Top 10 Celebrity Cards Under the Radar
With 2024 Allen & Ginter bringing a new crop of celebrity cards, it is time to check in on the cards that have come before. So, it’s list time! These are 10 of the coolest celebrity cards in the hobby. Who will get the coveted top spot?
Ground rules first. No autos or parallels here. Those get their own lists. These cards rely on the A-list star power of their subjects to sell. Also, these cards feature celebrities as themselves and not their characters. Those cards get their own list too. Finally, the cards aren’t ranked solely on value, but more on their overall coolness factor.
10. 1994-95 Hoops Denzel Washington #297- The high print runs of the junk wax era can even keep the normally bankable Denzel down. It’s a great card but can be had for under $5.
9. 2017 Upper Deck Goodwin’s Champions #100 Stephen King- Authors often get ignored in terms of memorabilia, but the famous Red Sox fan has several cards in 2017 Goodwin. #100 shows off his authorial personality well.
8. 1991-92 Hoops #325 Will Smith- Smith is still one of the biggest movie stars in the world and this early card captures him in his Fresh Prince days right before he became one of the biggest movie stars in the world.
7. 2015 Topps FP-04 Eddie Vedder- Technically an insert, but it’s close enough to a base card to count. Vedder is one of the highlights of Topps’ First Pitch cards, providing many celebrities only cards.
6. 2013 Panini Black Friday- Platinum League HRX Tupac Shakur- Snoop and Biggie also have similar cards that are also overlooked. Tupac’s card runs under $20 still.
5. 1952 Topps Look ‘n See #104 Queen Elizabeth II- Arguably the world’s most famous person for most of her life, Queen Elizabeth II appears on quite a number of cards, all with their merits. The 1952 Topps version is an attractive choice amongst her early issues as many others capture her as a child.
4. 2023 Leaf Reimagined #RIB37 Elon Musk vs. Mark Zuckerberg- It’s certainly the highest net worth of any two card subjects ever. Both guys are at the top of the tech world and this card celebrates the fight that never was.
3. 1984 Topps Michael Jackson #7 Beat It Outfit- Topps made a whole set for Jackson in 1984. All of the cards are great, but #7 with the iconic red jacket stands out.
2. 1995 Panini Smash Hits Album Stickers Nirvana- The card features both Cobain and Grohl both of whom have had a very large impact on rock music. It's one of the pricier cards on this list, but still one that many don't know exists.
1. 2011 Topps American Pie #196 Taylor Swift and Kanye West—The card features two of the most famous humans on the planet and captures them in the moment they became household names.
