1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #181 PSA 8 NM-MT
With seven World Series titles and a home run record under his belt, Babe Ruth was undoubtedly the biggest name in baseball when Goudey released its inaugural Big League Chewing Gum set in 1933.
This set, one of the most classic baseball releases of all time, includes four different issues celebrating the Great Bambino. Issue #181 is the only card in the set to feature a non-action portrait of Ruth as he sits in the dugout waiting to enter the batter’s box.
Between his white Yankees uniform, the pastel green background, and the striking red bottom border, this card highlights the colorful artistry of this set perhaps better than any other.
PSA has assessed nearly 1,300 examples of Ruth’s #181 card, and only eight (0.6%) have earned a higher designation than this Pop 32 PSA 8 offering.
1970 Topps Basketball Pete Maravich ROOKIE #123 PSA 10 GEM MINT
More than 50 years after he broke the scoring record, Pistol Pete’s name remains at the top of the all-time NCAA Division I scoring list -- an unbelievable feat for a guard who played before the adoption of the three-point line and shot clock.
Although his professional career never resulted in an NBA championship, Maravich was one of the greatest shooters the game has ever seen. This Topps 1970 rookie is Maravich’s best card ever produced and remains a favorite of vintage basketball investors.
The 1969 and 1970 Topps Basketball sets introduced what are now some of the most coveted basketball cards ever made: the tall boys. These large format cards were often too big to fit in protective sleeves and were prone to production mishaps, so they are incredibly difficult to find in good condition.
In fact, PSA has graded nearly 3,800 examples of Maravich’s rookie card. This is one of two to earn this Gem Mint 10 designation.
1939 Play Ball Ted Williams ROOKIE #92 CSG 9 MINT (PWCC-S)
At the time of his retirement, the Splendid Splinter had posted one of the most impressive career stat lines ever seen: two Triple Crowns, 521 homers, and a .344 career batting average. So, it's no surprise that his true rookie issue ranks high among the most coveted vintage baseball cards of all time.
The card features crisp white borders around a black-and-white photograph of Williams in a classic 1930s baseball pose.
CSG deemed this example of Williams’ rookie a Mint 9. It also earned the PWCC-S (Superior—Top 5%) Eye Appeal designation for its centering, corners, and edges.
1957 Topps Basketball Bill Russell SP ROOKIE #77 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC-A)
This 1957 Bill Russell rookie issue is easily the most sought-after card from Topps’ historic inaugural basketball set.
Due to the high demand for baseball cards at the time, Topps didn’t release another basketball set until 1969, the year after Russell’s retirement. Because of this, Russell’s rookie card is the only Topps issue from his playing days and is therefore considered one of the most important vintage basketball cards in existence.
This card is one of 48 examples non-qualified examples to earn PSA’s Near Mint 8 grade. To date, only five (0.4% of PSA-graded copies) are graded higher. This example has also earned PWCC-A (Above Average – Top 30%) Eye Appeal designation for its superb centering and coloring.
1955 Topps Roberto Clemente ROOKIE #164 PSA 8 NM-MT (PWCC-A)
Roberto Clemente’s 1955 Topps rookie issue is one of the most notable and visually stunning trading cards of that decade. This iconic dual-image horizontal asset features both a portrait and an action shot of Clemente along with the Pirates logo in the upper right corner.
Out of the thousands of Clemente’s rookie issue PSA has graded, only 123 have earned this Near Mint 8 grade. This example also earned the PWCC-A (Above Average – top 30%) Eye Appeal designation.
1922 W575-1 Babe Ruth R.F. PSA 3.5 VG+ (PWCC-E) None Graded Higher
Babe Ruth’s 1922 W575-1 “strip card” issue was released as Ruth was entering his prime. Mirroring its American Caramel counterpart, this W575-1 issue features a black and white action shot as opposed to the popular lithograph prints that reigned supreme at the time.
PSA graded this example a Very Good+ 3.5. It is the highest-graded example to date. In addition to its impressive grade, this card also earned PWCC-E (Exceptional – Top 15%) Eye Appeal Designation.
*This blog is not intended to serve as any form of investment advice and should be used for informational purposes only.
