Mantle and More-4 Baseball Cards That Had Over 100% Growth in 2025

Collecting baseball cards isn’t always about money. Most collectors don’t approach buying cards with spreadsheets or exit prices in mind. Collectors buy what they love. They buy players they grew up rooting for. They buy cards that connect them to the history of the game.

That being said, even “pure collectors” are not blind to value. There is great satisfaction when a card you bought for the love of it starts going up in price. It is a great feeling when the market has caught up to what you already believed.

This is especially true with vintage baseball cards, where price movement tends to be slower, steadier, and far less speculative than in the modern card market. Over the past year, several vintage baseball cards have quietly seen their values double without hype cycles, influencer pushes, or manufactured scarcity.

1. Bobby Shantz 1950 Bowman #234 Rookie Card PSA 8

Recent Sales: $384, $420

2024 Sales: $184, $245

PSA Population Count: 37 (3 higher)

Why Demand Has Increased: Demand has surged in the vintage card market beyond just the marquee names. Shantz just turned 100 years old and still signs autographs for the through-the-mail (TTM) community. This means he has a loyal and dedicated base of fans that collect his cards.

Shantz is the oldest living MVP (he won the award in 1952) and this is his rookie card from the iconic 1950 Bowman set. The card is extremely rare in high grades and only three cards have ever graded higher by PSA.

2. Hank Aaron 1955 Bowman #179 PSA 4

Recent Sales: $400, $395

2024 Sales: $143, $228

PSA Population Count: 613 (1,600 higher)

Why Demand Has Increased: While collectors often focus on Aaron’s iconic 1954 Topps rookie, the 1955 Bowman issue has steadily gained respect as a key early career Aaron card. As prices for top-tier vintage rookies have climbed, collectors priced out of flagship cards have increasingly turned to 2nd year cards like this one.

This card also benefits from strong visual appeal. Modern Topps sets have released popular "Anime" inserts in modern sets that commemorate the iconic '55 Bowman TV set design. Additionally, this card is relatively rare in mid-grades.

3. Mickey Mantle 1957 Topps #95 PSA 6

Recent Sales: $4,300, $3,782

2024 Sales: $1,380, $1,348

PSA Population Count: 1,170 (1,200 higher)

Why Demand Has Increased: In recent years, collector demand has shifted toward strong mid-grade examples of iconic Mantle cards as higher-grade copies have moved further out of reach. The 1957 Topps Mantle stands out as one of the most recognizable of his career.

A PSA 6 represents an optimal balance between eye appeal and affordability in the Mickey Mantle market. A PSA 7 copy of this card jumps up to $6,000, making a nice-looking PSA 6 copy an excellent value in comparison. Collectors of this classic card prioritize long-term ownership over short-term speculation, which has resulted in steady upward price movement.

4. Bill Mazeroski 1958 Topps #238 PSA 5

Recent Sales: $110, $79.99

2024 Sales: $40.90, $56

PSA Population Count: 138 (563 higher)

Why Demand Has Increased: Bill Mazeroski’s legacy is anchored by one of the most iconic moments in baseball history (the legendary 1960 World Series walk-off home run), but his vintage cards have historically traded at a discount relative to his significance. 1958 Topps #238 represents the 2nd year card of the Hall of Famer.

A PSA 5 sits in the sweet spot for vintage collectors, offering strong eye appeal while remaining attainable. As demand has increased for historically important players in collector-grade/mid-grade condition, competition for Mazeroski’s key cards has intensified. 1958 Topps cards suffer from centering and surface issues, making a PSA 5 relatively rare. Maz, like Bobby Shantz, is a pillar in the TTM community as well.