5 Forgotten Vintage Baseball Card Legends

The vintage baseball card market does not always reward a legendary résumé. In the hobby, fame and popularity drive pricing more than sustained greatness or historical impact. As a result, several elite players with historic achievements remain underdiscussed and undervalued.

The five players below span multiple eras, from the Deadball Era to the Big Red Machine. While these legends represent different periods of the game, these five icons are linked by a common theme: they are high-impact players who often forgotten by the average vintage baseball card collector. For each legend, we have highlighted their highest recorded sales alongside a "bargain" option under $300. This allows collectors to own a meaningful piece of their legacy without breaking the bank.

1. Tris Speaker

His Highest Card Sale of All Time: A 1914 Boston Garter SGC 3 Tris Speaker card sold for $72,000 in April 2019. This card has a total population of just 8.

Remarkable Résumé: Tris Speaker was a dominant center fielder from 1907 to 1928. He ranks 9th all-time in career WAR, a stat that shows he was one of the most impactful players to ever play the game. He was a career .345 hitter (6th all-time) with over 3,500 hits, and he still holds the MLB record for career doubles with 792.

Speaker was just as good on defense as he was at the plate. He still holds the all-time MLB records for outfield assists (449) and outfield double plays (139). His trophy case is also full: he won the 1912 AL MVP, two World Series with the Red Sox in 1912 and 1915, and a third in 1920 as the player-manager for the Cleveland Indians. While his peers from the Deadball era like Ty Cobb and Honus Wagner are household names, Speaker remains surprisingly overlooked in many hobby conversations today.

Budget Option Under $300: The 1933 Goudey #89 SGC 1 Tris Speaker card sold for $279 on January 16th, 2026. This card has a total population of 1,239.

2. Lefty Grove

His Highest Card Sale of All Time: A 1921 White’s Bakery Tip Top Bread Lefty Grove rookie card SGC 2 sold for $40,200 in April 2025. This card has only been graded once by SGC.

Remarkable Résumé: Robert Moses "Lefty" Grove was one of the best pitchers in baseball history, pitching 17 seasons from 1925 to 1941. He won the 1931 MVP, he led the AL in ERA nine times, and he led the American League in strikeouts for seven straight years to start his career.

Grove has a higher career WAR than legends like Christy Mathewson, Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Warren Spahn, and Nolan Ryan. Despite this, he is overlooked in the hobby. Many collectors believe his underrated status is because his best years were spent with the Philadelphia Athletics, a team that later moved twice and has lost its local fanbase.

Budget Option Under $300: The 1934 Diamond Stars # 1 Lefty Grove PSA 1 sold for $229 on February 7th, 2026.

3. Frank Crosetti

His Highest Card Sale of All Time: A 1933 Goudey PSA 9 Frank Crosetti sold for $38,400 in January 2019. This card has a total population of 649, but only one has ever been graded a PSA 9 with none higher.

Remarkable Résumé: Frank Crosetti’s resume is built on winning. While his individual stats weren't eye-popping, he secured 17 World Series titles, (eight as a player and nine as a coach.) As a member of the Yankees from 1932 to 1968, Crosetti bridged the gap between the eras of Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig, Joe DiMaggio, and Mickey Mantle.

Crosetti Yankees — Crosetti played with many Yankees legends, including Lou Gehrig | Baseball History Comes Alive

Crosetti owns more championship rings than every franchise except the Boston Celtics and his own New York Yankees. He eventually got tired of collecting rings and asked the Yankees for engraved shotguns as his championship trophies instead. If winning is the ultimate measure of a player’s worth, Crosetti deserves far more recognition in the hobby. He is one of the few legends with base cards in the two most iconic sets ever produced: 1933 Goudey and 1952 Topps.

Budget Option Under $300: A Frankie Crosetti 1952 Topps #384 PSA 2 sold for $269 on November 8th, 2025.

4. Larry Doby

His Highest Card Sale of All Time: A 1948 Larry Doby Leaf rookie card reached $55,200 in October 2024 for a PSA 8 copy. This card has a total population of 223, but only six have ever been graded a PSA 8 with none higher.

Remarkable Résumé: Larry Doby’s historical importance can’t be overstated. Just weeks after Jackie Robinson made his debut in the National League, Doby broke the American League’s color barrier. The Hall of Famer went on to become a seven-time All-Star and a key contributor to Cleveland’s 1948 World Series championship.

Larry Doby Batting Practice — Doby helped the Indians win their 2nd World Series ever in 1948. | Britannica

Doby led the American League in home runs twice and finished as the 1954 MVP runner-up. He also made history as the first Black player to hit a home run in the World Series. Despite being arguably just as impactful as Jackie Robinson, Doby was overshadowed during his career. This is a trend that continues today in the hobby. For collectors, this means his cards remain significantly undervalued relative to his historical importance.

Budget Option Under $300: A Larry Doby 1956 Topps #250 SGC 7 sold for $275 on February 8th, 2026.

5. Joe Morgan

Joe Morgan rookie card — Advanced metrics consistently rank Joe Morgan at or near the top among all-time second basemen. Ironically, during his ESPN broadcasting career, Morgan often pushed back against the growing reliance on advanced stats. | Card Ladder

His Highest Card Sale of All Time: A PSA 10 copy of his 1965 Topps rookie card (with Sonny Jackson) sold for $144,000 in May 2021. This card has a total population of 9,339, but only two have ever been graded a PSA 10.

Remarkable Résumé: Joe Morgan was the engine of the Big Red Machine and one of the best 2nd basemen of all time. During his 22-season career (1963–1984) Morgan won two MVPs, two World Series rings, 10 All-Star game selections, and five Gold Gloves.

His career WAR is 31st all-time, ahead of hobby legends like Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., Roberto Clemente, and Pete Rose. He has always been overshadowed by his more famous Reds teammates Pete Rose and Johnny Bench, even in the baseball card hobby.

Budget Option Under $300: A 1965 Topps Joe Morgan rookie card (with Sonny Jackson) in a PSA 6.5 sold for $207 on November 2nd, 2025.