The graceful stride of long ago has been replaced by the guiding hand of an aide.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.
In honor of his 1951 debut season, here’s the list of the 51 hottest Willie Mays cards on eBay right now.
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1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF SGC 6 EX-NM " ICONIC CARD "
36 bids - Price: $11,000.00 - Watchers: 165
Item #363833074183
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2006 UD Exquisite Collection GU Jersey Relic Babe Ruth "NYY" Pinstripes 1/15
31 bids - Price: $806.00 - Watchers: 108
Item #354049474194
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1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF PSA 5 EX " ICONIC CARD "
38 bids - Price: $8,700.00 - Watchers: 108
Item #384883778254
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2006 UD Exquisite Collection GU Jersey Relic Babe Ruth "714" Pinstripe 7/25
23 bids - Price: $762.00 - Watchers: 80
Item #195037324286
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1955 Topps Set Break #194 Willie Mays SGC 6 EX NM
30 bids - Price: $936.00 - Watchers: 78
Item #325178638211
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Hank Aaron Willie Mays HOF Signed 1973 Topps #1 DUAL AUTO BGS BAS Authentic
22 bids - Price: $500.00 - Watchers: 65
Item #384874996930
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1952 Topps #261 Willie Mays Sgc 1
28 bids - Price: $1,525.00 - Watchers: 63
Item #185425549116
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1954 Topps Set Break # 90 Willie Mays PSA 2.5 GOOD+
17 bids - Price: $340.00 - Watchers: 61
Item #325178638199
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1955 Topps Set Break #194 Willie Mays EX-EXMINT *GMCARDS*
35 bids - Price: $665.00 - Watchers: 55
Item #313989023452
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1956 Topps Set Break #130 Willie Mays VG-VGEX *GMCARDS*
40 bids - Price: $180.00 - Watchers: 52
Item #384878321563
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1957 Topps Set Break # 10 Willie Mays SGC 6.5 EX NM+
23 bids - Price: $472.00 - Watchers: 49
Item #325178638193
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1966 Topps Set Break # 1 Willie Mays PSA 6 EX-MT
22 bids - Price: $445.00 - Watchers: 49
Item #325178638239
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2003 Team Topps Legends Willie Mays HOF Signed AUTO San Francisco Giants
8 bids - Price: $94.00 - Watchers: 49
Item #363837759459
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1967 TOPPS #200 WILLIE MAYS GIANTS HOF PSA 8 A3343853-718
26 bids - Price: $761.00 - Watchers: 48
Item #384882120482
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2003 Topps Tribute World Series Tribute 1932 GU Bat Relic Babe Ruth 93/425
25 bids - Price: $227.50 - Watchers: 45
Item #195037323083
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NobleSpirit No Reserve (FZ) RARE 1951 Bowman 305 Willie Mays Baseball Card Fair
13 bids - Price: $421.00 - Watchers: 42
Item #374069252081
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1954 Topps Set Break # 90 - Willie Mays SGC Authentic
16 bids - Price: $143.50 - Watchers: 40
Item #325180946612
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1952 Bowman Willie Mays #218 PSA 4
19 bids - Price: $1,052.71 - Watchers: 40
Item #294984049014
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1954 Topps Set Break # 90 Willie Mays VG-VGEX *GMCARDS*
16 bids - Price: $204.50 - Watchers: 40
Item #134116467005
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1958 TOPPS #5 WILLIE MAYS GIANTS HOF SGC 6 A2952-366
16 bids - Price: $340.00 - Watchers: 39
Item #265689284893
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2003 Topps #TT-WM Willie Mays LEGENDS ON CARD AUTO SIGNATURE HOF GIANTS RARE!!
11 bids - Price: $127.50 - Watchers: 38
Item #144551788528
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1954 Topps Willie Mays~#90~PSA 5 EX!
22 bids - Price: $731.00 - Watchers: 38
Item #354054873698
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1955 Bowman Set Break #184 Willie Mays SGC Authentic
15 bids - Price: $102.50 - Watchers: 37
Item #325178638194
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1969 Topps Willie Mays~#190~PSA 7 NM!
7 bids - Price: $102.50 - Watchers: 36
Item #374070557572
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1959 Topps Willie Mays #50 PSA 4 VG-EX Giants MISLABEL A972
13 bids - Price: $153.50 - Watchers: 35
Item #125309062034
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1963 Topps #300 Willie Mays San Francisco Giants HOF PSA 4 VG-EX
10 bids - Price: $110.50 - Watchers: 35
Item #384881807627
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1973 TOPPS #305 WILLIE MAYS GIANTS HOF PSA 8 A3345355-348
18 bids - Price: $307.00 - Watchers: 35
Item #265689284877
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1960 TOPPS #200 WILLIE MAYS PSA 7 NM
15 bids - Price: $725.00 - Watchers: 34
Item #384880598811
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1954 Topps #90 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF
9 bids - Price: $45.00 - Watchers: 34
Item #275308659507
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1952 Topps Set Break #261 Willie Mays PSA 2 GOOD
9 bids - Price: $285.00 - Watchers: 34
Item #325189454110
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1954 Topps #90 Willie Mays New York Giants HOF SGC 3 VG
27 bids - Price: $470.00 - Watchers: 33
Item #374061822715
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1965 Topps Baseball SGC A Willie Mays HOF
9 bids - Price: $15.49 - Watchers: 33
Item #313991833298
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2002 Topps 206 GU Bat Relic 6 Card Lot Evers Collins Tinker McGraw Herzog
35 bids - Price: $112.50 - Watchers: 33
Item #195037394403
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1999 Upper Deck Willie Mays #660HR A Piece of History 500 Club Game Used Bat
8 bids - Price: $255.00 - Watchers: 33
Item #134116852783
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1955 Topps Set Break #194 Willie Mays LOW GRADE (tape) (filler) *GMCARDS*
15 bids - Price: $68.00 - Watchers: 32
Item #134113647426
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1958 Topps Willie Mays~#5~PSA 6 EX-MT!
10 bids - Price: $201.50 - Watchers: 32
Item #374070438379
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1970 Topps Willie Mays~#600~PSA 7 NM!
11 bids - Price: $202.50 - Watchers: 32
Item #374070566856
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1956 Topps #130 Willie Mays HOF New York Giants PSA 3
21 bids - Price: $227.50 - Watchers: 32
Item #115381611724
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1951 willie mays Baseball Card
18 bids - Price: $26.55 - Watchers: 31
Item #255529261284
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1958 Topps #486 ~ WILLIE MAYS ~ All Star (HOF) PSA 6 EX-MT
18 bids - Price: $152.50 - Watchers: 31
Item #255526014325
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1960 Topps Willie Mays~#200~PSA 6 EX-MT!
21 bids - Price: $305.00 - Watchers: 31
Item #374070490143
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1959 Topps Set Break # 50 Willie Mays VG-VGEX *GMCARDS*
10 bids - Price: $29.00 - Watchers: 30
Item #384880401111
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2004 Topps Tribute Honus Wagner GU Bat Relic 1936 Hall of Fame
13 bids - Price: $62.00 - Watchers: 30
Item #195037527464
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1956 TOPPS #130 WILLIE MAYS GIANTS NM+ to NM-MT
15 bids - Price: $282.77 - Watchers: 29
Item #134115235738
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1968 Topps Willie Mays~#50~PSA 6.5 EX-MT+!
10 bids - Price: $59.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #374070548634
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1961 Topps #150 Willie Mays Giants HOF PSA 8 NM-MT CENTERED, Pure White Borders
11 bids - Price: $761.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #403653417260
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1955 TOPPS #194 WILLIE MAYS - NEW YORK GIANTS - GD-VG - HOF LEGEND
10 bids - Price: $202.50 - Watchers: 29
Item #275308662383
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1951 BOWMAN #305 WILLIE MAYS RC GIANTS HOF PSA 5 A3227-740
69 bids - Price: $2,700.00 - Watchers: 29
Item #265690759131
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2003 Topps Tribute 1933 Babe Ruth GU Bat Relic
17 bids - Price: $114.50 - Watchers: 28
Item #195040398622
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1960 Topps Set Break #200 Willie Mays PSA 6 EX-MT
41 bids - Price: $305.00 - Watchers: 28
Item #325185339340
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