Barry Bonds Cards are Surging in Value: His Fastest Rising Cards This Year

Even before performance-enhancing drugs redefined his legacy, Barry Bonds had already put together a first-ballot Hall of Fame career. Over his first 13 seasons (1986–1998), he amassed a staggering 99.9 WAR. Among left fielders, only Ted Williams and Rickey Henderson have had a better WAR.

By the time he began "juicing" in 1999, Bonds was already a three-time MVP. He also became the only player to amass 400 home runs and 400 steals. He is still the only player ever in this exclusive club.

Bonds vs. Griffey Stats — Barry Bonds' stats during his pre-PED years were still better than Ken Griffey Jr. | StatHead

Bonds went on to win four more MVPs in the 2000s, but his legacy became tarnished because of his late career PED use. As several players who have been accused of steroid use are now in the Hall of Fame, baseball card collectors appear to be reassessing that legacy.

Over the past year, demand for key Barry Bonds cards has heated up. All-time high sales of Bonds cards continue to occur on a regular basis and auction results show higher prices across the board. Below is a look at the five Barry Bonds cards that have posted the largest percentage gains during the last 12 months and we examine the factors that suggest this momentum is far from over.

1. Barry Bonds 1987 Topps Tiffany #320 (Raw)

Topps Tiffany Bonds Rookie — Card Ladder

One Year Price Increase: 340% (Rose from $25 to $110)

The Appeal: This is a rare and more sought-after version of Bonds’ most iconic rookie card. The classic woodgrain border design brings about the utmost nostalgia for collectors who grew up in the 1980s. This flagship rookie card includes an easily recognizable image of a young Bonds in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform.

The scarcity of the PSA 10 grade drives this market. Only 304 copies exist, and the most recent sale went for $3,999. This creates an opportunity for collectors who can buy a mint-condition raw card for around $100 and submit it to PSA. The challenge, however, is significant, as just 6% of the 4,841 cards submitted have ever achieved the coveted PSA 10 grade.

2. Barry Bonds 1991 Topps Desert Shield #570 PSA 9

One Year Price Increase: 167% (Rose from $225 to $600)

The Appeal: This is part of a rare special edition Topps set that was issued exclusively to US troops serving in Operation Desert Shield during the first Gulf War. Only around 7,000 complete sets of 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards were produced, which is an extremely small amount when compared to the millions of standard 1991 Topps cards that were printed.

Only 171 copies of the card have ever been given a PSA 9 grade, with only 29 PSA 10s. (A PSA 10 copy sold for $3,535 in January, up from $2,624 in July 2025.) The card is nearly identical to the regular 1991 Topps version but features a small gold "Operation Desert Shield" symbol on the front.

3. Barry Bonds 1987 Fleer #604 “Glossy” Rookie Card PSA 10

One Year Price Increase: 146% (Rose from $334 to $821)

The Appeal: This “Glossy” variation was not available in standard packs. They came in factory-sealed tins as a limited-edition set. The glossy finish is far more eye-appealing than the dull, flat finish of the regular 1987 Fleer cards. The glossy cards are rarer too. There are 606 of the 1987 Fleer “Glossy” Bonds PSA 10s, while there are 1,293 standard versions. (A standard version recently sold for $405).

4. Barry Bonds 1997 Flair Showcase “Hot Gloves” #2 (raw)

One Year Price Increase: 137% (Rose from $76 to $180)

The Appeal: Hot Gloves were a rare insert that were found only once in every 90 packs. Only 522 of these Barry Bonds cards have been graded by one of the major grading companies (PSA, BGS, SGC or CGC).

The 1990s are known for having the most creative and innovative card designs, and this Hot Gloves insert is among the most popular of them all. The card highlights Bonds all-around mastery as an eight-time Gold Glove winner.

5. Barry Bonds 1987 O-Pee-Chee Rookie Card #320 PSA 8

Barry Bonds 1987 Topps OPC — Card Ladder

One Year Price Increase: 137% (Rose from $56 to $133)

The Appeal: This is the rarest version of the flagship 1987 Topps Bonds rookie, with an even lower population count than the 1987 Topps Tiffany Bonds. O-Pee-Chee (OPC) was a Canadian card manufacturer linked with Topps, but their print runs were much smaller.

O-Pee-Chee cards from the 1980s had major quality control issues, including centering problems. There are 871 PSA 8 copies with only 412 copies graded higher. A fun and distinctive feature that appeals to collectors is the bilingual French and English text on the back of the card.