Baseball Card Market Report for September 7-13, 2023 - Top eBay Sales
PLUS -- Checking in on the Nolan Ryan baseball card market
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Tales of Honus and Lee May(e)
No matter how many times I go through the exercise of sorting them out, any mention of Lee May or Lee Maye always sends me to the record book to make sure I know which I’m thinking about.
It’s Maye who appears among our list of the most expensive baseball cards sold on eBay last week (see bottom of post). You won’t see his name on lists like this very often, but then again, you also won’t see PSA 9 copies of his 1971 Topps airbrushed monstrosity in the wild very often, either.
And old King of the Cards himself, Honus Wagner makes an appearance down there, too. Maybe it’s not THE card, but it’s still pretty great and cool.
Speaking of King of the Cards …
Nolan Ryan Still Delivers — How About His Cards?
Even though he retired 30 years ago, Nolan Ryan remains an icon in the game and a hobby heavyweight.
His cards are still among the most popular and active on the market, too, as evidenced by one of our recent videos:
So I thought it might be interesting to take a look at Ryan’s performance in said market over the last year or so as a rough barometer of the hobby overall.
To do that, I picked out ten important(ish) Ryan cards — his first five Topps cards, plus five more sprinkled throughout the rest of his career.
Then I found the most-sold condition of each card, according to the PSA Auction Prices Realized tool. Finally, I pulled approximate selling prices for that card in that condition in both August 2022 and August 2023, and compared the results.
Here is what I found:
(Note: The following section contains affiliate links to eBay listings for the cards being discussed.)
1968 Topps Nolan Ryan (#177) - PSA 4
2022 Value: $760
2023 Value: $650
Profit/loss: -$110
% change: -14
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1969 Topps Nolan Ryan (#533) - PSA 6
2022 Value: $450
2023 Value: $450
Profit/loss: $0
% change: 0
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1970 Topps Nolan Ryan (#712) - PSA 7
2022 Value: $450
2023 Value: $425
Profit/loss: -$25
% change: -6
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1969 Topps Nolan Ryan (#513) - PSA 6
2022 Value: $240
2023 Value: $200
Profit/loss: -$40
% change: -17
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1975 Topps Nolan Ryan (#595) - PSA 7
2022 Value: $225
2023 Value: $175
Profit/loss: -$50
% change: -22
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1975 Topps Nolan Ryan (#500) - PSA 7
2022 Value: $130
2023 Value: $220
Profit/loss: $90
% change: 69
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1989 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan (#580) - PSA 8
2022 Value: $50
2023 Value: $50
Profit/loss: $0
% change: 0
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1984 Donruss Nolan Ryan (#60) - PSA 9
2022 Value: $25
2023 Value: $25
Profit/loss: $0
% change: 0
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1989 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan (#145) - PSA 9
2022 Value: $17
2023 Value: $17
Profit/loss: $0
% change: 0
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
1991 Topps Nolan Ryan (#1) - PSA 10
2022 Value: $75
2023 Value: $100
Profit/loss: $25
% change: 33
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
—
Not exactly a ringing endorsement for dumping your money into baseball cards.
Among these Ryan beauts, the general trend seems to be that the higher priced old stuff softened in the last year, while the cheaper newer stuff held its own or even gained a bit.
Could it be that folks are finding places other than cardboard to drop their hard-earned money when said hard-earned money isn’t stretching as far as it used to?
Hmmmm…
That idea might be a tough sell for those on either side of the transactions involving the…
Top Baseball Card Sales on eBay for September 7-13, 2023
(Quick note — this list contains affiliate links to the original eBay listings.)
If you want to see updated 30-day market toppers anytime, we have a couple of resources over on WaxPackGods.com:
Most expensive baseball cards sold in the last 30 days
Most expensive football cards sold in the last 30 days
Most expensive basketball cards sold in the last 30 days
Now, on with the show …
1951 Bowman #253 Mickey Mantle BVG 6
Selling Price: $22,450
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
SHOHEI OHTANI 2018 Bowman Chrome Green Refractor RC Auto 54/99 BGS 9.5/10
Selling Price: $20,118
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig #160 PSA EX-MT 6
Selling Price: $18,100
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1989 UPPER DECK #1 KEN GRIFFEY JR RC STAR ROOKIE MARINERS HOF PSA 10 DNA AUTO 10
Selling Price: $12,388
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2011 BOWMAN CHROME BASEBALL FACTORY SEALED 12 BOX HOBBY CASE MLB - HARPER/TROUT?
Selling Price: $11,951
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 Topps Chrome Shohei Ohtani Rookie Autographs Orange Refractor /25 Bgs 9.5
Selling Price: $11,156
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1909 Dockman & Sons Gum E92 Honus Wagner HOF Throwing Pittsburgh SGC 2
Selling Price: $10,988
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays PSA 4 Vg-Ex Great Eye Appeal Color
Selling Price: $10,100
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
SHOHEI OHTANI 2018 TOPPS CHROME RC BLUE REFRACTOR AUTO SP #/150 BGS 9.5 GEM 10
Selling Price: $9,765
Date Sold: 09/09/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1933 GOUDEY BABE RUTH #144 NEW YORK YANKEES HOF CENTERED SGC 1.5 FR 7151
Selling Price: $8,981
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
COREY SEAGER BGS 9.5 2012 BOWMAN CHROME DRAFT PROSPECT RED REFRACTOR RC AUTO 5/5
Selling Price: $8,500
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1982 Topps #98T Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card – PSA GEM MT 10
Selling Price: $8,381
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 BOWMAN CHROME BASEBALL HTA CHOICE HOBBY FACTORY SEALED 12 BOX CASE 36 AUTOS
Selling Price: $8,311
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 Topps Chrome Shohei Ohtani RC Rookie Auto Blue Retractor 149/150 BGS 9.5/10
Selling Price: $7,978
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson Rookie #79 SGC VG 3
Selling Price: $7,900
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1909 E102 Ty Cobb Detroit Tigers HOF SGC 1.5 Fair
Selling Price: $7,757
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2011 Topps Update Gold #US175 Mike Trout /2011 RC Rookie Gem Mint PSA 10
Selling Price: $7,620
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 TOPPS CHROME SHOHEI OHTANI RC AUTO ROOKIE CARD CERTIFIED FLAWLESS PSA 10
Selling Price: $7,500
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1948 LEAF BASEBALL JACKIE ROBINSON RC BROOKLYN DODGERS HOF #79 PSA 1.5 0937
Selling Price: $7,171
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1952 Topps #312 Jackie Robinson Dodgers HOF HIGH# VG Condition w/ Crease
Selling Price: $7,115
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
Walker Buehler 2015 Bowman Chrome Draft Red Refractor RC AUTO 3/5 BGS 9.5/10
Selling Price: $7,100
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF No Creases EX-MT+ CONDITION
Selling Price: $6,767
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 Topps Chrome Green Refractor Shohei Ohtani RC 80/99 BGS 9.5 w/ 10 AUTO
Selling Price: $6,600
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1953 Topps #82 Mickey Mantle PSA 5
Selling Price: $6,600
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1954 Topps #128 Henry Aaron SGC 6
Selling Price: $6,200
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1909-11 T206 POLAR BEAR TY COBB PORTRAIT RED BACKGROUND DETROIT SGC 3.5 4612
Selling Price: $5,925
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1953 topps mickey mantle sgc 5
Selling Price: $5,852
Date Sold: 09/09/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
Jordan Lawlar 2021 Bowman Chrome Draft Orange Refractor RC AUTO #D 09/25 PSA 10
Selling Price: $5,805
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1953 Topps Mickey Mantle #82 SGC EX/NM 6
Selling Price: $5,750
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1994 SP Holoview Red #16 Michael Jordan White Sox HOF PSA 10 RARE LOW POP
Selling Price: $5,655
Date Sold: 09/12/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2018 Topps High Tek Shohei Ohtani Portraitek Auto # 07/75
Selling Price: $5,610
Date Sold: 09/09/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1971 Topps #733 Lee Maye Chicago White Sox PSA 9 MINT
Selling Price: $5,436
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1999 SKYBOX MOLTEN METAL FUSION TITANIUM SSP /50 DEREK JETER MINT RARE L@@K
Selling Price: $5,350
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
Trea Turner 2014 Bowman Chrome Draft Pick Auto RED REFRACTOR #/5 BGS 9.5/10
Selling Price: $5,322
Date Sold: 09/07/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1934 Goudey World Wide Gum #28 Babe Ruth Yankees HOF PSA 1 " RARE "
Selling Price: $5,101
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2017 Bowman Chrome Royce Lewis Red Refractor BGS 9.5 True Gem Mint+ #’d 2/5
Selling Price: $5,100
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
1997 Ken Griffey Jr Upper Deck Game Jersey #GJ1 BGS 9 **POP 6** None Higher
Selling Price: $5,030
Date Sold: 09/10/2023
See listing (affiliate link)
2020 Bowman Draft Baseball Hobby Jumbo 8-Box Case Sealed Adley RC Year
Selling Price: $5,011
Date Sold: 09/11/2023
See listing (affiliate link)