I certainly saw sports trading cards as a youngster.

Here in the UK we had sticker albums to fill with Panini international soccer stars, and Topps bubblegum cards with first division (as it was then) footballers on them. 

These are definitely collectible now. Rare filled Panini album can make thousands of pounds. Topps cards of British footballers can sell for a few pounds online.

For what it’s worth, I think it’s a decent prediction that these items will grow in value over time and now is a good time to buy with an eye to future value.

American sports trading cards are in a different league.

Yankee Stadium in New York, home of the world's most famous baseball team. Image: Matt Boulton, Wikimedia Commons.

To most collectors that means baseball cards.

But basketball cards are increasingly selling for very high figures too. Next month, a Michael Jordan/Julius Erving card is going to sale with a $1-million estimate.

Let’s have a look at the 10 most valuable sports trading cards today.

An introduction to sports trading cards

The origins of the hobby lie in cigarette packets. Cards needed to stiffen the packets were blank until a couple of enterprising companies (Wills in the UK) started to print adverts on the cards in the 1880s.

Then, they branched out into collectible illustrations, usually with “male interest” subjects.

By the end of the 19th century collecting the cards was a recognised interest for hordes of youngsters - even if they themselves couldn’t smoke.

Makers of other products joined in.

Tea and bubblegum became the most commonly made and collected cards.

Paper shortages in World War II stubbed out the cigarette card craze and after the war they only really came back in sweets and tea packets.

Among the subjects beloved of buyers baseball players started appearing very early.

The cards developed beyond a single picture to add biographical information and career stats.

The American Tobacco Company sets from 1909, Goudey Gum sets from 1933 on, Bowman Gum from 1948, and Topps Chewing Gum from 1950 are among the best-known and most collected sets.

By 1991 consolidation made Topps the biggest player in the market and the gum was banished from packets of trading cards sold as an item in their own right.

Panini stickers - stickers rather than cards, note - were pioneered by the Panini brothers in Italy in the early 1960s.

In 2009, the company branched out from their mostly soccer-centric albums to produce trading cards for the NBA. They subsequently struck deals with many other north American sports to market stickers and cards.

In recent years a select number of sought-after cards have soared in value.

And these are the 10 most valuable now.

10 - 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53

The first Babe in the top 10, he's a legend in the game and this hobby.

This card sold for $4.2 million in 2021.

It has a very high condition rating (the only 9) for its age and features the most famous baseball player of all time.

9 - 2017 Panini National Treasures Patrick Mahomes II Rookie Patch

The only NFL card is a recent issue.

The $4.3 million sale of this card makes it the most valuable NFL card in existence.

Mahomes has won three Superbowls with Kansas City Chiefs already and is likely to be recognised as an all-time great when his career ends, which won’t harm the value of any collectibles related to him.

8 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311

Mantle lived a hard-drinking life and later preached against drinking.

1952 Mickey Mantle cards are well represented here.

The Topps 1952 set is legendary. The company was new in the market, but failing to take on their main rivals Bowman. So, they released a set of larger cards showing many more players, staggering the release through the year.

It sort of worked. But as the later cards (with high numbers) were released the baseball summer was over, many were unsold and Topps, legend has it, dumped loads of these later cards in the Atlantic.

7 - 2018 - 19 Panini National Treasures Luka Dončić

Basketball is coming up on baseball for collectors. 

This card sold for $4.6 million in 2021.

This is a unique card, with a jersey logo, so it’s hardly general issue, but Doncic’s enormous success isn’t hurting its value any.

6 - 2003 - 4 Upper Deck Exquisite Collection Lebron James

Lebron will be a legend for the foreseeable future. 

In 2021 this card held the world record for a card when it sold for $5.2 million. It’s still the world’s most expensive basketball card.

Lebron James shows no signs of ending his hugely dominant career, and there’s no reason to think this card wouldn’t climb higher again if resold now.

5 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311

Condition can add huge amounts at the top level of sports card collecting. 

Mickey’s back again.

He was a great player by the way, earning 7 world series titles with the New York Yankees.

This card, which realised $5.2 million, is one of just six cards with a 9-point condition rating.

4 - 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner

He had a German background, so they called him the Flying Dutchman. OK. 

Another 2021 sale for $6.6 million puts Honus Wagner in our top 10.

Survival is a big achievement for a small piece of card from 110-odd years ago.

Honus, called the Flying Dutchman, won the 1909 World Series with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

3 - 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth Rookie

A young man with a future no-one could have predicted.

The Babe, of course.

History has Ruth down as a Yankee who turned his back on the Red Sox, but he started out in his hometown team, where he got that famous nickname (he has many more, some much more fun).

Again, age renders a mass produced but flimsy item a rarity.

2 - 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner

Wagner was the preeminent baseball star of his era. 

This card went for $7.25 million in August 2022.

That was then a world record.

Even damaged Wagner cards go for big money - one ripped in two reportedly made $400,000 - so good-condition survivors are verging on priceless.

1 - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311

Mantle makes a triple to come out on top.

This card sold just a couple of weeks after our number two.

It is one of a horde, known as the Rosen Find, that resulted from the sale of a couple of boxes of the rare 1952 Topps issue that a company employee had kept.

This particular card has a 9.5 condition rating and is usually regarded as the best surviving Mantle 52 card.

Buying rare sports memorabilia today

Trading card collecting is a great way to feel close to your sporting heroes.

The whole field is fascinating.

Take a look at some of the sporting memorabilia we have on offer here.

And our collection of autographs for sale. All guaranteed authentic and with some great sports stars mixed in.

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