SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. Several of the game's biggest stars of the day appeared on two cards in this set, but I think Pete Rose was one of only two guys, along with Reggie Jackson, who appeared on three. $260. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. 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. 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. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. 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. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! On May 29th against the San Francisco Giants, Bench slid into second base, attempting to break up a double play but fractured his left ankle in the process. Ryan went 1-1 in two starts with a 1.80 ERA in the team's five-game NLDS loss to the Dodgers, striking out 14 batters in 15 innings while walking just three. 1981 Topps #347 Harold Baines Rookie Card. The subsets in the 1981 Topps baseball cards include the league leaders (1-8), record breakers (201-208), and team cards with checklists on the back (661-686).The key rookie cards from this set include #315 Kirk Gibson, #347 Harold Baines, and #302 Fernando Valenzuela. His career was far from over at that point, but Schmidt's play showed the baseball world that they were already witnessing the greatest third baseman of all-time in the making. Placing Mark McGwire's 1985 Topps card in this category may seem a little unfair considering its current $650 price tag. Over 22 seasons in Major League Baseball, Harold Baines appeared in six All-Star games, hit 384 home runs, tallied 1,628 RBI, and scored another 1,299 runs. It was the only time in his career where he batted .300, and he also led the league in home runs with 41 round-trippers. 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. 15 Baseball Cards Now Worth A Fortune And 15 That Are - TheSportster 1952 Topps #1 Andy Pafko. . 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. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. 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. The 1981 Topps Scratchoffs was a 108-card baseball set distributed on perforated three-card panels measuring 3-14" by 5-1/4". 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. (Updated for 2022) SUBSCRIBE NOW! 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. 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Bench was also known for the long ball as he led the league in home runs twice and finished his career with 389. From there you can also add a Card to your collection or wishlist. Value: $300-325. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 865 items We may earn an affiliate commission if you During this era, the Montreal Expos had yet to move south to become . 6 Rickey Henderson #180. On our list is an ungraded card featuring the 1981 Boston Red Sox, it was probably signed by the manager for the team, it is currently worth $72. It would have been nice to see an action shot of Seaver on his 1982 Topps card but this is still a good-looking card overall. 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). 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. 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. 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. Within it, there were also several different subsets, including: For those collectors on the lookout for great Hall of Famers of the era or just a large checklist to complete, this set has it all. 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. 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. Given how consistently great Murray was for so many years, it just seems unimaginable that he didn't lead in one of those two categories at least one other time. 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. Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $2,000. 10 Most Valuable 1987 Topps Baseball Cards - Sports Card Investor 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. 10 Most Valuable 1980s Fleer Baseball Rookie Cards - Beckett News Our hunt for the 80s most valuable baseball cards includes Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Ricky Henderson. While this set may be slightly overlooked in the history of the hobby, it still delivers a great checklist. 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. 4. 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. 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. $12.95. Rating: 7.5 (174 votes) Click here to Rate. 1984 Topps Football Cards: Most Valuable (Top Picks) - All Vintage Cards 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. This is the rookie card for Bronco's QB great John Elway. In his seventh season in the Majors, Yount broke out in a big way in 1980 as he led the league in doubles (49) while scoring 121 runs, driving in 87 RBI, and hitting 23 home runs to earn his first trip to the All-Star Game. The current value of this baseball card is $199.99, it has the signature of Tim Raines. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. 1981 Pete Rose Baseball Card. Jackson slumped out of the gates in 1981, prompting Steinbrenner to invoke a clause in his contract that forced him to undergo a full physical examination. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. And the reason it's worth so much in PSA 10 condition? Contact him at [emailprotected]. Tags 1981 Topps Baseball. Cards #1-6 in the set feature different highlights that several different players achieved during the 1979 season. 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. It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. 1981 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro . 205 Pete Rose Record Breaker - Phillies. 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. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. After the Royals split their first twenty games of the second half, he was fired, and former Yankees manager Dick Howser took the reins. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the . 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). 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! Ken Griffey Jr. 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. 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. PSA Price Guide for 1982 Donruss Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services 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 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. Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - DeansCards.com Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. After fifteen-straight All-Star appearances from 1965-79, Yastrzemski was left out of the Midsummer Classic for the second year in a row in 1981. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. SEE THE CARD HERE! He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. 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. - http://bit.ly/W. Card Number: #418. 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. 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. 390 during the 1980 season. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. Cal Ripken Jr. Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. 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. At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. It was featured by the Boston Celtics in the 2 times NBA championship (1984 and 1986), NBA champion 2008 executive, NBA executive of the year 2008 is also a serial numbered card. 1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card. Henderson posted a brilliant 1.144 OPS against New York, but the rest of the Oakland lineup went dead silent. While the 1982 Topps baseball card set may not ever be known as the company's best-looking in terms of design, it did pack a lot of star power and two Hall of Fame rookie cards. Here we see Yaz staring off into the distance almost as if he's thinking back on his careeror maybe he's just watching a teammate take batting practice. 3. Previous Article. And incredibly, hed come back with a vengeance. In the second half, they finished 1.5 games behind the Astros to miss the playoffs entirely. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 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. A remarkable all-around . 10 Most Valuable Rookie Cards from the 1980s, Ranked List, Best, Guide Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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.