The graceful stride of long ago has been replaced by the guiding hand of an aide. We all wind up in that arena someday, if we’re lucky. But when those legs were toned and those arms could turn a fastball into a missle…
It’s those memories that send collectors in search of vintage Willie Mays cards on eBay or scouring the tables at a card show for more.
In his familiar number 24, Mays amazed baseball fans with dazzling catches and tape measure home runs. A career .302 hitter, Mays hit 660 home runs and drove in more than 1900 runs during his 22 year career. He was an icon to New York Giants fans in the 1950s and San Francisco backers once the team moved west in 1958.
Mays won 12 Gold Gloves as an outfielder during his time with the Giants, tying him for the most ever with Roberto Clemente. Mays’ wizardry in the outfield, turned in a career fielding averaging of .981, to go along with 195 assists from center field.
In 1972, Mays was traded to the New York Mets, bringing his career full circle. In his last two seasons with the Mets, Mays registered as the oldest regular position player in Major League Baseball. Unfortunately, his best hitting years were behind him, although his fielding percentage was still on par with what he had produced years earlier.
His gorgeous 1951 Bowman rookie card is considered among the greatest of all post-War issues. While Mays rookie cards can be found pretty regularly, near mint and better examples aren’t as plentiful and have been rocketing upward in step with other vintage Hall of Famers. A graded NM/MT 8 that you could have bought for under $10,000 five years ago cost one recent bidder $51,875.
Mays was a constant for Topps, once the company produced his 1952 rookie card (#261). He became fast friends with Topps executive Sy Berger, who watched him perform his magic at the Polo Grounds as the bubble gum card maker was becoming a major player in the 
bubble gum card business.
He regularly appeared in Topps sets from 1952-1973, both as the primary subject, on In Action and multi-player cards and, of course, on some star-packed League Leader cards during his prime.
There are several Mays’ cards that won’t break the bank, but collectors should expect to spend a more substantial amount to obtain some of the best Mays’ cards available.
Both were sensational but Mays’ Bowman rookie card has long lagged behind that of fellow 1951 rookie Mickey Mantle. Currently, Mays rookie cards in near mint (7) grades usually sell for less than half of what Mantle’s rookie cards so. Does that mean Mays rookies are undervalued? Quite possibly. However, there are others to consider, too.
Here’s the list of the 25 hottest Willie Mays cards on eBay right now.
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500 Vintage Baseball Card Lot: 1966 Mickey Mantle, 1959 Hank Aaron, Willie Mays
26 bids - Price: $311.00 - Watchers: 49
Item #254511881426
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1964 Topps Willie Mays #150 PSA 9 MINT (PWCC-A)
20 bids - Price: $1,163.00 - Watchers: 42
Item #143535593261
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1951 Bowman #305 Willie Mays RC -- PSA 1.5 -- NY GIANTS HOF rookie centerd nice!
13 bids - Price: $1,000.01 - Watchers: 37
Item #372960438696
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1953 Topps Set Break #244 Willie Mays New York Giants
8 bids - Price: $207.50 - Watchers: 33
Item #174194538069
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1954 Topps #90 Willie Mays
15 bids - Price: $43.27 - Watchers: 30
Item #352974790062
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1955 Topps #194 Willie Mays PSA 6
13 bids - Price: $41.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #202910838215
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1955 Bowman WILLIE MAYS Card Graded PSA 2 LOOKS MUCH NICER!
12 bids - Price: $46.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #223916236989
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1954 Bowman Set Break # 89 Willie Mays PSA 8 NM-MT
17 bids - Price: $703.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #324078953669
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1981 PEREZ-STEELE WILLIE MAYS AUTO AUTOGRAPH PSA COA 07112/10000 HOF Z1541
18 bids - Price: $77.00 - Watchers: 27
Item #223911431842
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1960 Topps #200 Willie Mays HOF Giants nice mid-grade card $200
18 bids - Price: $36.00 - Watchers: 26
Item #114089176680
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1954 Topps Willie Mays #90 PSA 4 VGEX (PWCC)
4 bids - Price: $76.00 - Watchers: 25
Item #143535584686
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1954 Bowman # 89 Willie Mays PSA 2 GOOD New York Giants 45283056
12 bids - Price: $45.00 - Watchers: 25
Item #303487610805
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1954 Bowman Willie Mays #89 PSA 6 EXMT (PWCC-E)
13 bids - Price: $172.50 - Watchers: 25
Item #352974902144
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1958 Topps #5 Willie Mays San Francisco Giants HOF PSA 5 EX
10 bids - Price: $41.54 - Watchers: 25
Item #372958088213
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1999 UD A Piece of History 500 Club Willie Mays Bat Card #WM ( Print Run 350)
41 bids - Price: $61.00 - Watchers: 25
Item #402098893124
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1955 Topps #194 WILLIE MAYS PSA 6 EX - MT
4 bids - Price: $37.00 - Watchers: 24
Item #114116304615
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1962 Topps Set Break #300 Willie Mays EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS*
14 bids - Price: $31.00 - Watchers: 22
Item #133332494975
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1971 Milk Duds Complete Box Willie Mays #3
11 bids - Price: $13.50 - Watchers: 22
Item #362915005478
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1954 Topps #90 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF PSA 4.5 VG-EX+
23 bids - Price: $102.50 - Watchers: 22
Item #383421382423
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1959 Topps #50 Willie Mays PSA 7
3 bids - Price: $51.00 - Watchers: 21
Item #202910838424
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1960 TOPPS WILLIE MAYS # 200 SGC CERTIFIED AUTO AUTOGRAPH * G12
13 bids - Price: $12.50 - Watchers: 21
Item #402093326828
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1959 Topps #50 Willie Mays HOF San Francisco Giants $250
13 bids - Price: $21.50 - Watchers: 20
Item #114089197237
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1958 Topps Willie Mays #5 PSA 5 EX (PWCC)
17 bids - Price: $53.00 - Watchers: 20
Item #143535585820
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1954 Bowman WILLIE MAYS baseball card #89 ****EXMT**** CENTERED NO CREASES WOW
9 bids - Price: $71.00 - Watchers: 20
Item #193352112113
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1958 Topps #486 Willie Mays All Star Giants HOF attractive crease-free $100
6 bids - Price: $10.50 - Watchers: 19
Item #133308857199
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