Top 20 Most Expensive Baseball Items
A lot of Babe Ruth
When I decided to put this blog together, I figured it would be a pretty easy Google search or Chat GPT prompt. Boy, was I wrong! There is a bunch of articles to go over, but they seem to contradict themselves constantly. Here is an example of that from a “major” outlet.
Last time I checked my math, $5.6 million trumps $2.05 million. Journalists, I guess, don’t do math well. What I found was a lot of authors making their own “rankings” rather than just putting them in order in terms of value. Of course, “value” can complicate things. Plenty of items that have not sold publicly or in decades would probably be on this list. However, I am listing only verified sales. I don’t do math well either, but I know how to make a simple list, so here it is.
Editors Note: Just a quick note: I will not have duplicate items on this list. So, you will only see one T-206 Wagner and one 52’ Mantle card. Cry about it. I will, however, put different versions of cards and jerseys.
Editors Note Part II: I decided to make this a Top 15. Sue me. It was more baseball cards than I wanted.
Editors Note Part III: The Heritage Auction that ended the other day blew this up. I had to add a bunch of items and this ballooned from a Top 10 to a Top 20. I am pretty sure there should be another Jackie Robinson jersey mixed in there for like $4 million, but I am tired.
#20: Babe Ruth’s Bat from the 1923 Season
Background: Used by Ruth to hit the first home run in Yankee Stadium, known as "The House That Ruth Built."
Sale Price: $1.265 million (2004).
Significance: This bat represents one of the most iconic moments in baseball history when Ruth christened the Yankees’ new home with a homer.
#19: Joe Doyle 1909-11 T206 Card
Background: The Joe Doyle T206 card is famously known as the "N.Y. Nat’l" error card. Due to a printing error, Doyle's team was incorrectly listed as "N.Y. Nat’l" instead of "N.Y. Amer." Very few of these error cards exist, making it one of the rarest baseball cards.
Sale Price: $1.32 million.
Significance: The rarity and the story behind this error make the Joe Doyle T206 card a highly sought-after piece for serious collectors. Pretty much known as the first “error card".
#18: Shoeless Joe Jackson Bat
Background: Apparently, it is the only bat in existence that he used with his name on it.
Sale Price: $2.01 million
Significance: This is a record for a baseball bat.
#17: Jackie Robinson Rookie Jersey
Background: This jersey was worn by Jackie Robinson during his groundbreaking rookie season in 1947 when he became the first African American to play in Major League Baseball in the modern era.
Sale Price: $2.05 million.
Significance: Robinson’s rookie jersey is a symbol of his immense impact on baseball and American society, representing the breaking of the color barrier and a pivotal moment in civil rights history.
#16: Babe Ruth's 1927 World Series Ring
Background: Awarded to Babe Ruth following the Yankees’ dominant 1927 season, often considered one of the greatest teams in history.
Sale Price: $2,093,927 (2017).
Significance: Ruth’s ring from the “Murderers' Row” season is a tangible connection to one of the most storied teams in baseball history.
#15 Hank Aaron Rookie Jersey
Background: Jersey worn by Aaron during his 1952 Rookie Season.
Sale Price: $2.1 million
Significance: Previously sold for $167,300 in 2011.
#14: 1916 M101-4 Sporting News Babe Ruth
Background: This card features Babe Ruth during his time with the Boston Red Sox as a pitcher, before he became the legendary slugger for the New York Yankees.
Sale Price: $2.4 million.
Significance: Most expensive item from his Red Sox days.
#13: Mickey Mantle Jersey From 1952-53 World Series
Background: Was apparently “photo matched” to both the 1952 and 1953 World Series. Not sure how they do that….
Sale Price: $3 million
Significance: A kid bought it for $2.50 from money he earned milking cows. Lol.
#12: Mark McGwire’s 70th Home Run Ball
Background: Mark McGwire’s 70th home run. It was big.
Sale Price: $3 million (1999).
Significance: Probably worth like 50k at this point.
#11: 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle
Background: The 1951 Bowman card is Mickey Mantle's true rookie card, marking the beginning of his Hall of Fame career with the New York Yankees.
Sale Price: $3.19 million.
Significance: This card is highly valued among collectors not only because of Mantle’s legendary status but also because it predates his more famous 1952 Topps card, making it a rare and coveted item.
#10: The Original Document of the "Rules of Baseball"
Background: This document, dating back to 1857, is one of the earliest written records of baseball's rules.
Sale Price: $3.26 million (2016).
Significance: As the foundational document of the game, it holds unparalleled importance in baseball’s history, laying down the principles that have guided the sport since its early days.
#9: 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth
Background: The 1933 Goudey set is one of the most famous baseball card sets, and Babe Ruth appears on four different cards in this series. The most valuable is the #53 card, often referred to as the "Yellow Ruth" due to its yellow background.
Sale Price: $4.2 million.
Significance: This card is highly sought after not only for its depiction of Ruth but also because it comes from one of the most iconic baseball card sets ever produced.
#8: Babe Ruth’s 1920 Jersey
Background: Worn during Ruth’s first season with the Yankees, marking the beginning of his legendary career in New York.
Sale Price: $4.415 million (2012).
Significance: Quadrupled the previous record when it sold.
#7: Mickey Mantle 1958 Jersey
Background: Worn during the home opener of the 1958 season.
Sale Price: $4.68 million
Significance: There is no “moth holes.” That seems like a good thing.
#6 Jackie Robinson Jersey
Background: Worn during the 1951 season.
Sale Price: $5.52 million (2024)
Significance: Doesn’t seem like anything crazy. He wore it, that is about it.
#5: Babe Ruth's 1928-1930 Game-Worn Jersey
Background: Worn by Babe Ruth during the late 1920s, when he was at the peak of his career with the Yankees.
Sale Price: $5.64 million (2019).
Significance: This jersey connects directly to the legacy of one of the greatest baseball players in history, representing Ruth’s dominance during one of the most successful periods of his career.
#4: Babe Ruth 1914 Baltimore Card
Background: This card features Babe Ruth as a minor league pitcher with the Baltimore Orioles, making it one of the earliest and most rare depictions of the Sultan of Swat.
Sale Price: $7.2 million.
Significance: The rarity of this card and its depiction of Ruth before he became a major league star make it one of the most coveted items in the hobby.
#3: 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner Baseball Card
Background: Known as the “Holy Grail” of baseball cards, the T206 Honus Wagner is extremely rare due to its limited print run.
Sale Price: $7.25 million (2022).
Significance: Its rarity and the mystique surrounding Honus Wagner make this card the most sought-after in the hobby, representing the pinnacle of sports card collecting.
#2: Mickey Mantle’s 1952 Topps Rookie Card
Background: The most iconic baseball card featuring one of the game’s most beloved players.
Sale Price: $12.6 million (2022).
Significance: Mantle’s rookie card is the ultimate symbol of baseball memorabilia, commanding a record-breaking price that reflects its legendary status in the collecting world.
#1: Babe Ruth “Called Shot” Jersey
Background: This jersey was worn by Babe Ruth during the 1932 World Series when he allegedly called his home run shot against the Chicago Cubs.
Sale Price: $24.12 million
Significance: The “Called Shot” is one of the most legendary moments in sports history, and this jersey represents that iconic event, making it the most expensive piece of baseball memorabilia.