“Three baseball cards stand apart as the unquestioned most iconic pieces of cardboard ever printed: the 1909 T206 Honus Wagner, the first card whose print run was cut short and whose value soared into the millions; the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie, the true beginning of baseball cards as a piece of Americana; and the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie, the No. 1 card in the first card set that signaled the beginning of baseball cards as an investment.” – Darren Rovell | ESPN Senior Writer | July 25, 2016
1909 T206 Honus Wagner
The 1909 T206 Honus Wagner is the Holy Grail of all trading cards.
Card Number: 497 | Year: 1909 | Set Name: T206 1909 White Borders (Piedmont & Sweet Caporal)
PSA 8 – Average Price: $2,800,000.00
1952 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie
Not the official Mantle rookie card BUT still the most recognizable sportscard in the entire hobby and the anchor of the most important post-war set in existence.
Card Number: 311 | Year: 1952 | Set Name: 1952 Topps Card
PSA 9 – Average Price: $282,588.00
1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie
Ken Griffey Jr. is one of the best all-around players in baseball history and this card is without a doubt one of the most symbolic cards of the modern era.
Card Number: 1 | Year: 1989 | Set Name: 1989 Upper Deck
PSA 10 – Average Price: $343.39
Sources
- Ken Griffey Jr.’s Hall of Fame exhibit lacks 1989 Upper Deck card
- 1909 White Borders (Piedmont & Sweet Caporal) Wagner (Honus) #497 (Hall of Fame)
- 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311 (Hall of Fame)
- 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #1 (Hall of Fame)
- HONUS WAGNER – 1909-1911 T206 WHITE BORDER
- MICKEY MANTLE – 1952 TOPPS
- KEN GRIFFEY JR. (STAR ROOKIE) – 1989 UPPER DECK
