No Respect for Rickey Rookie Cards
Rickey Henderson headlines the list of players on the newly-released Hall of Fame ballot, but you’d never know it from the price of his rookie card.
They called it a "Rickey Rally". The Oakland A’s of the late 1980s and 90s counted on Rickey Henderson to jump-start the offense. They just never knew in what form it would come.
A walk, a steal and a hit behind him.
A triple to the corner.
Beating out an infield hit. Stealing second. Stealing third. Scoring on a fly ball.
Sometimes he just hit a home run and saved everyone the trouble.
Henderson was appreciated in Oakland, but even now, five years after his 25-year career came to an end, his career stats and impact on the game still don’t seem real. He was brash, marched to his own tune and proved willing to chase a buck more than once. But he might be the best player of his generation.
He was a base-stealer like no other. His record of 130 steals in a season set in 1982 isn’t likely to fall. For his career, he earned 1,406 free passes with his incredible speed and technique. But to anyone who watched him, he was much more. Henderson finished with 3055 hits, 297 homers including more in the leadoff spot than any player in history and 1,115 runs batted in. He was a ten-time All-Star and won the 1990 American League MVP and the 1989 ALCS MVP.
Monday, even though he’d never officially retired, Henderson was on the baseball writers’ ballots for this year’s Hall of Fame election.
"If Rickey isn’t put into Cooperstown as soon as he’s eligible, something’s not right with the way they pick Hall of Famers," said A’s general manager Billy Beane, who played with Henderson on Oakland’s 1989 World Series championship team. "He’s the greatest leadoff hitter of all time, and I’m not sure there’s a close second."
But Rickey has never proven to be a huge hit with collectors. His is really the only rookie card from the 1980 set worth having. The last rookie card in the era of Topps’ monopoly. By ‘81, Rickey and everyone else had at least three cards as Donruss and Fleer entered the picture. The California native is clearly among the game’s all-time best, but you wouldn’t know it from charting what should be a sought-after card, even for those who don’t consider it a ‘vintage’ card.
Henderson rookie cards–even in high grade– are still within reach of nearly every collector or investor. 22 PSA 9s have sold in the past two months, most at between $150 and $200, about half of what a 1979 Ozzie Smith rookie card in the same grade sells for. SGC 96 (mint) versions are in the same ballpark.
The 1980 Topps #482 isn’t terrifically hard to find, but like many issues of the era, it’s not always well-centered. Ungraded Henderson rookie cards, even in what would appear to be near mint condition, sometimes change hands for less than $20.
"Gem mint" Henderson rookies draw higher bids on the rare occasions they’re offered. One sold in April of 2007 for $4263. SGC 98 versions bring around $3100. In October, a GAI 9.5 brought only $949.99 and a BVG 9.5 $1698. BVG 9s have been averaging $200-250 this fall.
NM-MT Henderson rookies might be a decent investment for the collector on a limited budget. PSA 8s have been selling for a mere $25-30 although one card did move Wednesday for $54.99.
The Hall of Fame voting results will be announced January 12. Maybe by then, when Henderson’s career comes into focus, so will the true value of his rookie cards.
1980 Topps Henderson on eBay now
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