4. He also led all of baseball with 89 runs scored and led the American League in stolen bases (56) and hits (135). document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 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. In 493 plate appearances (423 at-bats), Henderson posted a robust .319/.408/.437 slash line with nine home runs and 53 RBI while winning his first of three Silver Sluggers. Valenzuela won both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards, and the Dodgers made it all the way to the World Series. One year removed from his Rookie of the Year-winning season, this Ripken card is still a hobby favorite because it shows the Orioles third baseman's timeless swing and a close-up of his youthful mug all on one important card. He was named Rolaids Relief Man of the Year four times and led the major leagues in saves three times. *TIM RAINES* 1981 Topps Traded #816 *CGS 9* RC Rookie Card. They were the fourteenth and fifteenth players to achieve the incredible milestone. Read our methodology. 1981 Topps card list & price guide. 726 Rick Monday. 1981 Topps Traded Tim Raines Rookie Baseball Card #816 NM-MT FREE SHIPPING. 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. 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. PriceIt Game | 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. During the 1977 season, Andre Dawson batted .282 with 19 home runs and 65 RBI, which earned him NL Rookie of the Year honors. Ted Simmons St. Louis Cardinals 1981 Topps, 17. 1981 Reggie Jackson Topps Project 70 Card, 10. 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. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '81 Topps But he is more famous for the accusations of gambling that led Major League Baseball to ban him from the sport in 1989. 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. For its 1980-81 basketball set, Topps mixed things up by releasing an entire set in which each card had three panels, each . Rookie Cards: Options . 1981 Fleer card list & price guide. For example, in November, 2018 you could find one in PSA 10 grade for around $100 but after he was voted into the Hall they started selling for north of $600 and continue to climb today. The Padres also had some great retro jerseys during the 1980s but Ozzie really topped things off with those sideburns. We may earn an affiliate commission if you 725 Steve Rogers. . $29. Click on a Card detail page to see historic prices and values for all different grades. The card features St. Louise Cardinals Batter Ted Simmons and is worth $49.45. 3. 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. Despite this seemingly unjustified absence from more "Midsummer Classics," Yount is considered to be the greatest Milwaukee Brewer in the franchise's history. Prices are updated daily based upon 1981 Topps listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. This card features Tim Maines, Roberto Ramos and Bobby Pate, all the players listed were stars in their prime. 10. Like the 1982 Donruss and Fleer sets, large print runs saturated the market with these cards, driving down their values. 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. In other years, Seaver used his overpowering stuff to outduel hitters but in 1981, he wasn't quite the fireballer as he struck out only 4.7 batters per nine innings, the second-lowest rate of his career. 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. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! 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. If so, then please fill out the form below and I'll be in touch right away. However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more. You'd think a third baseman with that kind of power wouldn't have had the best defensive skills but no, Schmidt was amazing on defense as well as he'd go on to win 10 Gold Gloves. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 5 Underrated 1981 Donruss Baseball Cards. 1981 Topps Traded Expos Tim Raines Card, 4. 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. Having earned the right to produce baseball cards in a court case with Topps, the 1981 Donruss set became the company's first baseball offering. Jackie Robinson | Card Sold For: $392,400. That means the card needs to be flawless. 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. He played in Major League Baseball between 1977 and 1982 for the Seattle Mariners and the Pittsburgh Pirates. The card is currently worth $189.99. Read our methodology. Rod Carew and George Brett were not only two of the greatest hitters of their era but of all time, so seeing them both on the same card is quite a treat. 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. Cincinnati finished second in both halves of the 1981 split-season but ended the year with the best overall record in the National League. 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. 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). This was limited to only 504 serial-numbered porcelain cards made and it has already been authenticated by Global Authentics (GAI). 5 Cal Ripken Jr. #183. Heres a rare rainbow foil card in mint condition by Risk Foil. 723 Bruce Bochte. In twin history, he is regarded as one the greatest contact hitters. 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. 0% After his release by the Brewers, he was offered a contract by Pete Rose to play for the Cincinnati Reds in 1986. Steven Thomas Avery is an American left-handed former pitcher in Major League Baseball (MLB). The reverse of this card is just one of the many quirks found inside Donruss's debut set. In the second half, they finished 1.5 games behind the Astros to miss the playoffs entirely. 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. The 1981 season was the St. Louis Cardinals 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri, and their 90th year in the National League (NL). 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. 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. Yes, the checklist is quite messy at times with the errors and variations. 1952 Topps Willie Mays RC #261. But, I'm a big fan of this set regardless. Raw: $20 PSA 9: $100 PSA 10: $900 One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. Price: $299.75 Grade: PSA 10. 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. 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. Click on any Donruss Set to see a full list of Cards and their current value. At that point, Murphy looked like he was on a surefire trajectory to Cooperstown. 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. SEE THE CARD HERE! Contact him at [emailprotected]. In 2004 he was inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame; in 2005 he was enshrined in the Baseball Hall of Fame. 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. #5. 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. 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. Known as the Man of Steal, he is widely considered to have been baseballs greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner. From the 1983 season on, he was selected to the All-Star game every year until he retired after the 2001 season. 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. 1981 Topps Traded Fernando Valenzuela, 16. It didn't matter, though, as the Reds missed out on the playoffs and a rejuvenated Tom Seaver was denied one last hurrah in October. 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. Let's be clear:most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. 1981 Donruss. 726 cards. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 1 Rickey Henderson #119. 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. However, when do you do it? 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. The cards featured in this list represent the most coveted and desired of all 1981 Topps Baseball cards. 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. 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. It has full gloss and is slightly askew. A remarkable all-around . . We are user supported. And, if you look back at his stats for his rookie campaign in the 1982 season, there really was no reason he shouldn't have made the All-Star team that year, too. List by Card #, You own: 0 / 865 items Wilson was incredibly speedy and was the Mets' career stolen base leader before Jose Reyes eventually broke his record many years later. In the team's NLDS loss to the Expos, Schmidt hit .250 (4-for-16) with one home run, two RBI, and four walks. 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. This card is super tough to find in high grade, hence the huge price tag that might shock you. Philadelphia fell in five games to the Montreal Expos in an entertaining National League Division Series. SportsCardsPro Index: 1982 Topps. Most Watched Baseball Cards. 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. Inc. During the rush to market, they also ended up with many errors and variations in their debut set, but that was to be expected. 1981 Topps Project 70 Card Wade Boggs by Efdot FOIL, 8. 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. The record-breaking card is from his rookie season and was produced by trading card giant Topps. He also holds the schools record for most strikeouts in both a single season and total career strikeouts with 309 in 305 innings pitched. 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. 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 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. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # Easily the most valuable gem mint in the set, this card from the Man of Steal garners between $600-900 on the secondary markets. Reggie was furious and blasted The Boss in the media. In 665 at-bats for Toronto, Ainge batted .220, hit two home runs, scored 57 runs, drove in another 37 and stole 12 bases. It was a fitting punctuation mark for one of Ryan's best seasons on the mound. 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. 1. 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. The three-time MVP would smash 548 home runs over his career as he led the league in that category an amazing 8 times. Card Number: #418. 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. And none of his Rookie Cards is bigger than . Even more impressive, his 1982 Topps issue wasn't his last card as he also made it into the 1983 Topps set. Enrique Romo Navarro is a former professional baseball relief pitcher. His .758 OPS marked the first time he'd dropped under .817 since 1968. Our hunt for the 80s most valuable baseball cards includes Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., Nolan Ryan, Ricky Henderson. Greatest Topps Baseball Cards of All-Time. 1981 Topps. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson, 3. Tags 1981 Topps Baseball. Tune in as Mrs. Wax Pack Gods reads 1982 Topps Baseball Cards - 17 Most Valuable . The last sale's most valuable Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card is the 1974 Topps Nolan Ryan baseball card number #20. In 196 plate appearances (178 at-bats), he slashed .309/.369/.489 with eight home runs and 25 RBI. Topps has dominated the baseball card scene for the past six decades, issuing a set in every year . Kansas City went 20-30 in the season's first half and started the second half slowly, with Manager Jim Frey taking the heat. Getting hands on a card like this is pretty difficult. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most important and iconic baseball cards of the 1980's.. Sure, Gwynn was one of the greatest hitters who ever played with 8 batting titles to his name, but why are collectors willing to pay so much for this card . Just look at that awesome retro Astros jersey in all its striped glory! 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. Top 10 Most Valuable: 1981 Topps Basketball. Rod Carew Autographed 1981 Topps Squirt Card, 19. Although this one isn't worth as much as it might . #8. Donruss would take the experience with this set and continue to churn out many improved and memorable sets for years to come. At Eastern Michigan he had a 29-9 career win-loss record with a 2.15 ERA. 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. It's no wonder why, considering how Henderson's a beloved figure in the sport whose '81 campaign included a .319 batting average, a league-leading 56 stolen bases and a second-place MVP . 1981 Topps Baseball 2nd Year Card Rickey Henderson. These are the result of decades of collecting and dealing for many companies, dealers, and collectors across America. 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. Rose hit .300 (6-for-20) with two RBI and a run scored in the losing effort. This card is worth $45 but could go higher. 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. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. As a result, Topps created this monster 792-card checklist and loaded it with subsets to try and keep collector interestand collector eyeballsaway from Donruss and Fleer. In total, Henderson led the league in stolen bases . Things screeched to a halt, though, when Jackson injured his calf running the bases in Game 2 of the ALCS against Oakland. 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. This Nolan Ryan card is another fantastic example of Topps capturing the style and vibe of the 1980s. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? In this guide, I will cover the 25 most valuable in the set. 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. Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800. 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. 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. 10 Bo Jackson #600. 204 Ron LeFlore / Rodney Scott Record Breaker - Expos. After Wilson dodged a wild pitch from Boston's Bob Stanley, Kevin Mitchell scored from third to tie the game. 1955 Topps Sandy Koufax #123. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 1202 items 0% Track your collection for free. Although his best days were clearly behind him, he still played well enough to earn a trip to the 1982 All-Star game. There's a shot of the player in Celtics training gear, staring off-camera with his hands hidden behind the green border. He was the clear choice for National League MVP and also picked up a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. For the longest time it seemed like Smith would not quite garner enough votes to earn a trip to the Hall of Fame. Baseballs hit king, Pete Rose, led all of baseball in total hits on seven different occasions. 722 Joe Niekro. While eligible for induction, Murphy peaked at 23% of the vote in 2000, falling well short of the 75% needed for entry. 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. $68.95. 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. 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. 1981, 1985, 1989), 11-time MLB strikeout leader (1972-74, 1976-79, 1987-90), two-time NL leader (1981, 1987), MLB All-Century Team. 1981 Topps Expos Future Card Tim Haines Auto, 6. Schmidt was, arguably, the game's best player for the second-straight season. 1989 Donruss The Rookies Ken Griffey Jr. #3. After a complete-game victory in Game 1, Ryan allowed three runs (two earned) in six innings in the deciding Game 5. However, once they got there, the Oakland Athletics promptly swept them in the ALDS as Brett went just 2-for-12 (.167) in the three games. There are no scratches, bends, or folds. Ozzie Smith was given the name Wizard of Oz After an amazing record for the most assists at shortstop thus establishing a new record in that era. Currently, this 1981 Topps card is worth $79. Grade. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Average ungraded base card value (excludes parallels) for 1981 Topps This card is among the most valuable cards from the set, with PSA 10 cards of this type collecting several thousand dollars at best. 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. Premium: In 1980, Kansas City Royals third baseman George Brett graduated from All-Star to crossover superstar. This Baseball card is in very good condition, with sharp corners and slight wear on the lower right corner. 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? 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. 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. Hold on to it. Most Expensive 1981 Topps card list & price guide. Unfortunately, the strike-shortened season and growing tensions with Yankees owner George Steinbrenner got in the way. 390 during the 1980 season. 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. 1981 Topps Traded MLB Baseball Trading Cards Pick From List #727-#858. Unlike Smith, Cal Ripken's chances at the Hall of Fame were never in doubt. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. 724 Lou Piniella. This set marked the end of an era in which Topps was the only mainstream company with the MLB's blessing to print baseball cards. 1981 Topps Traded 816 Tim Raines Montreal Expos Rookie Card. Rookie Cards were so valuable to collectors in 1989, that if Oprah had been involved in baseball cards, she would have been saying . Mattingly's Donruss rookie was produced in smaller quantities than his Topps rookie, so it's worth more. 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.