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. In a similar theme, Larry Bird is featured in a card from the 1981 Topps set. 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. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 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. Clocking in at 605 cards in total, this set made history when it first debuted. The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson is such a beautiful card. When collectors think back to the junk wax era, one of the first sets to jump into minds is 1987 Topps Baseball. 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. If not for Fernando Valenzuela's incredible rookie performance and "Fernandomania" taking the sport by storm, Raines would've easily won the 1981 NL Rookie of the Year Award. Baines also won a Silver Slugger in 1989 and led the American League in slugging percentage (.541) in 1984. 1982 Topps #30 Tom Seaver. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. 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. 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. 1955 Topps #164 Roberto Clemente RC. And finally, we're down to none other than Rickey Henderson, one of the greatest baseball icons of the 1980s and the game's greatest speedster to ever play. 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. That effort would place him sixth in MVP voting and solidify his reputation for similar, consistent production over the rest of his Hall of Fame career. 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! No More Secrets Puzzle Game, Ungraded 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. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. This trading card has been authenticated by PSA, it has the signature of Rollie fingers on the obverse. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. "I had hit .300 before, but I couldn't hold it," he said. Grade. 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. And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . 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. Read our methodology. Jackson green-lighted the eventual signing but expected Steinbrenner to offer him a new deal as well. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. 10 Most Valuable 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards - Sports Card Investor 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. Each 1-13/16" by 3-1/4" card featured a small full-color portrait of the player with his name printed below his image on the left side of the card. Raw: $20 PSA 9: $100 PSA 10: $900 One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. 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. 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. 1981 Topps Coke Team Sets Aurelio Lopez Autographed, 9. . 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods Donovan Mitchell was one of the standouts in a loaded 2017-18 NBA rookie class. . Wade Boggs is an American former baseball player who retired as a third baseman after 18 seasons of Major League Baseball. 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. Not only is it fun, but its good quality material for a future family reunion. 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. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Baseball Cards. 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. 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. And while Rose hit no home runs in 1981 and drove in just 33, he was a fantastic table-setter for the Phillies. That season set the tone for a reputation that Dawson would carve out as a player with an incredible mix of speed and power as he was seemingly always a lock for 20 home runs and 20 stolen bases throughout his time in Montreal. 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. 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. 1 1980 Batting Leaders - George Brett / Bill Buckner 2 1980 Home Run Leaders - Reggie Jackson / Ben Oglivie / Mike Schmidt . 1981 Topps Baseball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. 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.". Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 20 Most Valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards Of The 1970s. 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.". 1981 Topps Bob Owchinko Baseball Card, 11. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. When graded gem mint 10 by PSA, the value has gone as high as $180,000. $68.95. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection PSA 9 examples have sold for upwards of $6,000. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. buy stuff after clicking links on our site 1981 Topps Baseball Cards - 15 Most Valuable - Wax Pack Gods He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. Ken Griffey Jr. However, regardless of what you might think of his legacy, it's surprising that this particular card isn't worth a little more. Top 15 Most Expensive Nolan Ryan Cards - Thrillpack Cards 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. Card Number: #595. We may earn an affiliate commission if you 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. Set Links - Overview - Checklist - Teams - Errors / Variations - Hall of Famers - Rookies . Ryan dazzled on that fall afternoon in Houston, striking out eleven and walking just three. Hold on to it. Unfortunately, the Kansas City Royals would slam the door on any hopes that Jackson and the Yankees had for a World Series ring when they swept them in the 1980 ALCS. $12.95. 0% At the time, two Major League Baseball clubs, the Montreal Expos, and the Toronto Blue Jays played in Canada, where . Like the 1981 Fleer and Topps sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. Accolades aside, Schmidt felt his best accomplishment was in one of the few offensive categories in which he didn't pace the Majors: batting average. Cheapest, 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . The Five Most Expensive Houston Astros Baseball Cards 1981 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro Sure, the 1981 Topps set has the Montana rookie 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. A right-hander, he threw and batted right-handed. Most Expensive of All-Time. #7. JB's 1981 Fleer card is a $5 (or so) buy in PSA 9 condition. 1981 Topps Traded Baseball Cards - The Cardboard Connection $29. 1981 Topps Scratch-Offs. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. Top 100 1980s Baseball Cards and Why They're So Memorable - Beckett News 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. Not bad for an 11th round pick (#250 overall) in the 1975 MLB Draft. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. Wilson was incredibly speedy and was the Mets' career stolen base leader before Jose Reyes eventually broke his record many years later. Thats why everyone is constantly asking the question: What are the most valuable 1981 Topps baseball cards?. A rare 1980/81 baseball card. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. Keith was a baseball first baseman. 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. This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. In this guide, I will cover the 25 most valuable in the set. Rookie Cards: Options . Previous Article. There's no questioning the significance of 1980 Topps baseball cards in hobby history. Like everyone else, the shortened season didn't help his overall output but some key indicators had fallen off noticeably. Schmidt was, arguably, the game's best player for the second-straight season. The 1980 season turned out to be historic for George Brett as he won the only MVP of his legendary career and fell just short of batting .400 on the year with an eye-popping .390 average. The defending AL champions were a mess early, though. Before Danny Ainge found success at the professional level in basketball as a player, coach and executive, he made his professional sports debut for the Toronto Blue Jays in 1979while he was still in college. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: Lee Smith was one of the greatest relief pitchers to ever step on the mound and is currently a distant number three on the all-time saves list with 478 behind Mariano Rivera (652) and Trevor Hoffman (601). However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Which Are Most Valuable? - YouTube 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. Are you selling sports cards that were produced from 1868 - 1975? 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. Unlike George Brett's MVP card, Schmidt's featured an altogether different image than that of his base card. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. 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. Contact him at [emailprotected]. 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. After sixteen seasons and two World Series titles with the Cincinnati Reds, Pete Rose left the "Big Red Machine" behind and signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies in 1979. On the other hand, Ozzie's bat did nothing but improve and combined with the amazing glove he already had, he'd deliver Hall of Fame-caliber play for years in St. Louis. The 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards from the 1980s. Things weren't all rosy for Smith, however, as his relationship with Padres owner Ray Kroc and his wife Joan became publicly sour. It didn't happen and Jackson played the 1981 campaign as a free agent. The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. Bench was a complete catcher as he was dangerous with both the bat and glove and was a significant reason "The Big Red Machine" was so dominant throughout the 1970s. 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. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. However, once he was in San Diego, Templeton's hitting declined drastically and he'd never bat over .300 again. Year-by-year ranking of the most valuable Topps Baseball Rookie Cards from 1952 to 2020. The move worked as the Royals responded by winning 20 of their last 33 to make the playoffs. 203 Bill Gullickson Record Breaker - Expos. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. The 1980 season would be Winfield's last with the Padres as the Yankees signed him to a ten-year, $23 million contract making him the game's highest-paid player at the time. Easily the most valuable gem mint in the set, this card from the Man of Steal garners between $600-900 on the secondary markets. . A remarkable all-around . 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. 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. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . He was nicknamed Mex because his name suggested that he was of Mexican descent. 1982 Donruss. Still, his popularity continues today, and his cards remain in high demand by kids now turned adults who grew up idolizing him. We are user supported. 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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. In the second half, they finished 1.5 games behind the Astros to miss the playoffs entirely. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Most Watched Baseball Cards. 1. And some of those players appeared on multiple cards. Heres an amazing baseball card that in my opinion should be worth more than it currently is. 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. 1981 Fleer card list & price guide. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. Instead, he was more of a craftsman on the mound and outsmarted hitters to allow a career-low 6.5 hits per nine innings. This card features the professional baseball player Danny Ainge. I know the game is played differently these days but even if it weren't, I'd be stunned if anyone in the future ever meets or bests his 130 stolen bases in a season. When it comes to Rookie Cards, 1981 Topps is one . In 1981, the Boston Red Sox played 108 games during the regular season and won 59 of those games, losing 49. It was also the first Topps set to feature a monster 792-card checklist. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Today only a graded high-condition example gets that kind of money. 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. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. , Dodgers Future Star [Perconte, Scioscia, Valenzuela] #302, Expos Future Stars [T. Raines, R. Ramos, B. Boston missed the playoffs by 1.5 games in the second-half AL East race. With the 22-year-old star setting the table, the As earned a playoff spot with a 37-23 first-half record and finished with the American Leagues best overall record at 64-45. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card. His .246 batting average and .355 slugging percentage were also career lows. Despite not being a Hall of Famer, Rose's legacy as one of the game's greatest hitters of all time keeps his cards in high demand throughout the hobby. 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. Still, as one of the game's greatest leadoff hitters and baserunners, he was overdue to get in anyway. 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. - http://bit.ly/W. This is a 1981 fleer rookie card with card number #418. Read our methodology. PSA/DNA Certified. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. 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. This card once was worth upwards of $50, and until Jose Canseco came along, it was the most valuable regular-issue 1980s card in the book. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. 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. 205 Pete Rose Record Breaker - Phillies. The card is currently worth $189.99. 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist; These 10 GOATS . Murphy struggled a bit during the 1981 split season as his batting average fell to a paltry .247 and his slugging percentage plunged to .390 from .510 the year before. #8. To top it all off, he earned his sixth All-Star selection, sixth Gold Glove, and second Silver Slugger award. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto. The card from 1981 features three outstanding baseball players who were kings in their lanes. In 21 starts, Ryan finished 11-5 with an MLB-best 1.69 ERA. All told, Bench played in just 52 of Cincinnati's 108 games. Rickey Henderson, an American retired professional baseball player who played his entire 24-year career in Major League Baseball, helped break the sports color barrier. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. 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. 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle #135. 1981 Topps Baseball Card Checklist. 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. 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. You can almost feel the tension in this card as he's poised and just waiting for the perfect moment to break for second. 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. Part of the explanation is that Yount was quietly consistent and playing in small-market Milwaukee certainly didn't help. 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. 29 Most Valuable 1989 Topps Baseball Cards In the World 9 Roger Clemens #530. However, due to market conditions, values fluctuate. $9.99. Right around that same time, the relationship between the St. Louis Cardinals and their shortstop, Garry Templeton, wasn't going well either. 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. 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. 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. The 1990 American League Most Valuable Player, Henderson also was the lead-off hitter for two World Series championship teams, the 1989 Oakland Athletics and the 1993 Toronto Blue Jays. 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. #5. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. While Pete Rose set records elsewhere in the Phillies lineup, third baseman Mike Schmidt set the National League ablaze. 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. Smith continued his outstanding defensive work in 1981 by leading the National League in assists for the third straight year to pick up his second straight Gold Glove. There's a shot of the player in Celtics training gear, staring off-camera with his hands hidden behind the green border. 10 Most Valuable Rookie Cards from the 1980s, Ranked List, Best, Guide Henderson has two cards in the 1981 Fleer which feature photographs that appear to be taken just seconds apart. Ranking Every 1980-81 Topps Magic Johnson and Larry Bird Card The 1981 Topps baseball card set consist of 726 standard size cards that measure 2" by 3". 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. The continued adoption of Sabermetrics no doubt helped push him across the finish line and into Cooperstown. Philadelphia fell in five games to the Montreal Expos in an entertaining National League Division Series. And while his offensive numbers dropped in 1981, Brett's star was still quite bright. 2. One thing I always found a bit strange about Yount's career was that he was a two-time MVP but appeared in just three All-Star games, the lowest amount of any Hall of Famer since the game's inception. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values.

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