Baseball cards are among the most popular sports collectibles. Rare ones such as the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle and the 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth are worth millions, while others featuring baseball greats like Jackie Robinson, Reggie Jackson, and Pete Rose can fetch hundreds of thousands.
How much is a Pete Rose baseball card worth? Is owning one worth money? Depending on the brand and condition, a Pete Rose baseball card can sell anywhere from $ 0.18 to over $700,000.
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A Few Facts About Pete Rose
Peter Edward Rose Sr. is Major League Baseball’s all-time hits leader. With 4,256 hits under his belt, Rose is one of just two MLB players with more than 4,000 career hits in baseball history. The other is Ty Cobbs, with a record of 4,189 hits.
Also known as “Charlie Hustle,” Rose spent most of his career playing as an outfielder and infielder for the Cincinnati Reds. He became player-manager of the team in 1984 and eventually retired from the diamond in 1986. However, he continued to manage the Reds until 1989.
The most significant controversy surrounding Rose’s career was his gambling addiction, which ended with a severe penalty—permanent ineligibility from baseball.
Unfortunately, being on the permanent ineligibility list also meant Rose lost all chances of being voted into baseball’s Hall of Fame. He applied for reinstatement several times from 1992 to 2015, only to be denied on all occasions. But there seems to be a gleam of hope for Rose.
On November 17, 2022, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred told the press that while he thinks Rose should remain on the league’s permanent ineligibility list, he feels the star hitter shouldn’t be excluded from baseball’s Hall of Fame.
Are Pete Rose Baseball Cards Popular?
Pete Rose has appeared in over 200 baseball cards from 1963 to 1990.
However, some of them have become rare and priceless finds for baseball card collectors and hobbyists.
Pete Rose baseball cards earn their worth from various factors, including rarity, condition, grading, and brand.
For instance, a Pete Rose Topps card usually has greater value over other baseball card brands like Fleer, Bowman, and Donruss since it holds the most extensive license for baseball cards.
Rookie cards are also worth more because they become scarcer over time. Rookie cards are printed at the start of a player’s career; not much care and attention were given to them in the past. Purchasing them is pretty much like investing in a startup that displays impressive performance later on.
That is precisely the case with the most expensive Pete Rose baseball card ever. The 1963 Topps #537 displays four of the season’s rookies, but it is believed that Pete Rose’s image gives the card its superb value. It is the only officially recognized rookie card of baseball’s Hit King.
How Are Baseball Cards Graded?
Baseball cards are graded by third-party trading cards authentication services such as Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA), Beckett Grading Services (BGS), and SGC. For uniformity, however, we will use PSA grading since it is the first, largest, and most trusted sports card grading company worldwide.
Baseball cards are rated on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 representing virtually perfect cards in mint condition. Therefore, the value of Pete Rose baseball cards is highest when they come with GEM-MT 10 or MINT 9 ratings.
Most Valuable Peter Rose Cards
Below is a table of the top 30 Pete Rose baseball cards. The most recent prices indicate the latest PSA auction-realized Pete Rose card value.
| Rank | Baseball Card ID | Card Grade | Most Recent Price |
| 1 | 1963 Topps #537 Pete Rose Rookie Card | GEM – MT 10 | $717,000.00 |
| 2 | 1972 Topps Pete Rose #559 | GEM – MT 10 | $66,000.00 |
| 3 | 1964 Topps #125 Pete Rose (All-Star Rookie) | MINT 9 | $63,872.40 |
| 4 | 1968 Topps Pete Rose #230 | GEM – MT 10 | $26,100.00 |
| 5 | 1964 Kahn’s Wieners Pete Rose | GEM – MT 10 | $4,336.50 |
| 6 | 1965 Topps Pete Rose #207 | MINT 9 | $15,101.00 |
| 7 | 1971 Topps Pete Rose #100 | MINT 9 | $10,200.00 |
| 8 | 1975 Topps Pete Rose #320 | GEM – MT 10 | $10,109.85 |
| 9 | 1969 Topps Pete Rose #120 | GEM – MT 10 | $8,400.00 |
| 10 | 1970 Topps Pete Rose #458 | MINT 9 | $7,878.00 |
| 11 | 1974 Topps Pete Rose #300 | GEM – MT 10 | $7,800.00 |
| 12 | 1979 Topps Pete Rose #650 | GEM – MT 10 | $6,100.00 |
| 13 | 1970 Topps Pete Rose #580 | GEM – MT 10 | $5,760.00 |
| 14 | 1965 O-Pee-Chee Pete Rose #207 | MINT 9 | $4,464.14 |
| 15 | 1973 Topps Pete Rose #130 | GEM – MT 10 | $3,710.00 |
| 16 | 1981 Topps Pete Rose #180 | GEM – MT 10 | $3,700.00 |
| 17 | 1977 Topps Pete Rose #450 | GEM – MT 10 | $3,654.00 |
| 18 | 1967 Topps Pete Rose #430 | MINT 9 | $3,480.00 |
| 19 | 1966 Topps Pete Rose #30 | MINT 9 | $3,444.00 |
| 20 | 1976 Topps Pete Rose #240 | MINT 9 | $1,920.00 |
| 21 | 1980 Topps Pete Rose #540 | GEM – MT 10 | $1,675.00 |
| 22 | 1978 Topps Pete Rose #20 | GEM – MT 10 | $1,404.00 |
| 23 | 1981 O-Pee-Chee Pete Rose #180 | GEM – MT 10 | $1,200.00 |
| 24 | 1982 Fleer Pete Rose #256 | GEM – MT 10 | $651.14 |
| 25 | 1985 Topps Tiffany Pete Rose #600 | GEM – MT 10 | $610.00 |
| 26 | 1982 Topps Pete Rose #780 Blackless | MINT 9 | $565.51 |
| 27 | 1986 Topps Pete Rose #1 | GEM – MT 10 | $535.00 |
| 28 | 1985 Leaf Pete Rose #144 | GEM – MT 10 | $315.80 |
| 29 | 1983 O-Pee-Chee Pete Rose #100 | GEM – MT 10 | $270.22 |
| 30 | 1987 O-Pee-Chee Pete Rose #200 | GEM – MT 10 | $200.00 |
Is grading necessary when selling or trading Pete Rose baseball cards?
Not really. Although grading definitely increases a Pete Rose card value, especially if a particular card has become highly in demand.
For example, eBay sells an ungraded 1978 Pete Rose baseball card for as low as $0.99. However, the same card can cost anywhere between $69.99 to $99.99 if it comes with a PSA 9 or 10 rating.
Nevertheless, that doesn’t necessarily mean ungraded baseball cards always come cheaper. For instance, a 1988 Topps Pete Rose Manager card recently sold for $1,300.00 on Mavin.io, and another is listed on eBay for a starting bid of $500. Both are ungraded.
The same 1988 Topps Pete Rose Manager baseball card is valued at only $27.01 on PSA. And that’s for a GEM – MT 10.
Conclusion
Baseball card collection remains a favorite pastime among baseball enthusiasts, and Pete Rose baseball cards are among the most heavily traded in the industry. Prices on these collectible cards can range from a mere $0.99 to an outraging $717,000.00.
So, if anyone asks me, “How much is a Pete Rose baseball card worth?” I can only say time will tell. With the MLB commissioner’s recent statement about his feelings regarding giving Rose a shot at baseball’s Hall of Fame, the value of Pete Rose baseball cards might just experience a significant jump soon.
A powerful swing and the ball is flying across the field, just one hit, and we might never forget the thrill it brings. I do not know about you, but I never do. Every baseball game is the chance to compete with others and cooperate with your teammate. It is among my biggest passions.
