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Determining The Value Of Old Sports Cards
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Published: August 30, 2006
Determining the most valuable sports cards in a collection is not an exact science. It is not as simple as the card being antiquated or rare, or the featured player being pioneering and valuable to the sport, or even the card's condition being remarkable. Sometimes, it simply depends on the card itself and what prices are offered for that particular card.
The most valuable old sports cards can be surprisingly unremarkable themselves as collectibles. High-priced sports cards usually depend on variables such as company issue, date, team (many players float between teams in their careers) and card type (whether it is a rookie card, MVP series card, box set card or special issue card). Once value and price come into play, sentimentality and some historical factors become less paramount.
A star player does equate a star card, but how cards reach star status varies considerably. Without a doubt, baseball cards have had a fair share of stars; some of the most valuable sports cards ever to be printed come from baseball. There are so many baseball card all-stars it causes increasing value to break down throughout certain decades.
The most valuable cards in baseball consist of the elite players from a certain era. From the 1950s to the 1960s, the most treasured cards are Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente. These two players stand out, not because their colleagues failed to garner records and impressive cards, but for other, more specific reasons. Mantle had an 18-year career with the Yankees, which itself is an iconic team, and played in 12 World Series games. Clemente melded power hitting and excellent right field play with outstanding humanitarianism. His life consisted of baseball and volunteerism, and his tragic death solidified him as an elite player and person. Likewise, Nolan Ryan's power pitching and statistical 5,714 career-wide strike-outs make his baseball cards the most valuable sports cards for 1970s and 1980s. Despite a number of players from more impressive teams, Cal Ripken Jr. holds the most valuable sports card for 1980s and 1990s baseball because he revolutionized the shortstop position with lightning-speed coverage.
As for football, the most valuable sports cards depend greatly on the players themselves and what they have brought to their positions. Johnny Unitas is one athlete who stands out in the vintage sports card category. Unitas held an unbreakable record of touchdown passes by the time he ended his career with the San Diego Chargers in 1973. His card remains one of the most valuable because his career had a rather lackluster beginning and ended up defining the quarterback position for generations to come. Partially due to Unitas, quarterback cards tend to be the most valuable sports cards in football. However, football cards ranking among the Unitas vintage card are more recent legends, such as quarterbacks Joe Montana and Dan Marino, wide receiver Jerry Rice and running back Emmitt Smith, who retired in 2005.
Each of these players performed impressively while elevating their positions with energy and enthusiasm. When it comes to football, the most valuable sports cards are mostly born out of fan response to the players themselves than any statistical prowess.
Conversely, the most valuable sports cards in basketball are focused on recent stars, with the exception of Chicago Bull's guard Michael Jordan. Any well-kept Jordan card from a renowned company can grab between the high hundreds to thousands of dollars. Jordan cards are only going to continue climbing with the litany of new rivals for his status as an athletic and basketball icon. This does not mean Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabar sports cards should be ruled out. These players have historically-significant, rare and high-valued cards. Basketball players of this era rank highest among the most valuable vintage sports cards.
It can take a lot of sifting through specialized criteria to determine the most valuable sports cards on the market. Mostly determined on an individual player's basis, there are no exact rules applying to all cards. It can be as fickle as the sport itself determining the value. But if you are personally looking for the highest echelon of sport cards, be prepared to be surprised by what the most and least valuable sports cards are. Like any market, it fluctuates with the passage of time and changing conditions.
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The most valuable old sports cards can be surprisingly unremarkable themselves as collectibles. High-priced sports cards usually depend on variables such as company issue, date, team (many players float between teams in their careers) and card type (whether it is a rookie card, MVP series card, box set card or special issue card). Once value and price come into play, sentimentality and some historical factors become less paramount.
A star player does equate a star card, but how cards reach star status varies considerably. Without a doubt, baseball cards have had a fair share of stars; some of the most valuable sports cards ever to be printed come from baseball. There are so many baseball card all-stars it causes increasing value to break down throughout certain decades.
The most valuable cards in baseball consist of the elite players from a certain era. From the 1950s to the 1960s, the most treasured cards are Mickey Mantle and Roberto Clemente. These two players stand out, not because their colleagues failed to garner records and impressive cards, but for other, more specific reasons. Mantle had an 18-year career with the Yankees, which itself is an iconic team, and played in 12 World Series games. Clemente melded power hitting and excellent right field play with outstanding humanitarianism. His life consisted of baseball and volunteerism, and his tragic death solidified him as an elite player and person. Likewise, Nolan Ryan's power pitching and statistical 5,714 career-wide strike-outs make his baseball cards the most valuable sports cards for 1970s and 1980s. Despite a number of players from more impressive teams, Cal Ripken Jr. holds the most valuable sports card for 1980s and 1990s baseball because he revolutionized the shortstop position with lightning-speed coverage.
As for football, the most valuable sports cards depend greatly on the players themselves and what they have brought to their positions. Johnny Unitas is one athlete who stands out in the vintage sports card category. Unitas held an unbreakable record of touchdown passes by the time he ended his career with the San Diego Chargers in 1973. His card remains one of the most valuable because his career had a rather lackluster beginning and ended up defining the quarterback position for generations to come. Partially due to Unitas, quarterback cards tend to be the most valuable sports cards in football. However, football cards ranking among the Unitas vintage card are more recent legends, such as quarterbacks Joe Montana and Dan Marino, wide receiver Jerry Rice and running back Emmitt Smith, who retired in 2005.
Each of these players performed impressively while elevating their positions with energy and enthusiasm. When it comes to football, the most valuable sports cards are mostly born out of fan response to the players themselves than any statistical prowess.
Conversely, the most valuable sports cards in basketball are focused on recent stars, with the exception of Chicago Bull's guard Michael Jordan. Any well-kept Jordan card from a renowned company can grab between the high hundreds to thousands of dollars. Jordan cards are only going to continue climbing with the litany of new rivals for his status as an athletic and basketball icon. This does not mean Larry Bird, Magic Johnson or Kareem Abdul-Jabar sports cards should be ruled out. These players have historically-significant, rare and high-valued cards. Basketball players of this era rank highest among the most valuable vintage sports cards.
It can take a lot of sifting through specialized criteria to determine the most valuable sports cards on the market. Mostly determined on an individual player's basis, there are no exact rules applying to all cards. It can be as fickle as the sport itself determining the value. But if you are personally looking for the highest echelon of sport cards, be prepared to be surprised by what the most and least valuable sports cards are. Like any market, it fluctuates with the passage of time and changing conditions.
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