Most Valuable 1960s Baseball Rookie Cards: Price Guide & Complete List
Discover the best and most expensive baseball rookie cards from 1960-1969
The 1960's were a time of change. The New York Yankees dominated the 1950's winning 6 World Series titles. The next decade had much more parity, with 8 different teams winning a championship. The 60's feature plenty of big time rookies. First years cards of Carl Yastrzemski, Pete Rose, Nolan Ryan, Johnny Bench, Tom Seaver, Rod Carew, and Reggie Jackson were released by Topps in this decade.
1960 Topps Carl Yastrzemski #148
Carl Yastrzemski is a legend in Boston. Ted Williams retired after the 1960 season and "Yaz" had the tough task replacing Williams in the lineup. He ended up playing 23 seasons with Boston, winning the triple crown in 1967. He finished his career as an 18 time All-Star and 7 time gold glove winner. He retired with 3,419 hits, 452 home runs, 1,844 RBI, 1,845 walks, and batting average of .285. His 1960 Topps rookie card is from the "Rookie Star" subset.
Card Value: low grade $60 to $125, mid grade $150 to $350, high grade $700+
1960 Topps Willie McCovey #316
Willie McCovey was stand out Hall of Famer who played the majority of his 21 year career with the San Francisco Giants. He is a member is the 500 home run club, finishing with 521. He was a feared slugger who at one time held the record for most intentional walk in a season. His rookie card, also part of the 1960 Topps set, is a desirable card for collectors.
Card Value: low grade $40 to $75, mid grade $100 to $200, high grade $700+
1961 Topp Juan Marichal #417
Juan Marichal was one of the most dominant pitchers of the 1960s. Pitching most of his 16 year career with the San Francisco Giants, he would win 20 or more games 6 times during the decade. He would finish with 243 wins and a lifetime ERA of 2.89. He was known for his distinctive high leg kick wind up. Don't let the big grin on his 1961 Topps rookie card fool you- Marichal was a fierce competitor.
Card Value: low grade $50 to $80, mid grade $100 to $200, high grade $300+
1963 Topps Pete Rose #537
Pete Rose is the one player on this list who is not in the Hall of Fame. His career numbers look like a no doubt first ballot Hall of Famer: 4,256 career hits (most all time), 2,165 runs scored (6th all time) and a lifetime batting average of .303 over 19 seasons. But of course Rose has been banned from the Hall of Fame for betting on baseball games while he was a manager. Regardless, his 1963 Topps rookie card is from the short printed high number series (shared with 3 other players) and is one of the most valuable cards of the 1960's.
Card Value: low grade $600 to $900, mid grade $1000 to $2,000, high grade $3500+
1965 Topps Steve Carlton #477
Steve Carlton was a dominant left hand pitcher whose career lasted 24 seasons. He was a 10 time All-Star who won 4 Cy Young Awards. He won 20 or more games in a season 5 times during his career. He finished with 329 win, 55 shutouts, and an ERA of 3.22. His 1965 Topps rookie card, shared with Fritz Ackley, is a key card from the 1965 set.
Card Value: low grade $35 to $60, mid grade $100 to $200, high grade $350+
1965 Topps Jim "Catfish" Hunter #526
"Catfish" Hunter only played until age 33 but still won an impressive 224 games. He was especially dominant early in his career, winning 20 or more games in a season 4 seasons in a row. He also was part of 5 World Series winning teams. He would finish his career with 42 shutouts and an ERA of 3.26 over the span of 15 years. His 1965 rookie card (shared with 3 other players) is another key rookie from the set.
Card Value: low grade $20 to $50, mid grade $70 to $100, high grade $150+
1966 Jim Palmer #126
Jim Palmer was one of the most dominant pitchers of the 1970's. He won more games than any other AL pitcher during the decade. He played 19 seasons, all with the Baltimore Orioles, where he won 20 or more games in a season 8 different times. He won 3 Cy Young awards, and finished in the top 5 on 8 different occasions. Palmer would finish his career with 268 wins, 2,212 strikeouts, and an ERA of 2.86. His rookie card was released in the 1966 Topps set, and features a youthful looking Palmer looking directly at the camera.
Card Value: low grade $25 to $40, mid grade $50 to $100, high grade $300+
1967 Topps Rod Carew #569
Rod Carew was truly an incredible hitter. He played 19 seasons with the Twins and Angels and finished with a career batting average of .328, 3053 hits, and 7 batting titles. Carew had one of the best batting seasons of the modern era. In 1972, Carew flirted with a .400 batting average much of the year and finished at .388. He was also an 18 time All-Star. 1967 Topps includes a tough to find high number series, and his rookie card (shared with Hank Allen) is included in it.
Card Value: low grade $175 to $300, mid grade $400 to $650 high grade $850+
1967 Topps Tom Seaver #581
Tom Seaver is one of the great pitcher's from the 1960's and 70's. During his 20 year career he won 20 or more games in a season 5 times, won 3 Cy Young awards, led the league in strikeouts 5 times, and was selected to 12 All-Star teams. He finished with 311 wins, 3640 strikeouts, and and ERA of 2.86. Like Carew, Seaver's rookie card is also found within the high numbers of the 1967 Topps set. It is tough to find in nice condition especially with nice centering.
Card Value: low grade $300 to $800, mid grade $900 to $1500, high grade $2000+
1968 Topps Johnny Bench #247
Johnny Bench set the standard for catchers. Not only was he strong defensively (10 Gold Glove awards), but he could also hit as well. Bench finished his career with 389 home runs. He also was a 2 time N.L. MVP award winner and 14 time All-Star. A key member with the Cincinnati Red's "Big Red Machine", Bench was a 2 time World Series Champion too. 1968 Topps contains his rookie card (shared with Ron Tomkins), showing a close up portrait of Bench without his catcher gear on.
Card Value: low grade $50 to $100, mid grade $125 to $300, high grade $600+
1968 Topps Nolan Ryan #177
Nolan Ryan, nicknamed "The Ryan Express", was truly one of a kind. Possessing a fastball that could touch 100 MPH, he could overwhelm most batters he faced. But unlike other flamethrowers, Ryan was incredibly durable, playing 27 seasons in the big leagues. His stamina was on full display in 1974, when he threw 13 innings and 235 pitches in a single game. Ryan holds the record for most strikeouts in a career, with 5,714. He also has the most no-hitters (7). Ryan is highly collectible and his 1968 Topps rookie card (shared with Jerry Koosman) is one of the most valuable from the decade.
Card Value: low grade $300 to $600, mid grade $750 to $1500, high grade $2500+
1969 Topps Reggie Jackson #260
