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What is the most valuable
baseball card? 
According to recent research
done by Forbes Magazine in 2009 here it is:
1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie Card (not this exact card though, it would
have to be in much better condition)
How much is this piece of
history worth you ask? How about $250,000-$500,000 in good condition. Now,
if you happen to stubble onto one of these in near-mint condition the
value of this card would shoot up to an estimated 3-5 million dollars!
Unfortunately no one has ever found one in near-mint condition as of
yet....
So, what is the most valuable
baseball card that we know exists? It's a card that would likely sell for
a cool 3 million bucks in 2009/2010 if it were put up for auction. That
card is a near-mint condition 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner Rookie card also
known as the "Gretzky Wagner" after Wayne Gretzky bought it in 1991 for
$451,000.
Here's a brief summary of how
the card has shot up in value over the past 25 years making it the most
valuable baseball card known to exist:
1985 it sold for $25,000
1991 it sold for $451,000 (Gretzky bought it)
1995 it sold for $500,000
1996 it sold for $640,000
2000 it sold for $1.265 million
2007 it sold for $2.35 million
2008 it sold for $2.8 million
1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner Rookie card
As you can see, if you're looking to own some
of the most valuable baseball cards you're going to have to lay out a
serious amount of money. Six-figure dollar amounts are common for these
cards in auction houses around the country. Here is a list of the top 15
most valuable baseball cards that Forbes Magazine came up with in early
2009. The values listed are from Becket Magazine's price guide for cards
in good condition.
15. 1903-04 Breisch-Williams
E107 Honus Wagner
Value: $60,000-$80,000
9. 1914 Texas Tommy E224 Honus Wagner (tie)
Value: $50,000-$100,000
9. 1914 Texas Tommy E224 Ty Cobb (tie)
Value: $50,000-$100,000
9. 1893 Just So Cy Young (tie)
Value: $50,000-$100,000
9. 1887 Four Base Hits N-Unc. (tie)
Value: Buck Ewing $50,000-$100,000
9. 1887 Four Base Hits N-Unc. John Clarkson (tie)
Value: $50,000-$100,000
9. 1961 Topps Dice Game Mickey Mantle (tie)
Value: $50,000-$100,000
8. 1914 Boston Garter Color Ty Cobb
Value: $70,000-$100,000
5. 1914 Texas Tommy E224 Joe Jackson (tie)
Value: $60,000-$120,000
5. 1888 G and B Chewing Gum Co E223 Albert G. Spalding (tie)
Value: $60,000-$120,000
5. 1887 Four Base Hits N-Unc. Mike King Kelly (tie)
Value: $60,000-$120,000
4. 1914 Boston Garter Color Joe Jackson
Value: $90,000-$120,000
3. 1910 Old Mill T210 Joe Jackson
Value: $100,000-$200,000
2. 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner
Value: $250,000-$350,000
1. 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth
Value: $250,000-$500,000
Forbes Magazine published an
earlier valuable baseball card article in 2002. 10 examples of some of the
most valuable baseball cards out there. We've re-order them from highest
to lowest values since things have changed a little from 2002 when
the article was first published.
1. 1909 T206 White Border #366
Honus Wagner, 2B Pittsburgh Pirates
Sold for $2,800,000 in 2008
$3,000,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
2. 1952 Topps #311
Mickey Mantle, OF New York Yankees
$235,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
3. 1914 E145-1 Cracker Jack
#103
Joe Jackson, OF Chicago White Sox
$135,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
4. 1933 Goudey #53
Babe Ruth, OF New York Yankees
$125,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
<5. 1949 Leaf #8
Leroy "Satchel" Paige, P Cleveland Indians
$125,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
6. 1933 Goudey #106
Nap Lajoie
$120,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
7. 1914 E145-1 Cracker Jack
#30
Ty Cobb, OF Detroit Tigers
$100,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
8. 1951 Bowman #305
Willie Mays, OF New York/San Francisco Giants
$65,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
9. 1954 Bowman #66A
Ted Williams, OF Boston Red Sox
$50,000 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Near-mint
10. 1938 Goudey Heads Up R323 #274
Joe DiMaggio, OF New York Yankees
$47,500 - 2009 SMR Price Guide Mint
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