Rare Topps Baseball Cards

SI Staff | Mar 9, 2010

Rare Topps Baseball Cards

Willie Mays

The rookie card of the greatest living ball player..the Say Hey Kid.

Mickey Mantle

Along with the 1909 Honus Wagner card, Mickey Mantle's rookie card is probably the most famous baseball card of alltime. It's value has fluctuated but has been priced as high as $50,000. <br>Why is this card so valuable? Because it pictures one of the greatest and many copies of the card were dumped in the Atlantic Ocean.

Roberto Clemente

The rookie card of the famous Roberto Clemente.

Hank Aaron

Aaron was already a well-established big leaguer, but apparently wasn't well known enough to prevent his card from being printed in reverse, showing the game's alltime home run king as a lefty, rather than a right-handed hitter.

Bill Denehy, Tom Seaver

Only one of these two pitchers went on to earn three Cy Young awards, the nickname The Franchise and a ticket to the Hall of Fame. Can you guess which one?

Aurelio Rodriguez

Rodriguez had a lengthy career in the 1970s and 1980s and (we think) made it onto many baseball cards, but that's not him on this 1969 Topps card. It's Angels' batboy Leonard Garcia.

Carl Yastrezemski

Ted Williams' last season in Boston was the first for Carl Yastrzemski, who became a Hall of Famer, like Ted, and a fixture in the Boston pantheon, like Ted.

Mark McGwire

Mark McGwire (1985)-- This was the first time Topps paid tribute to the Olympics. Mark played for USA in the 1984 Olympics.

Cal Ripken

The wood look of the card was loosely designed after the 1962 Topps design.

Brooks Robinson

The rookie card of one of the best fielders of all time.

Cal Ripken

The Iron Man's rookie card.

Gary Pettis

Gary had his little brother stand in for this photo.

Rickey Henderson

The rookie card of the all-time stolen base leader.

Sandy Koufax

Rookie card.

Wade Boggs

The rookie card of an amazing hitter.Two other rookie cards appear in the same year: Tony Gwynn and Ryne Sandberg Carlton Fisk rookie card 1972 -- Famous for his world series blast and games caught behind the plate. This is his rookie card.

Jackie Robinson

This is card # 1 in a set that was hand painted by artists.

Mike Garman, Cecil Cooper, Carlton Fisk

Rookie card for Carlton Fisk -- Who's famous for his world series blast and games caught behind the plate.

Earnie Banks

Hank Aaron