list & price guide. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. Average . 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). 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. He was even the first player to collect 100 hits from both sides of the plate. They didn't call him "Steady Eddie" for nothing. The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". The current worth of this card is $195. 1982 Donruss. The course of Seaver's career would take a significant turn at the trading deadline in 1977, though, when he was involved in "the Midnight Massacre" that sent him to the Reds. 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. Reggie was furious and blasted The Boss in the media. 6 Don Mattingly 1984 Donruss #248: One of the most . 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. 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. 10. 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. Aurelio Alejandro Lpez Rios was a Mexican professional baseball player.