My Top Ten Most Valuable Non-Cubs Cards

Here's part two - my most valuable non Cubs according to the TCDB.  All of these cards come from my collection of complete sets, mostly my complete Topps set run from 1969 to today. I don't have player collections of any of these guys, nor have I specifically sought out their cards.  It has always been about the complete sets. 

I'd have a hard time selling any of them because that would mean breaking up a complete set.  Of course, if the price is right...

I'll again show them in reverse order

#10 - 2002 Topps Update #247 Albert Pujols - $139.99

#9 - 1971 Topps #513 Nolan Ryan - $151.50

#8 - 1982 Topps Traded #98 Cal Ripken - $159.07

#7 - 1989 Topps #533 Nolan Ryan - $164.91

#6 - 1971 Topps #600 Willie Mays - $167.99

#5 - 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. - $165.50

#4 - 1970 Topps #712 Nolan Ryan - $177.50

#3 - 1969 Topps #500 Mickey Mantle - $206.37

#2 - 1971 Topps #400 Hank Aaron - $281.00

#1 - 2011 Topps Update #175 Mike Trout - $710.00

It surprises me that Nolan Ryan is on the list three times while Hank Aaron and Willie Mays show up only once.

The traded and update sets seem to be a good investment too, with three cards from them included.  The price for the Mike Trout card is insane.  If I was ever going to break up a set or get a card graded, the Trout card would be the one to do that for.

My Top Ten Most Valuable Cubs Cards

 This idea for this post comes from something that Night Owl did a couple of weeks ago.  He used the information from the Trading Card Database to determine his ten most valuable cards.  

I did the same, but I'm going to divide this up into three posts.  Today I'll show my ten most valuable Cubs cards.  Tomorrow I'll have my top ten non-Cubs.  Then on Wednesday I'll combine the two and show my ten most valuable cards.

First, a disclaimer.  The prices that TCDB shows are much higher that what I paid since I got my cards years ago.  My cards are also not always in the greatest condition.  As a budget collector I balance price and condition.

I'll be going in reverse order, from card #10 to my most valuable Cubs card.

 #10 - 1956 Topps #15 Ernie Banks - $100

#9 - 1957 Topps #55 Ernie Banks - $120

#8 - 1955 Bowman #242 Ernie Banks - $170

#7 - 1952 Topps #341 Hal Jeffcoat - $300

#6 - 1952 Topps #330 Turk Lown - $300

#5 - 1952 Topps #325 Bill Serena - $300

#4 - 1952 Topps #322 Randy Jackson - $300

#3 - 1909-1911 American Tobacco T206 Johnny Evers bat on shoulder - $420

#2 - 1909-1911 American Tobacco T206 Frank Chance batting - $630

#1 - 1954 Topps #94 Ernie Banks - $886

I wasn't surprised that my most valuable card is Ernie Banks' rookie card. Nor was I suprised to see several of his other cards n the top ten. 

The T206 prices weren't a shock either.  I do need to point out that I also have a T206 of Joe Tinker, but the TCDB does not have a price for it, nor were there any completed sales on eBay of my version of the card.  If I had a price I'd imagine that it would have also landed in the top ten. And I'll repeat this in case Mrs. WW comes here, I didn't pay anywhere near the prices shown!

It was a bit of a surprise to see all the high number cards from the 1952 set on the list.  It never occurred to me that Bill Serena or Turk Lown would be among my most valuable cards.

Five Random Cubs Cards

I've got 20,923 Cubs cards from 316 different brands listed on a spreadsheet. A random number generator picked five cards, one each from the past several decades.

1900s - 1970s: 1970 O-Pee-Chee #505 Ken Holtzman OPC went nearly all-in in 1970 which is why we have a card with a number as high as Holtzman's 505.

1980s: 1989 Super Stars #14 Andre Dawson This comes from an MSA disc set.  This is the generic version.  There were also branded versions for companies such as Our Own Tea and Weis Weiners.  One of the branded versions, Key Foods, is on my most wanted list.

1990s: 1991 Cracker Jack #7 Andre Dawson Two in a row for the Hawk!   The front of the card is identical to the Topps version, while the backs are very different.

2000s: 2003 Ovation #93 Jon Leicester He was included in the rookie subset, but didn't make his MLB debut until 2004.

2010s: 2016 Topps #66 Kyle Schwarber Schwarber got the rookie double- the rookie cup and the rookie card designation.

Sixties Saturday - 1969 Topps

 Today we are up to the last year of the decade.  1969 was a year that was filled with much excitement and anticipation, followed by major disappointment.

The 1969 Topps set has cards of most of the major players on the ill-fated 1969 Cubs.  The only one missing is Dick Selma, who was picked up in an April trade.