Top 5 Most Valuable Pittsburgh Pirates Baseball Cards of All Time
The Pittsburgh Pirates are one of the oldest franchises in Major League Baseball, with a history stretching back to the late 1800s. Throughout the years, the Pirates have had some of the greatest players in baseball history suit up for the black and gold. Naturally, Pirates baseball cards of these legendary players are highly sought after by collectors. Let's take a look at five of the most valuable Pittsburgh Pirates cards of all-time.
1. 1909-1911 T206 Honus Wagner
No surprise here, the famed T206 Honus Wagner card tops the list of the most expensive Pirates cards ever sold. This card dates back over 100 years to the famous T206 set, which was released by the American Tobacco Company from 1909-1911. Wagner was a legendary Pirates shortstop who compiled huge numbers at the plate. However, he didn't approve of tobacco and forced the card's recall. As a result, there are only a handful of these cards known to still exist. The most recent sale of a T206 Wagner came in 2021 when the card fetched a whopping $6.6 million at auction. Of course, given its rarity, history and the stature of Wagner as one of the greatest players ever, it's no shock that this card tops the list.
2. 1955 Topps Roberto Clemente Rookie Card
Any list of valuable baseball cards has to include rookie cards of iconic Hall of Famers. Roberto Clemente is undoubtedly the greatest player to ever suit up for the Pirates. The hard-hitting right fielder had a cannon for an arm and racked up 3,000 hits exactly during his illustrious career. Clemente's rookie card comes from 1955 Topps, which was that year's flagship set. High-grade copies of this rookie card have sold for over $500,000 at auction. While not as pricey as the T206 Wagner, Clemente's rookie is still one of the most coveted cards in the hobby.
3. 1909 E90-1 American Caramel Honus Wagner
Yes, it's Wagner again! While Honus Wagner's T206 card gets all the attention, there's another ultra-rare Wagner card that also fetches an insane amount of money. The E90-1 American Caramel set was released in 1909, featuring portraits of baseball stars and simple designs. The Wagner portrait has Stadium and Trees as the background template. Only a handful of these cards still exist as they were printed on flimsy cardboard. A PSA 5 example sold for $403,660 in 2018, while a SGC 2 Wagner went for $813,000 in 2022. These are some of the biggest prices ever paid for a card graded below PSA/SGC Mint condition.
4. 1887 N172 Old Judge Pud Galvin
Moving further back in Pirates history, Pud Galvin's 1887 N172 Old Judge card also brings in huge money at auction. Galvin was an early baseball superstar who spent most of his career in Pittsburgh. He was MLB's first 300-game winner. The N172 set is one of the most important 19th century tobacco issues. Centered images of players appear on the front, framed by a wood background. The Old Judge reverses add to the appeal for collectors. High-grade copies of Galvin's card have sold for over $90,000. Not bad for a 134 year old card!
5. 1948 Leaf Satchel Paige Rookie Card
Rounding out the list is a 1948 Leaf Satchel Paige, which is the legendary pitcher's official rookie card. Paige first appeared in the majors in 1948 at 41 years old, when he began playing for the Cleveland Indians. He later joined the St. Louis Browns in 1951. However, his '48 Leaf rookie card pictures him in a Pirates uniform. Paige had a brief stint with the Pirates in between playing for the Indians and Browns. Despite not actually playing for Pittsburgh in '48, this iconic card is still considered Paige's rookie. Near mint copies have sold for around $50,000. As one of the most important cards in the hobby, the '48 Leaf Paige is a prize for Pirates collectors.
That does it for a look at five of the most valuable baseball cards featuring Pittsburgh Pirates legends. Honus Wagner and Roberto Clemente unsurprisingly dominate the list, with each having cards worth a fortune. However, other Pirates icons like Pud Galvin and Satchel Paige also have super rare vintage cards that fetch big money at auction as well. While modern Pirates stars like Andrew McCutchen and Barry Bonds have pricey cards too, nothing tops the values of these historic cardboard treasures. Owning any of these five cards marks a Pirates fan out as having an extremely impressive collection.