Baseball card collecting has existed almost as long as the sport itself has. From kids buying packs at the corner store to high-end collectors throwing millions of dollars around to land collecting grails, baseball card collecting remains one of the quintessential hobbies out there, especially for those who call baseball one of their favorite sports.
But what are the most unforgettable, iconic baseball cards to ever be printed? Well, the answer is pretty complicated, and requires comparing vastly different eras of baseball and collecting, as well as understanding what makes a card famous and collectible to begin with.
This is not a list of the most valuable baseball cards of all time, and the list of honorable mentions with these kinds of rankings is at least as long as the rankings themselves. By the very nature of the topic, collectors from different eras and backgrounds will inevitably have widely different perspectives as to what is unforgettable or iconic. Our goal is to incorporate as many perspectives as possible while getting a ranking together that can serve as a good starting point.
30. 2018 Bowman Chrome Shohei Ohtani Rookie Auto
At this point, no list of great/unforgettable/iconic baseball cards is completely without a Shohei Ohtani card or two. Not only is Ohtani the most bankable player in all of baseball, but collectors have driven the value of Ohtani's cards to ridiculous levels. When you have a player who consistently has cards that collectors could retire with by selling, that player is a must-include.
Ohtani has two iconic rookie cards in these rankings, and the first is his 2018 Bowman Chrome rookie auto. When you think of Ohtani grail cards that aren't obscenely expensive Gold Logoman cards or any of the offerings from Topps Dynasty, his rookie autos from 2018 autos are near the top of the list. Global demand for Ohtani remains incredibly strong, and these rookie autos will remain a top chase for decades to come.
29. 1957 Topps Brooks Robinson
For a baseball card to be truly unforgettable, it must have incredible eye appeal and/or feature an incredible player. While he still doesn't get the love he deserves, Brooks Robinson is widely considered one of the best defensive players to ever live, and is easily a member of the Orioles' Mount Rushmore. As a result, including his rookie card from 1957 Topps is an easy choice.
Not only is Robinson's 1957 Topps card the Hall of Famer's rookie card, but it has an instantly recognizable look, especially with that goofy grin of his. It certainly doesn't hurt the card's case that it is also extremely sought after, as high-grade copies of Robinson's rookie card can command tens of thousands of dollars. A ranking of the most valuable baseball cards would be pretty boring, but price can tell us how much collectors covet a card, and Robinson's rookie is definitely up there.
28. 1993 Topps Derek Jeter
Derek Jeter is one of the most iconic modern baseball players, and he has several cards to choose from. Some argue Jeter’s rookie card from 1993 SP Authentic is superior, and that would be a solid choice given how expensive and sought-after it is. However, that card is valuable more because it is somewhat short-printed and hard to grade highly, and not for being particularly iconic or memorable.
However, Jeter's rookie from 1993 Topps does check all the boxes we are looking for, particularly the gold parallels. It is a unique insert from a set with large amounts of nostalgia value for a ton of collectors, and it is still one of the most collected Jeter cards on the planet. Yes, this is from the junk wax era, so there are a lot of them. That said, you can't think of Jeter cards without picturing this one, so it is a no-brainer.
27. 2018 Topps Chrome Shohei Ohtani
Some will scoff at the idea that Ohtani’s only two entries on this list are towards the bottom. The truth is, though, that we don’t know how history will judge his cards yet. Odds are high that he will have more than just these two cards on this list in a decade or so, but pumping the brakes before jumping in headfirst seems wise while the market continues to be defined.
When it comes to his base rookie cards, Ohtani’s 2018 Topps Chrome rookie takes the cake. It is a great picture that captures him on the mound well, and collectors gobble these up whenever they become available, raw or graded. The next few years will determine exactly how Ohtani’s career will be remembered, but you can bet his 2018 Topps Chrome rookie will remain a collecting favorite for many years to come.
26. 1948 Leaf Ted Williams
Returning to the vintage cards, we have Ted Williams’ card from 1948 Leaf. If you ask any casual baseball fan who the best pure hitter of all time is, Williams’ name will come up. Curiously, Williams doesn’t really have many cards that immediately jump to mind. There are also real arguments for his rookie card from 1939 Play Ball or even his 1954 Topps card. However, the choice here is his card from a set that has proven to be extremely important in the collecting space.
Williams’ card from this set is about as good as it gets. Unlike many baseball cards from this era, this illustration is an action shot of Williams finishing his famous swing. 1948 Leaf was also the first set with cards that have real color saturation, as previous sets were generally lightly shaded colors, or devoid of color altogether. This is just a beautiful card that displays baseball royalty, and definitely one that collectors clamor over when a nice copy is unearthed.
25. 1948 Leaf Satchel Paige
It was only fitting to put two 1948 Leaf entrants back-to-back here. If you are upset that Jackie Robinson’s rookie card hasn’t appeared on the list yet, scroll further up the rankings before getting mad. However, that still isn’t No. 42’s most iconic card on this list. When it comes to the legendary Satchel Paige, his 1948 Leaf rookie card is THE card to have from his illustrious career.
Subject matter really does matter with baseball cards, as eye appeal is a big driver of demand for vintage cards in particular. Here, you have a Hall of Fame, groundbreaking pitcher’s rookie card that has him smiling and looking off to the side. Some traditional portrait cards have their place, but Paige’s rookie card seems to have caught him during a candid moment, making this an all-time classic.
24. 1938 Goudey Joe DiMaggio
Curiously, Joe DiMaggio doesn’t have many cards, and several of them are either exceedingly rare and/or just ugly. It is somewhat unfortunate that an all-time great like him doesn’t have a large selection of iconic cards, although it is hard to argue that his 1938 Goudey Heads Up doesn’t qualify thanks to the striking illustration of a beloved Yankees great.
1938 Goudey Heads Up is an odd set, featuring caricatures of 24 different players from the era illustrated with big heads in an action pose. DiMaggio isn’t the only big name in the set, as Jimmie Foxx and Hank Greenberg also have cards, among others. However, DiMaggio’s card is the card that stands out the most by a pretty substantial margin.
23. 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout
For years, Mike Trout was THE biggest name in card collecting. He was on track for a career that would rival any other in baseball history, and collectors tend to notice when a player starts getting favorable comparisons to Mickey Mantle. Unfortunately, like Mantle, injuries have derailed Trout in recent years, and while the demand for his cards has declined over time alongside his body, he still has cards that are almost mandatory for any serious hobbyist and/or fan.
There is a solid case to be made for putting Trout’s Bowman 1st autograph from 2009 Bowman Draft on this list, but that card has been out of reach for most collectors, and it is honestly a pretty unremarkable-looking card that most couldn’t describe in detail. However, Trout’s rookie from 2011 Topps Update is the card most collectors think of when Trout’s name comes up. Great photo on a rookie card of one of the best modern baseball players, period. Yep, sign us up.
22. 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson
Reggie Jackson was one of the most iconic players from the 1970’s and 1980’s, especially for the playoff performances that earned him the nickname Mr. October. One issue with collecting Jackson’s cards is that he bounced around the league, with significant stints with the A’s, Yankees, and Angels. Jackson’s fluid career has created a fractured market based on collector preferences, but everyone can agree that Jackson’s 1969 Topps rookie card is a true grail.
In addition to the classic 1969 Topps design, Jackson’s rookie has the sharp colors and close-up details that catch the eye, even though the look on his face looks like he just noticed a mortal enemy step onto the field. Once again, you can’t NOT think of this card when thinking about the Hall of Famer’s cards, which makes it an easy addition to the rankings. It helps that the demand for Jackson’s rookie speaks for itself, as a PSA 9 copy will cost you north of $60,000.
21. 1989 Fleer Billy Ripken FF Error
This is one of the most famous “errors” in baseball card collecting history, and it is a card from the junk wax era of a player who’s best known as Cal Ripken Jr.’s younger brother and little else. The younger Ripken went to pose for this card, but apparently “forgot” that he had written “F*ck Face” on the knob of his bat for some reason.
What came next made this card one of the most famous cards of all time. Fleer obviously caught a lot of heat over the profanity on a card that kids everywhere were opening. Subsequent printings of the card include versions where the obscenity on the knob is marked out in black, marked out in white, and there are even some super-rare versions with a literal saw cut that goes to the bat knob. All versions, including the original, are highly sought after. Sometimes, albeit rarely, the actual player on the card matters very little.
20. 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente
No list of unforgettable cards is complete without Roberto Clemente. Clemente is revered in baseball circles for his prodigious talent as much as his tragic story due to his death in a plane crash in 1972 while he was still an active player. Die-hard Clemente/Pirates collectors out there covet basically any card of his from his playing days, but it is his 1955 Topps rookie card that most associate with the late Hall of Famer.
The 1955 Topps landscape design has long been a collecting favorite due to being an early example of facsimile signatures, in addition to having a bright color palette. Clemente’s rookie is the gem of the set, featuring a smiling portrait juxtaposed next to an illustration of Clemente in his batting stance. Clemente’s rookie is also one of the most expensive cards in the hobby today to buy in a high grade. If you want a PSA 9 (of which there are 11 known copies), you will have to fork over almost $600,000.
19. 1990 Topps Frank Thomas No Name on Front
If Ripken’s “creative” language on his bat knob isn’t the most famous error, the Frank Thomas No Name on Front error on some of his rookie cards is. Thomas is a Hall of Famer and one of the best hitters to ever play, but his regular 1990 Topps rookies are not very rare or remarkable at all. As was often the case during the junk wax era, millions of copies of Thomas’ rookie card were printed and sold. However, a select few copies (current estimates being less than 400) appeared in packs without Thomas’ name printed on them.
What happened next was a frenzy in the hobby. Once collectors discovered the error cards’ existence, as well as how rare they were, they instantly became THE chase card collectors were after, with 1990 Topps wax packs and fat packs ripped open by the hundreds of thousands. Today, if you want to own a PSA 7 copy of this rare error, it will cost you over $12,000. If you are looking to buy an even nicer copy than a 7, the few copies that become available each year will run you $30,000+.
18. 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan
Multi-player cards are generally not a favorite amongst collectors, but there are notable exceptions. One budget-friendly example is the 1991 Fleer card that has both Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Bonds, which has become a hobby favorite. On the higher end, you have Nolan Ryan’s rookie card from 1968 Topps, which also features Jerry Koosman.
Koosman actually had a nice career, but the draw here with this card is obviously Ryan, as he was one of the most dominant pitchers to ever play. There aren’t a ton of Ryan cards of his that feature him in a Mets uniform, and his rookie card is one of them while also being on that classic 1968 Topps brown canvas background. No Ryan card from his playing days comes anywhere close to the demand of his 1968 Topps rookie unless you are getting into really high-grade cards, and even that is debatable.
17. 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson
There are going to be some people out there in the world who think that because this is Robinson’s most expensive card, it should rank higher. Those people are more than welcome to make their own list. However, that is also not exactly true, and there are also other Robinson cards that come to mind before his rookie card.
That said, this is still an iconic card deserving of being ranked. The artwork on Robinson’s rookie doesn’t pop like some others in the set, but it is still a striking rookie card of one of the most important players in baseball history. If you are looking to buy a copy, you may want to contact a financial advisor first. PSA 1.5 copies sell for north of $24,000, while signed copies have commanded seven digits at auction. Of note, PSA has never given a grade of 10 to any copy of this card, and only eight 9s are known to exist, period. If you want one of those PSA 9s, be prepared to cough up half a million bucks.
16. 1971 Topps Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson’s career and story are legendary, especially amongst Yankee fans. Most agree that he was well on his way to a Hall of Fame career after winning Rookie of the Year in 1970 and MVP in 1976. Had he played a few more seasons, he would have been a mortal lock for Cooperstown. Unfortunately, Munson died in 1979 after he crashed his small plane in Ohio, so we never got to see what he was fully capable of.
Curiously, Munson’s rookie card isn’t overly desirable, but his 1971 Topps card is one of the more sought-after cards of all time. That is largely due to the general love for the 1971 black border design, as well as the rookie cup and action shot on Munson’s card specifically. Finding lower-grade copies isn’t too difficult, but pricing is extremely condition-sensitive. For example, a PSA 7 will still cost you over $1,000. Once you look at the really high grades, copies of those routinely command six figures at auction.
15. 1990 Score Bo Jackson
This one is funny, because this isn’t an expensive card, with raw copies generally costing $10-15 in good condition. However, young collectors may not remember the hype around Bo Jackson, as he was a mythical figure in both football and baseball. Jackson’s rookie card from 1986 Topps is a strong honorable mention for these rankings, but his most unforgettable card is easily his 1990 Score card.
Now, a reasonable person may ask why in the hell did Score tell Jackson to take his shirt off and put on football pads while holding a bat across the back of his neck for this card? That is a fair question that would be fun to find an answer to, but the answer is also irrelevant. The result was ultimately a card that is instantly recognizable to nearly any collector out there. Jackson’s 1990 Score is also a very accessible card to acquire, with millions of copies printed, and PSA 9 copies are affordable at under $100.
14. 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
It was only a matter of time before Mickey Mantle appeared in these rankings, and this is far from his only entry on this list. If one made a list of the top 15 Mantle cards ever printed, all of them would have a strong argument for inclusion in these rankings. However, doing so wouldn’t be any fun and would prevent highlighting the true cream of the crop, such as Mantle’s 1951 Bowman rookie card.
Given that this is Mantle’s rookie card, you would think it should also be his most desirable and highest-ranked card. However, that isn’t the case thanks to some unique circumstances that will be covered later, but that does not mean Mantle’s rookie isn’t one of the most important baseball cards ever printed. The design and colors are great with terrific eye appeal, and anything with Mantle’s picture on it (illustrated or real), especially from early in his career, is in very high demand. An ungraded copy will cost you more than $10,000, while a high-grade copy carries a price tag similar to a decent-sized house, if not more than that.
13. 1952 Topps Jackie Robinson
1952 Topps is one of the best card designs ever created, and even the lesser players in the set have become vintage collecting favorites. Willie Mays, Roy Campanella, and Yogi Berra are just a few of the players with cards in the set, and we wouldn’t argue if any of them were included. However, it remains impossible to think about one of the most famous sets ever without thinking about Jackie Robinson’s card from it.
The portrait is THE iconic illustration of Robinson from his playing days, and is paired with the deep red background that makes the card and its facsimile signature really pop. Just the card art alone is probably top 5 all-time in baseball card history. Collectors seem to agree, as raw copies of Robinson’s 1952 Topps go for almost $9,000 pretty consistently, while you will need six-digit sums to get a PSA 8 or better copy.
12. 1954 Topps Hank Aaron
There are many iconic cards of the Home Run King from his playing days. Thankfully, Hank Aaron played in an era when more and more cards were being printed, and his career was long enough that collectors have plenty of options to pick from. However, the grail of grails in terms of Aaron cards is, without question, his rookie card from 1954 Topps, and it remains one of the most important cards in collecting today.
Being a rookie card of a Mount Rushmore-type player is already enough to get on the list. However, 1954 Topps is another all-time great design that includes rookie cards of baseball legends Ernie Banks and Al Kaline, as well as famous cards for a slew of other Hall of Famers. Aaron’s rookie card features an orange background that highlights the surprisingly detailed portrait of the future all-time great very well. Unsurprisingly, buying a copy of Aaron’s rookie these days is exceedingly expensive. Beat-up ungraded copies still cost thousands, and high-grade examples start getting into that “need to take out a mortgage” price range.
11. 1986 Topps Traded Barry Bonds
Barry Bonds’ legacy is very complicated. No one denies he was a Hall of Fame talent who was the most dominant hitter of his generation (if not ever). However, lingering accusations of PED usage as well as being a very difficult personality have often overshadowed his accomplishments. That said, Bonds remains a collector favorite, with some likely stockpiling in hopes that he will eventually be forgiven and put into Cooperstown, and his 1986 Topps Traded rookie is THE Bonds rookie to have.
Bonds rookies are a strange category, because he has several rookie cards spread across both 1986 and 1987 products. Bonds’ 1986 Topps Traded gets the nod here with its clean black-bordered design. Being printed during his rookie year also helps, because that was not always the case with some of his other “rookies”. While Bonds’ 1986 Topps card is not rare, it IS a card that is difficult to grade thanks to those black borders, so you can expect to spend hundreds for a PSA 10. There are also Tiffany versions, which were a limited-release set version with a glossy front, which are much harder to find. One of those in a PSA 10 costs north of $17,000.
10. 1994 Upper Deck Baseball Dual Autograph Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr.
It is hard to imagine these days, as modern baseball card products often guarantee autographs in each hobby box, but autos used to be exceedingly rare in packs. If you were collecting in the early to mid-1990’s, hitting an autograph was like winning the lottery. There were several autograph chases in those days (Reggie Jackson in 1990 Upper Deck, Ted Williams in 1992 Upper Deck, etc.), but the cream of the crop that changed collecting forever came in 1994 Upper Deck with the dual autograph of both Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr.
This was a blatant cash grab, but it worked spectacularly. You had the most collectible player in baseball history, Mantle, next to the most popular modern player (and a future Hall of Famer in his own right), Griffey Jr. There is some weirdness with these, as some copies only had autographs from one player or the other, but some had both autos. Among modern baseball cards that remain a top chase for collectors, which also helped shift the entire hobby towards autographs, few cards will ever compare to this dual auto.
9. 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson
Few personalities in baseball history can match Rickey Henderson, especially when you limit the list to future Hall of Famers. Famous for referring to himself in third person, the Man of Steal was impossible to ignore in any room he occupied, and he also was the best leadoff hitter and basestealer in baseball history. When he passed away in late 2024, the world of baseball was lesser for it, and his death caused demand for his 1980 Topps rookie card, and really all of his cards in general, to go through the roof.
The fervor over his cards has settled down since his passing, but there is no denying that Henderson’s rookie is the defining card from his playing days, and demand remains high for it. 1980 Topps is an underrated design, but the lack of top rookies outside of Henderson allows the set to fly under the radar, although Nolan Ryan’s card also commands big money. Ungraded copies in decent condition of Henderson’s rookie can be had for under $100, but a PSA 10 copy (of which there are only 25 known) will cost you close to $150,000-200,000.
8. 1951 Bowman Willie Mays
No list of the most unforgettable cards is complete without at least one entry from the Say Hey Kid, Willie Mays. Thanks to a long career, many collectible Mays cards from his playing days exist. However, his two cards with the best case for inclusion in these rankings are Mays’ 1952 Topps as well as his rookie card from 1951 Bowman. The art and expression on Mays’ face on his 1952 Topps card is iconic (and a little hilarious), but we are giving that one an honorable mention and giving the nod to Mays’ rookie here.
The 1951 Bowman design is one of the best of the early post-war sets, and Mays’ rookie card has artwork that pops, which features him concentrating in his batting stance. This card has loads of eye appeal, historical significance in the hobby, and it is also one of the holy grails in collecting. For most fans and collectors, Mays is on the short list of players who have a case for being the best baseball player to ever live. As such, Mays’ 1951 Bowman rookie gets a ton of attention when copies actually become available. If you are exceedingly lucky ever to find a beat-up raw copy that isn’t a fake, you MIGHT get one for a few thousand bucks. If you want a Mays rookie graded as an 8 or better, brace yourself to pay well into six digits.
7. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
It is odd that Babe Ruth, one of the most storied players in baseball history, doesn’t have many iconic cards. Part of the reason he doesn’t have many well-known cards is that Ruth played when cards weren’t being printed in large numbers, and he also played after the time period when the famous T206 tobacco card sets were coming out. Ruth does have a card in 1948 Leaf that is highly desirable in the hobby, but it is his 1933 Goudey cards that make the rankings here.
Now, is giving four different cards the same spot on the list cheating? Probably, but we are doing it anyway. Ruth is featured on cards 53, 144, 149, and 181 in 1933 Goudey, and all are in extremely high demand, with the first three showing Ruth at the end of his swing, and the fourth being Ruth leaning against something and looking off into the distance. The very few ungraded examples that exist CAN be had for around $7,000 if they are in really rough shape, but good luck finding any. As for the really high grades, we are talking millions of dollars for what is just a handful of cards.
6. 1915 Cracker Jack Joe Jackson
Cracker Jacks have been associated with baseball for almost as long as people have eaten them, but the company also got in on the baseball card game early as well. In particular, the 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack sets are a long-time favorite of vintage card collectors. Notable players with Cracker Jack cards include Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, and Branch Rickey, but the set’s most famous (and expensive) card is Shoeless Joe Jackson by a wide margin.
Curiously, 1914 and 1915 Cracker Jack sets are essentially the same at first glance, and you have to have expertise in the size, layout, and card stock used to tell the difference. We went with the 1915 version here, as there are more examples out there in good condition where the red background really pops. Ungraded copies of Jackson’s Cracker Jack card still command over $80,000 on the open market, while higher grades can get many hundreds of thousands of dollars in the rare event they are made available.
5. T206 Ty Cobb[s]
Yes, we are cheating again, and we stand by it. While Ruth played after T206 cards were printed, Ty Cobb was playing right during their heyday. Tobacco cards are funny, in that there are often multiple back variations based on which factory produced the cards, but Cobb’s T206s add a level of complication in that there are four different fronts that exist as well, and all of them are widely used as stock images of Cobb across all sorts of media.
The four versions of the front design of Cobb’s T206 are Red Portrait (red background), Green Portrait (green background), Bat on Shoulder, and Bat off Shoulder, with the Green Portrait largely considered to be the rarer, more desirable version. Cobb played so long ago that it is miraculous to find any cards of his at all, let alone in decent condition. Lower-grade raw copies command a few thousand bucks. PSA has only graded 11 Cobb T206 Green Portraits (as of October 2026) as a 7 or better, and those command big money.
4. 1956 Topps Jackie Robinson
This ranking may be jarring, as Jackie Robinson’s 1956 Topps came at the very end of his career as his last major card from when he was actively playing. There are so many Robinson cards to pick from, and all have their advocates. However, this is a case where a card may not be the earliest example or shortest print run, but its eye appeal and subject matter carry the day.
Now, that doesn’t mean that Robinson’s 1956 Topps isn’t a valuable card, because a decent copy will cost you thousands, if not tens of thousands of dollars. However, the art on Robinson’s 1956 Topps is exactly what people think of when his name pops up in the hobby. The portrait half of the card is an absolutely classic image of Robinson, while the action shot on the right side is the Hall of Famer sliding into home. In terms of composition and design, it is very hard to contest this card.
3. 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner
Okay, there are going to be some feelings about the most expensive vintage card in existence, that also makes headlines every time it goes up for auction, only coming in at No. 3 here. However, this isn’t a list of the most expensive baseball cards, but the most unforgettable. Otherwise, there would have been a whole lot more Ohtani 1/1s making this list. Still, any card that has multiple sales at auction in the millions of dollars deserves to rank very highly.
The Wagner T206 gets its buzz from its scarcity, as production of his cards stopped pretty early on due to either his objections to tobacco and/or a dispute over compensation, depending on which sources you choose to believe. Other than that, it is a pretty standard portrait-style tobacco card of an extremely good player and future Hall of Famer. In many ways, the card’s scarcity takes it down a notch, as most casual collectors couldn’t even tell you the background color of the Wagner T206 or what direction he is facing on the card.
2. 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr.
If you ask almost any collector what the most important modern baseball card, as well as the most famous baseball card, is, Ken Griffey Jr.'s rookie card from 1989 Upper Deck will be a very popular answer. You have a rookie card of an all-time great player with a high-quality, detailed photo on glossy stock. From the day Griffey’s Upper Deck rookie was printed, it became a grail for many collectors despite having a large print run.
You need proof? If you run the numbers on the most graded baseball cards in history, you will find that Griffey’s 1989 Upper Deck tops the list at over 200,000 copies. That is a LOT of cards. The sheer number of PSA 10s available has kept prices for a top-grade Griffey rookie at “only” around $6,000, which also makes it more accessible than most in these rankings. Thousands of Griffey rookies are graded every year, and they remain popular choices at card shows and online auctions, both ungraded and graded.
1. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle
It took a while, but Mickey Mantle’s 1952 Topps has firmly cemented itself as the holy grail of baseball cards, and there are no signs that will change anytime soon. Funnily enough, many collectors call this Mantle’s rookie, but his 1951 Bowman further down the rankings is his true rookie card. However, several factors exist that make this Mantle card the most desirable baseball card in history.
Not only was this Mantle’s first Topps card, but it was from a set that really set the stage for what baseball cards would become. The 1952 design with the facsimile signature and color photography was revolutionary at the time, and fascination with Mantle’s flagship card has continued ever since. While not Mantle’s rarest card, high-quality copies are extremely uncommon and incredibly expensive. In 2022, an SGC 9.5-graded copy sold for $12.6 million. That doesn’t happen unless a card is in a class of its own.
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