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. Our hunt for the 80s most valuable baseball cards includes Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Ricky Henderson. In 1981, the 6'5 monster recorded his second straight 1000-yard season and led all of football with 88 catches. 19 Most Valuable 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Price List. 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. 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. 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. This Baseball card is in very good condition, with sharp corners and slight wear on the lower right corner. There are only 7 examples of this card in circulation at the time of this writing that have achieved that gradeso they're very scarce. 721 Toby Harrah. In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. After nearly a decade-and-a-half as the standard for MLB catchers, Cincinnati Reds Hall-of-Famer Johnny Bench changed positions for the 1981 season. 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. 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. 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. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. Pate] #479. . While some of the game's big names struggled with the split-season, Schmidt held things together all year to lead the Majors in home runs (31), RBI (91), OBP (.435), slugging percentage (.644), OPS (1.080), OPS + (198), and total bases (228). In the process, Schmidt led the league and set career highs in home runs (48), RBI (121) and total bases (342). Every collector knows that theres some serious money to be made off certain cards. 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. Previous Article. 6 Rickey Henderson #180. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. . 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. This is a rare Topps card from 1981 containing his signature. I used to collect baseball cards as a kid and loved pulling out a pack of 1981 Topps Coca Cola cardstheir design was so much better than the regular issue and their limited print run made them seem much more valuable. If you look closely, though, you'll notice the images are just slightly different as you can see two of his teammates in the background on his MVP card versus one (plus the arm of another) on his base card. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps Rose collected 140 hits in 1981, slashing .325/.391/.390 in his third year with the Philadelphia Phillies. On the right side were four rows of six . There are no scratches, bends, or folds. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. 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. In 25 postseason plate appearances (22 at-bats), Henderson hit .273 with two doubles, one triple, one RBI, three runs scored, and four stolen bases. It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. 3. 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. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. He spent eleven seasons with four teams in Major League Baseball the majority of it spent with the Detroit Tigers. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . 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. By the time these Hall of Famers retired, Brett had three batting titles and Carew had an eye-popping seven. $9.99. Today only a graded high-condition example gets that kind of money. After rookie Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as Fernandomania, the 1981 Los Angeles Dodgers finished the season with a flourish. In 196 plate appearances (178 at-bats), he slashed .309/.369/.489 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. 1981 Topps Gary Carter Autograph Card, 25 Most Valuable 1981 Fleer Baseball Cards In The World, 19 Most Valuable 1976 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 25 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Most Valuable 1988 Topps Baseball Cards In The World, 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World, 25 Rarest and Most Valuable Quarters Worth Money, 24 Rarest and Most Valuable State Quarters Worth Money, 25 Rare 50 Dollar Bills: Value And Price Chart, 26 Rarest And Most Valuable Pennies Worth Money, 15 Rarest and Most Valuable Sacagawea Coins Worth Money, Rarest and Most Valuable Charizard Pokemon Cards, 29 Most Valuable Shaq Rookie Cards Ever Sold, 29 Most Valuable Frank Thomas Cards Youd Find On eBay, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Topps Baseball Cards, 29 Most Valuable 1992 Leaf Baseball Cards in the World, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Upper Deck Baseball Cards Worth Money, 29 Most Valuable 1991 Skybox Basketball Cards For Collectors. Checklist Top. 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. I absolutely love this card as it captures Rickey about to do what he did best: steal a base. 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.". You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. 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. The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. 29 Surprisingly Cheap: 1985 Mark McGwire Topps. And, like Clemens, that might cut into the value and prestige of his 1985 Fleer Rookie Card to a . Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . 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 his career, Rose was known for his all-around ability and enthusiasm. No. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. Keith was a baseball first baseman. Roberto Ramos in the middle who was an amazing catcher during his prime and the beloved Bobby Pate who commanded respect in the outfield. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Download Price List, SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 Featured here is a 1981 Topps Coca Cola baseball card signed by Aurelio Lopez. He is ranked 33rd on the all-time list of career leaders for batting average among Major League Baseball players with at least 1,000 appearances at-bat. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. 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. He also had a flair for the big hit and helped Philadelphia to a 34-21 record in the first half to secure a playoff spot for the Phillies halfway through the season. 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. 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. In Game 4 of the World Series against the Los Angeles Dodgers, he'd return with New York holding a 2-1 advantage to try and help the team across the finish line. Getting hands on a card like this is pretty difficult. 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. To commemorate Brett's 1980 MVP Award, Donruss basically changed the borders from green to red on his base card and slapped the "MVP" logo at the bottom while removing the team name and position. That just shows you what kind of effect being a Hall of Famer can have on baseball card prices. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. Murphy was outstanding during the 1980s as he racked up two MVPs, seven All-Star selections, five Gold Gloves, and four Silver Sluggers on his way to becoming one of the most popular players in baseball. 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. However, on December 9, 2018 he and Harold Baines were voted in by the Today's Game Era Committe. Ungraded & graded values for all '82 Topps Baseball Cards. 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. Star power: Robinson, a Hall of Famer, broke the MLB color barrier in 1947, becoming a social justice icon in the process. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. Like Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett has a 1984 Fleer Update XRC. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn Rookie Card. After a decades-long stranglehold on the market, Topps lost a key court battle with Fleer that allowed other companies to produce sets of their own. Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $2,000 or less. Players include Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan & Mike Trout. 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. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. The 1981 season was the seventh and final time. 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). Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. Though it may be light on key rookie cards, this set is certainly not light on stars and Hall of Famers. While this is considered one of his rookie cards, it doesn't command quite the price premium as his 1982 Topps Tradedrookie card which can sell for north of $5,000 in top condition. $15.00. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. Immediately afterward, the price of his 1982 Topps rookie card in PSA 10 condition shot through the roof. And that's when his career started to take off as he made his first of seven career All-Star Games during the 1980 season and would finish twelfth in the MVP vote.