When it comes to vintage sports memorabilia collecting, it’s not just about rarity or condition; it’s about the nostalgia of being a fan. It’s all in our name: the Love of the Game. To tap into that love, we used Card Ladder to find out what the highest-selling cards are for all 30 MLB franchises as of September of 2022. Then, we talked to dozens of team bloggers and podcasters to share what those players mean to their fanbases.
If you have a dusty pile of old cards and postcards sitting in your garage, and you’re not sure what they could be worth or if anyone would want them, connecting to the love of the game is the best way to ensure that you not only get the maximum value for them, but that they end up with someone who will appreciate them. Find out more about our consignment services.
On to the article!
American League East
Baltimore Orioles (1954 – Present), St. Louis Browns (1902 – 1953), Milwaukee Brewers (1901)
Highest-Selling Card: 1978 Topps #36 Eddie Murray – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $59,040
“Eddie Murray will forever be an iconic Baltimore sports figure in large part due to his ability to deliver in clutch situations. While Cal Ripken, Jr. is arguably the most popular amongst former Orioles, he wasn’t the player that opponents game-planned around when they visited Charm City. That distinction belongs to Murray. Chants of “Ed-die, Ed-die”, will echo in eternity throughout the halls of Baltimore’s sports annals.”
– Tony Lombardi, Eutaw Street Report Founder
Boston Red Sox (1908 – Present), Boston Americans (1901 – 1907)
Highest Selling Card: 1939 Play Ball #92 Ted Williams – PSA MINT 9 – $480,000
“Growing up as A Red Sox fan, Ted Williams is a name I came to know very well. His red seat where his 477 foot home run landed is a staple at Fenway Park. His swing made him one of the best hitters in baseball history regardless of the era.”
– James Gatlin, Sports Writer
New York Yankees (1913 – Present), New York Highlanders (1903 – 1912)
Highest Selling Card: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle – SGC MINT 9.5 – $12,600,000
“When Mickey Mantle debuted with the Yankees in 1951, the expectations were sky-high — Hall of Fame manager Casey Stengel said that he would hit like Joe DiMaggio from the right side of the plate and Babe Ruth from the left. It didn’t take long for Mantle to impress the fans, as he won his first of 7 World Series titles as a rookie in 1951, made his first of 20 All-Star appearances in 1952, and reached his zenith in 1956 by capturing the elusive Triple Crown (and first of three MVPs). Mantle battled brutal injuries throughout his career, but still became a New York City icon in his own right while launching 536 career home runs as a switch-hitter and 18 in World Series play; no one has approached these records since ‘The Mick’ retired in 1968.”
– Andrew Mearns, Pinstripe Alley Managing Editor
“”If there ever was a great name for a baseball player, it was Mickey Mantle. Mantle also played during one of baseball’s greatest ages – a time when the game seemed so real and fun – and when baseball cards were just taking off. The greats who came before Mantle (Ruth, Gehrig, and DiMaggio) had baseball cards, of course, but they didn’t have yearly cards as much as Mickey did. I think that part of Mantle’s popularity stemmed from the fact that he was so “accessible” for fans. They could hold Mantle in their hands. He was real. And, of course, since he was so great, and was always in the World Series, he was known across the country. For those reasons, Mantle became even a greater player in young fans’ minds. When many of those fans grew up, they reached back to their childhood and needed to possess some of the cards that could help bring them back to their days as a youth. Mantle remains popular and valuable because he was, in so many ways, part of life, but larger than life all at the same time.”
– Dr. Paul Semendinger, Author, Start Spreading the News Founder
Tampa Bay Rays (1998 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #WF Wander Franco Red Refractors – PSA GEM MINT 10- $193,000
“Wander Franco was baseball’s best prospect for many years running, and still would be if he were still in the minor leagues. The 21-year old’s ~$200 million deal with the small market Rays speaks for itself. If Franco played the outfield he would be considered the next Mike Trout or the next Jose Siri, but instead he’s played baseball’s most difficult defensive position of shortstop.“
– Danny Russell, DRays Bay Managing Editor
Toronto Blue Jays (1977 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPAVG Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Red Refractors – BGS 10 – $543,329
“Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is likely the most hyped Blue Jays prospect in franchise history, so the fact that he’s lived up to that hype at this point in his young career is something truly special for Canadian baseball fans. It’s easy to forget that he’s still just 23 years old, and that he’s still learning how to play, and to win at the highest level. For a player who is already one of the most exciting Blue Jays off all-time, it’s easy to dream about what the future could hold for Vlad Jr. and the Blue Jays.”
– Chris Henderson, Jays Journal Co-Editor
American League Central
Chicago White Sox (1901 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2016 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPAFT Fernando Tatis Jr. Red Refractors – BGS GEM MINT 9.5/BGS 10 – $241,200
Fernando Tatis Jr. beat out historic White Sox legends like Shoeless Joe Jackson ($84,000), Ed Cicotte ($40,800) and Nellie Fox ($23,011) to take the top spot. His time with the franchise was brief; he was signed in 2015 and traded in 2016, before he had ever played in a minor league game, to the San Diego Padres. That was just enough time for a Bowman Prospect card to be produced with him in a White Sox uniform. In August, Tatis Jr. was suspended 80 games for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs.
Cleveland Guardians (1915 – Present), Cleveland Naps (1903 – 1914), Cleveland Bronchos (1902), Cleveland Blues (1901)
Highest Selling Card: 1910 T210 Old Mill (Series 8) Joe Jackson – PSA VG+ 3.5 – $600,000
“Shoeless” Joe Jackson’s legacy in Cleveland is more of a ghost than that of a legend. While he played for the Cleveland Naps/Indians from 1910 til 1915, most fans have or had no idea. Ask the common fan who “Shoeless” Joe Jackson is and most will not know. If they do it’s through the amazing 1989 film Field of Dreams were Joe Jackson was portrayed by the late Ray Liotta. “Shoeless” Joe Jackson is most famous for two things. One is being arguably the greatest pure hitter in the history of baseball. The other is being apart of the 1919 fixed World Series. There’s no argument that Joe Jackson is and should be considered one of the greatest players of all time, but in the city of Cleveland, where we have statues of Bob Feller, Lou Boudreau, and Larry Doby just outside of Progressive Field, with another statue of Rocky Colavito in nearby “Little Italy”, Joe Jackson is the “legend that never was” here in on shores of Lake Erie.”
– Joey Schneider, Believeland Media
Detroit Tigers (1901 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 1914 Cracker Jack Ty Cobb #30 PSA NM-MT 8 – $516,000
“I think for Tigers fans, if you walk around Comerica Park, his statue stands in the centerfield concourse. Many of his records still stand today, considering how much baseball has changed. His lifetime WAR of 151.5 showed how valuable he was to Detroit for a time. That number, the stories, they will last for years to come.”
– Rogelio Castillo, Tigers Minor League Report
Kansas City Royals (1969 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 1975 Topps #228 George Brett – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $186,000
“The 1975 Brett. Where do you start? Franchise icon, 3,000 hits, those huge home runs against the Yankees. Spent his entire career in KC where people loved the passion he played with. This card is a must have for every Royals fan.”
– Bradford Lee, Royals Review Writer
“At this point, Brett is a talisman of what the Royals once were, a dominant force in the American League. It’s been a long time since the Royals were consistent contenders for pennants, but Brett really represents that era of Royals baseball, a time when fans could count on the team being competitive every season. Current fans want that so badly and hold Brett in such high regard because that’s what he represents.”
– Marcus Meade, Royals Weekly
Minnesota Twins (1961 – Present), Washington Senators (1901 – 1960)
Highest Selling Card: 1909 T204 Walter Johnson PSA NM-MT 8 – $252,000
“From what I know of our TwinkieTown community, there isn’t much connection to the Senators. They’re seen as part of D.C. baseball history, not here.
Funny thing, though — you will hear/read Twins fans using the phrase “Damn Yankees.” Many who use it don’t know that the phrase is from a hit Broadway musical of that name, in which a long-suffering Senators fan makes a deal with the devil to finally start winning. The Twins have gotten whomped by the Yankees many times in recent years.
There’s also a well-known incident from the late 1970s, when owner Cal Griffith told diners at a supper club that he moved the team to Minnesota because it had fewer Black people. Griffith said the team’s low attendance in D.C. was because Blacks didn’t care about baseball. Of course this was nonsense, Negro League teams often had better attendance than MLB teams in the segregation days. The bigger problem was that most people in D.C. at the time were transplants from other cities, and tended to stay fans of their home teams. Also, the Senators usually stunk.
In any case, reporter Nick Coleman printed Griffith’s remarks, and this directly resulted in Rod Carew demanding a trade. Twins fans were mad that Griffith drove the team’s best player away, and attendance plummeted. A few years later, Griffith sold the Twins to Carl Pohlad, whose sons still own the team today.”
– James Fillmore, Twinkie Town Senior Writer
American League West
Houston Astros (1965 – Present), Houston Colt .45s (1962 – 1964)
Highest Selling Card: 1965 Topps #16 Joe Morgan – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $144,000
Joe Morgan is mostly known for his time as a second baseman for the Big Red Machine Reds of the 70s, where he made the All Star Game eight times in a row, won Most Valuable Player twice, and won two World Series. But his first nine seasons were with the Houston Colt .45s and Astros.
Los Angeles/California/Anaheim Angels (1961 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2009 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects #BDPP89 Mike Trout Autograph Superfractor – BGS MINT 9/BGS 10 – $3,840,000
“Mike Trout is the greatest Angels player of all time. His significance in Major League Baseball can be measured with legends of the game. After years of futility in the draft, the Angels uncharacteristically got lucky and picked a once in the life of a franchise talent. Hopefully, they’ll finally be able to build a winner around the future Hall of Famer. Mike Trout is a gift for long suffering Angels fans.”
– Craig Tyson Adams
Oakland Athletics (1968 – Present), Kansas City Athletics (1955 – 1967), Philadelphia Athletics (1901 – 1954)
Highest Selling Card: 1969 Topps #260 Reggie Jackson #260 – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $1,005,600
“I used to own a few Reggie Jackson Topps 1969 cards. I used to get them out of packs or went to our local Safeway and spent the nickels that I had and got them out of the bubble gum machines. It seemed innocent at the time and never dreamed that these cards would be worth thousands at the time. I later lost the cards and today have a very few of the 1969 Topps cards, but no Reggie Jacksons amongst them.
I later got to work at a couple San Francisco radio stations and covered the A’s when Reggie returned to Oakland to finish his career with the A’s in 1987 and got to interview him. Later Reggie was working for the New York Yankees TV Network on WPIX with former MLB players Phil Scooter Rizzuto, Bill White, Billy Martin and Bobby Mercer when they came to Oakland. I got to talk to Reggie and the rest of them. It was a real highlight seeing them all.”
– Lee Leonard, Sports Radio Service Founder
“In addition to being one of the greatest sluggers in Oakland A’s history, Reggie Jackson was also a big, bold, charismatic personality who was never afraid to court controversy, Love him or hate him, he always found a way to make headlines with his outspokenness, and he perfectly exemplified the brash style of the extremely successful and incredibly colorful A’s teams of the 1970s. On the field, Reggie was a big-time performer who could always be counted on to come through in the clutch. He helped lead the A’s to three consecutive World Series championships in the ’70s, a feat that hasn’t been matched since. In Oakland’s second championship season in 1973, Jackson was both the MVP and the World Series MVP, and he was named an All-Star a remarkable 14 times in his career.”
– Bill Moriarity, Athletics Farm Editor-in-Chief
Seattle Mariners (1977 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2019 Bowman Chrome Prospect Autographs #CPA-JRO Julio Rodriguez – BGS GEM MINT 9.5/Beckett 10 – $276,000
“Since Julio Rodríguez is seen by many as the successor to Ken Griffey Jr. as far as Mariners superstars go, it makes perfect sense that J-Rod’s card would be the one to outstrip Griffey’s as the most valuable Mariners card ever. But seeing Julio only through the lens of another Mariners great does a disservice to both players, despite the clear similarities between the two phenoms. Like The Kid, Julio has a larger-than-life presence on and off the field, but in an entirely different way. As a digital native, Julio learned early on how to harness the power of social media and build relationships with Mariners fans through liking, retweeting, and replying to everyday fans on his various channels. He’s had a hand in building his brand from Day 1, and his arrival in Seattle has been hotly anticipated since the time he was still in A-ball. But he’s not just currying favor with the fanbase to drive his own starpower; Julio possesses an incredible generosity of spirit, an infectious positivity that shines through in everything he does. Fans and baseball peers alike are drawn to the way he radiates joy on and off the field, and his desire not just to be great, but to be surrounded by greatness. The Mariners have put Julio in a position to be the face of the franchise for the next decade-plus, and he has gleefully embraced that role; in turn, Mariners fans have gleefully embraced him.”
– Kate Preusser, Looking Landing Managing Editor
Texas Rangers (1972 – Present), Washington Senators (1961 – 1971)
Top Selling Card: 1971 Topps #750 Denny McLain – PSA MINT 9 – $8,655
The strangest anomaly of this list is that Denny McLain has the most valuable baseball card in Rangers and Senators history. There simply was never a Hall of Fame rookie that came up with the franchise in the 60s and 70s. The players most etched in Rangers lore, like Buddy Bell, Rafael Palmeiro, Nolan Ryan, Alex Rodriguez or Adrian Beltre debuted with other teams, while their homegrown Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez, came up in the “Junk Wax” era. In the last decade, there hasn’t been a mega-hyped Rangers prospect that has a top-selling “Superfractor” card. So for now, Denny McLain it is.
National League East
Atlanta Braves (1966 – Present), Milwaukee Braves (1953 – 1965), Boston Braves/Bees/Rustlers/Doves/Beaneaters/Red Stockings (1876 – 1952)
Highest Selling Card: 1954 Topps #128 Hank Aaron – PSA MINT 9 – $645,000
It is no surprise that the longtime home run hitter in history, the RBI record holder, and reigning Total Bases leader of all time also has the top-selling card in the Atlanta Braves’ 148-year franchise history. Warren Spahn’s 1948-49 Leaf card ($266,000) comes in second.
Miami Marlins (2012 – Present), Florida Marlins (1993 – 2011)
Highest Selling Card: 2010 Bowman Chrome Draft Prospects #BDPP78 Christian Yelich Autograph Superfractor – PSA MINT 9 – $111,000
Christian Yelich was an above average player for the Miami Marlins, but for a couple years he was a stud in Milwaukee…and we got nothing for him back. Just hearing that name is upsetting, why didn’t he do that with us? Why didn’t we take Atlanta’s offer of Austin Riley and Mike Soroka?
– Neil Raymond, Marlin Maniac Site Expert
Amid what would be an eventual 100-loss season in 2013, the mid-season arrival of Christian Yelich which followed the ground-running success by eventual NL ROY, the late Jose Fernandez, saw what many had envisioned to be the fostering of a winning core to compliment the then-ascending Giancarlo Stanton. Alas, while Yelich was anything but a bust, accruing 17.5 rWAR in his first five seasons, unfortunately, the quality of baseball superimposed with tragedy, the team played never festered anything beyond a 79-win season. So when the team began to dismantle, trading Stanton and fallen-good grace Marcell Ozuna in the span of the 2017-18 offseason, Yelich being dealt to Milwaukee was just another indicator that “what we (Miami) had didn’t work,” leaving fans wondering “why?
– Louis Addeo-Weiss, Fish Stripes Deputy Editor
New York Mets (1962 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 1968 Topps #177 Nolan Ryan – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $600,000
“Any baseball card that didn’t originate on the back of a pack of cigarettes or isn’t a rare survivor from a lot tossed out to sea fetching $600K seems excessive. If you told me prior to my 9th birthday that this particular card would be considered extremely valuable in 50 or so years, I’d have figured it would be mainly for Jerry Koosman. But the month I turned 9 was the month the Mets traded the perpetually wild righty keeping Kooz company and, Jerry Koosman’s outstanding career notwithstanding, Nolan Ryan became the Nolan Ryan of legend.
Perhaps it all goes to show you never can tell.
For those Mets fans who never saw Nolan pitch for us, he’s the avatar of The One Who Got Away, the principal in the worst-conceived trade of all time. If you did see him, you understood (even at 8 going on 9) why he was deemed tradeable by 1971 standards. Why you’d trade him for an aging shortstop who’d never played third base and then call that shortstop your third baseman perplexed me then and now.
But we — that’s Nolan and us — will always have 1969.”
– Greg Prince, Faith & Fear in Flushing
Philadelphia Phillies (1890 – Present), Philadelphia Quakers (1883 – 1889)
Highest Selling Card: 1909 T206 Piedmont Sherry Magee PSA NM-MT 8 – $600,000
Sherry Magee takes the top spot for the Phillies/Quakers on a technicality: in the legendary 1909-1911 T206 Piedmont collection, a handful of Sherry Magee’s cards were printed as “Sherry Magie,” and are considered very scarce today. Although Sherry Magee was a decent player in his own right, others like Mike Schmidt ($234,000), Ed Delahanty ($63,000) or Robin Roberts ($38,400) amassed higher WAR with the team.
Washington Nationals (2005 – Present), Montreal Expos (1969 – 2004)
Highest Selling Card: 2016 Bowman Chrome #CPA-JS Juan Soto Orange Refractor – BGS 9.5/Auto 10 – $300,000
“Juan Soto is a hitting prodigy who quickly emerged during a heyday run for the Nationals not only in terms of winning; but also in terms of star power presence. He briefly overlapped with Bryce Harper in 2018 before seamlessly taking over his role as the top outfield bat on the 2019 World Series winning team. There are two Soto moments that will forever be etched in Nats fans memories.
The first was his bases clearing single in the bottom of the 8th vs. Milwaukee in the Wildcard Game that became so much more when the ball went under the glove of Trent Girisham in right field. It was 4-2 Brewers when he shuffled his way into the batter’s box and it was 5-4 Washington after he was tagged out in a rundown. The other is when he crushed an opposite field homer onto the Houston train tracks off Gerrit Cole in Game 1 of the World Series.
The business of baseball ended his time with the Nationals in the summer of 2022, but the 2019 flag that he played such a pivotal role in attaining; will fly forever.”
– Tim Shovers, Nats Chat Podcast Founder & Executive Producer
National League Central
Chicago Cubs (1902 – Present), Chicago Orphans/Colts/White Stockings (1876 – 1902)
Highest Selling Card: 1910 E93 Standard Caramel Mordecai Brown – PSA MINT 9 – $210,000
“As his name indicates, Mordecai “Three-Finger” Brown is the epitome of old school for a franchise that has been around long enough to have gone well over a century without a title. In fact, Brown was an integral part of the Cubs’ back-to-back World Series championships in 1907 and ’08. His colorful nickname was the result of a childhood farm-implement accident that severed most of his index finger and injured his other digits. That ended up working in his favor as a pitcher because it enabled him to throw what we now know as a knuckle-curve that baffled hitters, leading to a 1.80 ERA over the course of 10 seasons with the Cubs. A folk hero as well as a legend, Brown’s tall tale still looms large in Cubs lore more than a hundred years after his last game with them.
– Evan Altman, Cubs Insider Editor-in-Chief
Cincinnati Reds (1890 – Present), Cincinnati Red Stockings (1882 – 1889)
Highest Selling Card: 1963 Topps #537 Pete Rose – SGC GEM MINT 10 – $264,000
“For many fans, Pete Rose has become much more than the guy who broke the hit record. He’s the local kid who became a star for his hometown club, not because of talent but because of hustle and sheer desire, and led that team to unprecedented heights. He made fans feel like if he could do it, so could they. Presumably, those fans don’t also aspire to match Rose’s negative qualities. Despite all that, somehow, he endures.
– Nathan Dotson, The Riverfront Podcast
Milwaukee Brewers (1970 – Present), Seattle Pilots (1969)
Highest Selling Card: 1975 Topps #223 Robin Yount – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $102,000
“No one epitomizes Milwaukee Brewers baseball or the loyalty between the fans and a franchise as much as Hall of Famer Robin Yount. Called up to the Majors at the age of 18, “The Kid” would play his entire 20 year career in a Brewers uniform. Despite his 3142 hits, being a 2x AL MVP at two different positions, and still topping the Crew’s franchise leaderboard in many offensive categories, Robin’s meaning to Milwaukee goes beyond mere statistics. He is humble and let his bat speak for him, his work ethic melded perfectly with a city that still prides itself on the industry that made it grow and thrive, and he showed loyalty by staying in small market Milwaukee when he could have played anywhere else in the league. In short, we love Robin Yount because we see him as one of us who just made it all the way to Cooperstown.”
– Scott Bartell, Brew Crew Review Podcast Host
Pittsburgh Pirates (1891 – Present), Pittsburgh Alleghenys (1882 – 1890)
Highest Selling Card: 1909 T206 Sweet Caporal White Border Honus Wagner – SGC VG 3 – $6,606,296
“The Pirates were a forgettable ballclub during the 1800s, but a trade at the end of the century changed the franchise’s fortunes. The soon-to-be-extinct Louisville Colonels sent several of their best players to Pittsburgh, including a bowlegged infielder named Honus Wagner. The shortstop would claim his first of eight NL batting titles in 1900, and the following season he led the Pirates to the first of three consecutive NL pennants. In 1908 — a year in which the MLB batting average was .239 — Wagner hit an astonishing .354, leading all of baseball in doubles, average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, and total bases. He followed that performance by leading the Bucs to their fourth NL pennant and first World Series championship in 1909, hitting .333 in the Fall Classic. By Baseball Reference’s wins above replacement metric, Wagner is easily the greatest Pirate of all time and has the 10th-highest WAR of any player in Major League history. Widely acclaimed as one of the greatest players of his era, he was among the inaugural five-person class for the Baseball Hall of Fame, alongside Ty Cobb, Walter Johnson, Christy Mathewson, and Babe Ruth.”
– Bucco Ball
St. Louis Cardinals (1900 – Present), St. Louis Perfectos/Browns/Brown Stockings (1882 – 1889)
Highest Selling Card: 2001 Bowman Chrome Refractor Autograph #340 Albert Pujols – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $462,000
“Albert’s legacy with the Cardinals speaks for itself. He was the best hitter in baseball for almost a full decade and arguably the best player in baseball in that time as well. His legacy with the Cardinals means even more now that he is back with the team in pursuit of 700 home runs, which also resonates with fans of today. Fans of today will look back at the early career of Albert like previous generations of fans looked back on the career of other all-time greats.”
– James David Brisentine, Cardinal Nation
National League West
Arizona Diamondbacks (1998 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2021 Bowman Draft JORDAN LAWLAR Chrome Red Refractor – $14,800
Although Randy Johnson ($3,905) has the highest WAR in Diamondbacks history, and Paul Goldschmidt ($5,988) has the second highest WAR and is a homegrown Diamondback to boot, the allure of future takes the top spot for Arizona. He just turned 20, and was drafted straight out of high school with the sixth overall pick in 2021. According to Fangraphs, he’s the 81st-rated prospect in baseball, and projects out to be a strong defensive shortstop.
Colorado Rockies (1993 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 2010 Bowman Chrome Red Refractor Nolan Arenado ROOKIE RC AUTO 5/5 BGS 9.5 (PWCC) – $26,201
“Winning seasons are few and far between in thin air, in that type of environment individuals become more important than the collective. Nolan Arenado was the greatest two-way player to ever call Blake St. home and was the major beacon of pride for a generation of Rockies fans. He played with emotion, disregard for himself, and put his team on his back.”
I’d like to add that “Father’s Day, June 18, 2017 is a microcosm of what Nolan was to Denver. An emotional, bloodied Nolan delivering a walk off HR to complete the cycle; but it was the win that he cared about more. Hands down, one of the greatest moments in Rockies history.”
– Aaron McBride, Blake Street Banter
“When I think of Nolan Arenado, my mind always goes back to some of his amazing plays at third base. His offensive numbers speak for themselves, but to truly appreciate Arenado, you had to watch him play in the field. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a third baseman with such lightning quick, soft hands – not to mention the range and arm strength to take advantage of the extra base hit he’d just robbed. Arenado could get to ground balls most players had no shot at, and then make throws that seemed to defy logic – leaping, arching, improbable missiles to first base that somehow always beat the runner. And then he’d come up to bat and put one onto the concourse in left.”
– Doug Ottewill, Mile High Sports Publisher-Editor
Los Angeles Dodgers (1958 – Present), Brooklyn Dodgers (1932 – 1957), Brooklyn Robins/Superbas/Dodgers/Bridegrooms/Grooms/Grays/Atlantics (1884 – 1931)
Highest Selling Card: 1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson – PSA MT 9 – $960,000
“Jackie Robinson, against all of the odds stacked against him gave the African-American community a sense of hope & pride.
Most important of all, his character is what was much more significant than any of his baseball accolades. He handled everything with grace and class, and showed today’s athletes how to carry themselves as humans. He used his platform to inspire a community. In my humble opinion, his breakthrough is the greatest moment in baseball history. Without that moment, I truly believe we don’t have some of the superstars & legends after his breaking of the color barrier, to even current players in the league today.
That’s why the legacy of Jackie Robinson will be felt for many generations to come. He trail blazed in not just sport, but in the sport of life.”
– Alonso Sarinana, Bleed Los Podcast co-host
San Diego Padres (1969 – Present)
Highest Selling Card: 1979 Topps #116 Ozzie Smith – PSA GEM MINT 10 – $222,000
The Wizard is overwhelmingly known for his 15 seasons in St. Louis, but first, he came up with San Diego in 1978. The late Tony Gwynn’s rookie card ($12,099) was firmly in the “Junk Wax” era, while Dave Winfield’s 1974 rookie card fetched $74,400 at an auction this year.
San Francisco Giants (1958 – Present), New York Giants (1885 – 1957), New York Gothams (1883 – 1884)
Highest Selling Card: 1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays – PSA MT 9 – $478,000
“Some ballplayers are great because of their stats. The greatness of Willie Mays transcends stats and on the field accomplishments. He is an immortal Giant and a transcendent figure who became a pop culture icon in the vein of Joe DiMaggio, Babe Ruth and Mickey Mantle. His career was also a bridge, a bridge between the Giants of New York and the Giants of San Francisco. His skills as a complete ballplayer and his gentlemanly reputation are complemented by his class and his intellect, all of which are impeccable. Willie Mays is a Giant American, an icon in baseball and the history of American sports. For Giants fans he the incarnation of baseball immortality.”
– George Magalios, Together We’re Giants Publisher