Rickey Henderson’s 1980 Topps Rookie Card
A .279 batting average over twenty-five seasons played in the major leagues doesn’t usually guarantee someone a spot in the Baseball Hall of Fame. Couple that with 1,406 stolen bases, and well, that’s a different story.
In 2009, Rickey Henderson will be eligible for the Baseball Hall of Fame. He’s getting in on the first ballot. Mark it down. He is baseball’s all-time leader in stolen bases by a very wide margin (Lou Brock is second all-time with 938.)
Rickey Henderson’s 1980 Topps Rookie Card in a mint condition, ungraded, is valued at about $20 to $50 in a recent Beckett issue. Now, if you can find that same card in a graded condition…..well, that’s a different story.
A recent search of eBay, showed some pretty interesting numbers. A recent auction of this card graded by GAI to be a 9.5 went for an astounding $482.77. (Coincidentally, this card is number 482 in the 1980 Topps set.) Same card, graded as a 96 by SGC came in a $303.33.
The key here would be to find this card in an gem/mt. condition ungraded and then have it graded. Tough to do though. Outside of that, if you find the card in an auction for a better than average price, you’ve done well for yourself. Once Rickey gets his plaque in Cooperstown in 2009, the card will increase in value.
