1980 Topps Baseball Cards — Top 30 Most Valuable

If you want to hold hobby history in your hands, you could do worse than digging into a stack of 1980 Topps baseball cards.

After all …

The baseball card hobby changed forever in 1981 when both Fleer and Donruss began producing little swatches of cardboard with athletes on the front, finally putting a stop to Topps’ monopoly.

So the 1980 Topps set is historic because it was the last issue of Topps’ (original) monopoly. They’re worth owning for that fact alone.

But which 1980 Topps baseball cards are most valuable?

That’s what we’re here to find out, with the help of the PSA Auction Prices Realized (APR) tool

What follows, then, is a list of the 10 most valuable 1980 Topps baseball cards in PSA 9 NM-MT condition, according to APR.

Let’s dig in …

(Note: This post contains affiliate links — if you click one to go over to eBay or Amazon and buy something while you’re there, we’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

30) 1980 Topps Dave Stieb Rookie Card (#77)

OK, this is going to be just a bit geeky, but …

Can you guess which pitcher recorded the most Wins Above Replacement (WAR) in the 1980s?

Well, considering that you’re in the “Dave Stieb” section of this post, you can bet your sweet bippy the answer is Dave Stieb.

In fact, Stieb’s 45.2 WAR in the 80s is more than 10 points better than second-placer Bob Welch (35.1).

In case you’re wondering, “Hall of Famer” Jack Morris comes in at 27.9. Yeah.

Stieb doesn’t get much love these days, but the fact remains that he was one of the very best pitchers of this era, and collectors haven’t forgotten about him completely.

He does have a pretty stellar rookie card, after all!

Value: $25-35

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29) 1980 Topps Jim Palmer (#590)

Jim Palmer must have been pretty hard to take if you were almost any other Major League pitcher in the 1970s.

It wasn’t just that Palmer won 20 games eight times in nine seasons from 1970 through 1978 …

Or that he won three Cy Young awards and finished in the top 3 three other times …

Or that he and his Baltimore Orioles were, like, always in or winning the World Series.

No, on top of all that, Palmer had to look like a movie star and model underwear, for gosh sake.

I think I’d have a problem with a guy like that, but maybe I’m just small.

Anyway, Palmer continues his goodness well into retirement, checking in on lists like this one.

Value: $30-35

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28) 1980 Topps Alan Trammell (#232)

Trammell was just 22 years old entering the 1980 season but had already established himself as the Tigers shortstop with two solid seasons under his belt.

Things would take a turn for the better that summer, as the future Hall of Famer hit .300 and set new career highs in home runs (9), RBI (65), and stolen bases (17). He also made his first All-Star Game and snagged his first Gold Glove, to boot.

While Trammell was busy ratcheting up his game in preparation for Detroit’s glory years later in the decade, collectors were treated all season long to the youngster practicing his bunt on a bright and sunny Topps card.

Value: $30-40

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27) 1980 Topps Dave Parker (#310)

Parker was among the most glamorous stars of the late 1970s, and his 1978 season yielded a second straight National League batting title, along with the Senior Circuit’s MVP award.

Another big season in 1979 helped the Pirates to a championship and further solidified Parker’s standing in baseball’s firmament.

While the Cobra ran into some tough years early in the next decade, his 1980 Topps card is a classic reflection of his best seasons with Pittsburgh and enjoyed a renaissance in popularity when the slugger reestablished his superstar status with the Reds.

Value: $30-40

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26) 1980 Topps Paul Molitor (#406)

For years, Molitor was one of the most frustrating players in the game – a superbly talented batter who was so unpredictably fragile that his overall value was all over the place.

But a part-time move to designated hitter while still with the Brewers in 1987, followed by more exclusive DH duties with the Blue Jays and Twins the ‘90s set Molitor on a path toward 3000 hits … and the Hall of Fame.

Today, all of his cards remain hobby favorites, and this 1980 Topps beauty is no exception.

Value: $30-40

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25) 1980 Topps Johnny Bench (#100)

The 1980 Topps set was absolutely loaded with great catcher cards, and most of them showed the tools of ignorance to great effect. From stabbing a ball in the air with a catcher’s mitt to gunning down a would-be base stealer to staring down an unseen umpire or willful pitcher, Topps caught it all in this set.

But they went for a tremendous batting shot when it came time to showcase the greatest catcher who has ever played the game.

Any Johnny Bench card is worth owning, and this beauty is definitely no exception.

Value: $30-40

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24) 1980 Topps Strikeout Leaders – Nolan Ryan and J.R. Richard (#206)

How would you like for your favorite team to feature the top two strikeout pitchers in the game at the top of their rotation?

If that sounds like a dream come true, well, now you know how Houston Astros followers must have felt entering the 1980 season.

Because, after J.R. Richard led the National League with 313 Ks in 1979, the ‘Stros signed Nolan Ryan as a free agent that offseason … and The Express had topped the Junior Circuit with 223 punchouts in his last year with the Angels.

Oh, and the new teammates were featured together on one amazing baseball card, thanks to Topps and their celebration of 1979’s league leaders.

Value: $35-40

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23) Willie McCovey (#335)

After four seasons away, McCovey made a triumphant return to the Giants in 1977, smashing 28 long balls and then crushing his way into the 500 Home Run club in ‘78.

He didn’t have much left in the tank after that but did manage another 15 dingers in 1979 … and a final Topps card in 1980 (two, actually, thanks to a record-breaker for most homers by an NL left-hander).

Value: $35-40

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22) 1980 Topps Steve Carlton (#210)

At 34, Carlton had a down-for-him showing in 1979, going 18-11 with a 3.62 ERA and “just” 212 strikeouts.

Students of the game might have been forgiven for thinking Lefty had turned into his decline.

Carlton, though, had other ideas, as evidenced by his 24-9, 2.34 ERA, and major league best 286 Ks in 1980, helping the Phillies win their first World Series and snagging his third Cy Young Award in the process.

This action-packed card was there all season as the Philly lefty reasserted his star, and it’s still solid in the hobby.

Value: $35-45

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21) 1980 Topps Goose Gossage (#140)

By 1980, Goose Gossage had already been one of the most dominant closers in the game for nearly a decade. His star only got brighter once he landed with the New York Yankees in 1978, and he steamrolled right on through the 1980s and into the 1990s as a fearsome competitor and fan favorite.

Still one of the few relievers to make it to Cooperstown, Gossage is also the only one on this list.

Value: $35-45

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20) 1980 Topps Willie Stargell (#610)

Willie Stargell was 103 years old (or something like that) when the “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates shocked the earth to win the 1979 World Series.

Stargell’s 1980 Topps card makes this list because 1) it has the price chops to warrant inclusion and 2) we get to see Pops as he looked during his 1979 MVP season.

It’s a no-brainer, even if Willie doesn’t seem all that thrilled by it.

Value: $40-45

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19) 1980 Topps Mike Schmidt (#270)

Schmidt was already a three-time home run champ as the 1980 season dawned, but his profile as a big-strikeout slugger entering his 30s had a history of not aging all that well.

If big Mike was worried about any of that, though, he hid it well behind a 48-home-run fireworks display that landed him his first MVP award and got the Phillies over their hump to win their first World Series championship ever.

Oh, yeah — Schmidt was the MVP of that Fall Classic, too.

And, speaking of classics, this 1980 Topps Schmidt qualifies, forever tied to the start of a dominant decade that left no doubt he was among the all-time greats.

Value: $40-45

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18) 1980 Topps Andre Dawson (#235)

Coming into the 1980 season, the 1977 National League Rookie of the Year winner had yet to really take the next leap toward superstardom.

Sure, Dawson was coming off two 25-home-run seasons, but it was going to take more than that to help him overcome the anonymity of baseball life in Montreal.

Good thing The Hawk was ready to crank up his game with a string of Gold Gloves, All-Star selections, and offensive showings that would establish him as one of the very best players in the game during the 1980s.

It all helped solidify Dawson’s cards as hobby favorites, and this 1980 Topps is among his more popular early issues.

Value: $40-50

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17) 1980 Topps Carl Yastrzemski and Lou Brock – 3000 hits (#1)

No wonder this gem sits pretty on our list of most valuable 1980 Topps baseball cards.

I mean, how often do you see two players reach the 3000-hit plateau in the same season? Hardly ever, right?

Well, actually …

Honus Wagner and Nap Lajoie did it in 1914.

Tris Speaker and Eddie Collins did it in 1925.

Hank Aaron and Willie Mays did it in 1970.

Lou Brock and Carl Yastrzemski did it in 1979.

Robin Yount and George Brett did it in 1992.

Tony Gwynn and Wade Boggs did it in 1999.

So it’s not rare at all, as 12 of the 32 players to reach 3000 hits had to share their milestone to some degree. But you don’t usually see the two guys on the same card, right?

Right … so it’s understandable why PSA has this Yaz & Brock combo at $5.

Value: $40-50

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16) 1980 Topps Don Sutton (#440)

By 1980, Don Sutton was a grizzled veteran of 14 major league seasons, and a bridge to great Dodger hurlers of the past like Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax.

The question was, could he stick around long enough to help a new generation of L.A. pitchers make their marks.

Well, not only was Sutton *around* long enough to welcome the likes of Rick Sutcliffe, Steve Howe, and Fernando Valenzuela, he found a new gear in his mid-30s.

Beginning with an MLB-best 2.20 ERA in 1980, Sutton reeled off three straight sub-3.10 seasons and set his sights on 300 wins, finishing his 23-year career with 324 Ws.

That pretty much guaranteed he’d snag a Cooperstown plaque and keep his Hall of Fame cards – like this 1980 Topps classic – in the hobby limelight.

Value: $45-50

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15) 1980 Topps Tom Seaver (#500)

Coming off a 16-6 season to help the Reds win the NL West in 1979, Seaver seemed worse for the wear in 1980, slipping to 10-8 with an uncharacteristic 3.65 ERA.

At least collectors could find solace in Seaver’s kick-butt 1980 Topps baseball card, one of the best in the set.

Oh, and they could have also just hung on, because Tom Terrific was back to being one of baseball’s best pitchers in the strike-torn 1981 season, rendering 1980 just a pebble in the road on the way to Cooperstown.

Value: $45-50

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14) 1980 Topps Ted Simmons (#85)

Simmons was a five-time All-Star by the time this classic 1980 Topps card made its way to collectors.

He’d add one more Midsummer Classic to his St. Louis resume before the Cardinals shipped him to the Brewers in December of ‘80, then add a couple more for Milwaukee. Along the way, Simmons would star for his new team and eventually face his *old* team as they squared off in the 1982 World Series.

And, of course, in 2020, the Veterans Committee voted Simmons into the Hall of Fame, giving all his cards a big hobby boost

Value: $45-50

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13) 1980 Topps Carlton Fisk (#40)

The 1980 Topps set was jam-packed with great catcher cards – so many that this snazzy Pudge entry isn’t even the best of the bunch.

But when it comes to the catchers themselves, there weren’t many better than Fisk as the 1980 season dawned. Or, rather, there weren’t many catchers active in 1980 who ended up better than Fisk.

Because, truth be told, the Red Sox star had an uncharacteristically injury-plagued and statistically anemic season in 1979, and 1980 was a bit truncated, too.

Those two subpar (by his standards) showings undoubtedly contributed to the debacle that led to his Boston departure before the 1981 season, but Fisk still had some of his best seasons left in the tank, much to the delight of White Sox fans … and collectors!

Value: $45-50

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12) 1980 Topps Jim Rice (#200)

Rice was a superstar in the majors almost from the moment he set foot on the Fenway grass, finishing second in voting for American League Rookie of the Year Award and third in MVP balloting in 1975 (losing out to teammate Fred Lynn for both).

A couple years later, Rice began a three-year run of power dominance that produced 39, 46, and 39 home runs, the 1978 AL MVP award, and a rare 400-total-base performance that same summer.

Rice’s relatively meager 22 homers in 1980, then, registered as something of a disappointment, but the Boston faithful could hang their hopes on a rebound for the still-young 27-year-old.

And collectors everywhere could revel in the slugger’s classic 1980 Topps card … and we still do.

Value: $45-55

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11) 1980 Topps Dale Murphy (#274)

Murphy turned in the first two 20-homer seasons of his career in 1978 and 1979, but the post-Hank Aaron Braves were pukerific enough that hardly anyone noticed.

When Murph turned up the heat even more in 1980, though, he garnered enough attention to make his first All-Star Game. Finishing with 33 home runs, the young center fielder even picked up some down-ballot MVP votes, foreshadowing the dual hardware he’d win in 1982 and 1983.

Today, Murphy’s 1980 Topps card stands as a hunk of hobby and MLB history, listing the Atlanta legend at “C-1B” even as he was on his way to a Gold Glove future on the grass.

Value: $45-55

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10) Dave Winfield (#230)

As the legend goes, Dave Winfield could play – and excel at – any sport that ever saw the light of day while he was in Minnesota, and he was given an opportunity to undertake most of them professionally.

In the end, Winfield chose baseball, skipped the minors, and, by 1980, had logged three All-Star appearances and a Gold Glove with the Twins.

He added another of each in 1980, then signed the richest free agent deal to that point with the New York Yankees. Winnie’s time in the Bronx was tumultuous, as life with George Steinbrenner tended to be, but Winfield continued to shine.

Eventually, of course, he landed in Cooperstown, and all his cards – including the last issued while he was still actually with the Padres – continue to curry favor in the hobby.

Value: $40-60

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9) 1980 Topps Steve Garvey (#290)

For fans who followed baseball in the 1970s and 1980s, it’s sort of hard to believe that Garvey fell short of Hall of Fame standards by most reckonings.

After all, the man was a perennial All-Star and one of the most admired players in the game for the majority of his career.

But, though Mr.Clean may never make the Cooperstown cut, he still gets his share of hobby attention, and his 1980 classic certainly has a HOF flair of its own.

Value: $50-55

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8) 1980 Topps Gary Carter (#70)

Coming off his second All-Star appearance, Carter headed into 1980 as one of the best catchers in the game, and Topps unleashed a classic shot of The Kid that also helped establish him as a hobby favorite.

By the time he hung up his spikes in 1992, Carter had done his part to round out a Hall of Fame resume that bore fruit in 2003, and pretty much all his cards maintain strong interest among collectors.

Value: $60-65

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7) 1980 Topps Eddie Murray (#160)

At just 24 years old entering the 1980 season, Eddie Murray had established himself as a solid run producer with 20-plus-homer power and seemed poised for even bigger things ahead.

Indeed, Murray reached new highs in both home runs and RBI that summer – 32 and 116, respectively.

But, while Murray’s peak performance pretty much got stuck at those levels from there on out, his amazing longevity and consistency set him apart from the All-Star/superstar pack.

In the end, his 3200+ hits, 500+ home runs, and 1900+ RBI gave Murray an easy path to Cooperstown and keep his early cards on lists like this one all these years later.

Value: $60-70

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6) 1980 Topps Pete Rose (#540)

Whether you think he got a raw deal or is just a mess of a person — not necessarily mutually exclusive viewpoints — there is no denying that Pete Rose lit up the baseball diamond like few others for the better part of 30 years.

His pursuit of Ty Cobb’s all-time hit record was the first big chase with national focus after baseball cards entered their boom era. By the time Rose passed the Georgia Peach on September 11, 1985, his cards were the hottest in the hobby, and they’ve stayed near the top of every set since.

Through the good times and bad, Rose cardboard remains Hall of Fame stuff, and his 1980 Topps card has a spot on this list.

Value: $65-70

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5) 1980 Topps George Brett (#450)

Brett was already a batting champion (1976) and four-time All-Star entering the 1980 season, but his legend was about to explode in his age-27 summer.

Though hampered by, um, injuries that limited him to 515 plate appearances in 117 games, Brett nonetheless led the Royals to the World Series and also became the first man in decades to seriously chase a .400 batting average.

In the end, Mullet landed at .390, but it was good enough to cop the AL MVP award and solidify his status as an all-timer … and to make this 1980 Topps card a stone-cold classic.

Value: $70-75

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4) 1980 Topps Ozzie Smith (#393)

Ozzie Smith owns the best rookie card in the 1979 Topps set and has for more than 40 years now.

So is it any shock that his second-year card makes it to our list of the of the most valuable from the 1980 Topps set?

Value: $70-80

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3) 1980 Topps Reggie Jackson (#600)

At age 34, Reggie Jackson entered the 1980 season as one of the most celebrated postseason performers of all time, but also three years removed from his last 30-homer season and five years out from his most recent dinger title.

All Mr. October did that summer was pace the American League with 41 home runs, lead the Yankees to another AL East title, and finish second in MVP voting.

No wonder this Hall of Fame cardboard is among the most popular and valuable in the set.

Value: $75-80

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2) 1980 Topps Nolan Ryan (#580)

By the time this card found its way into collectors’ hands, Ryan was gearing up for his run with the Houston Astros, thanks to a landmark contract.

In case you forgot, Ryan signed a four-year, $4.5 million deal with the Astros in November 1979, and the baseball world was aghast at the thought of the first million-dollar-per-year player.

A decade or so later, salaries had escalated considerably, and Ryan had turned into a bona fide legend as he headed across the Lone Star state to the Texas Rangers. That move, along with his seven no-hitters, 300+ wins, and 5000+ strikeouts sent Ryan’s cards into the stratosphere.

His cardboard has resided near the top of the price list for just about every set he appears in for nearly three decades now, so it’s not surprising that he checks in with a solid showing here, too.

Value: $200-275

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1) 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson Rookie Card (#482)

Rickey Henderson burst onto the scene with 34 stolen bases in just 89 games for the Oakland A’s in 1979 and never really stopped running. When he finally retired from Major League Baseball in 2003 after a quarter century in the game, Henderson had shattered the all-time record for steals, finishing with a mind-blowing 1406. He also holds the mark for runs scored at 2295 and slammed nearly 300 home runs among his more than 3000 hits.

Rickey redefined the leadoff role and was a first ballot Hall of Famer — and an all-time hot dog. No wonder his rookie card has led the way for the 1980 Topps set in terms of value for more than 30 years.

Value: $1800-2000

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