Fernando Valenzuela Rookie Cards Continue To Rise In Value
Fernando Valenzuela, who was affectionately nicknamed "El Toro", made his Major League Baseball debut for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1980 and has seen a steady increase in the value of rookie cards over the years. These cards, all of which debuted in 1981, were issued by Topps (Card No. 302), Topps Traded (Card No. 850), and Fleer (Card No. 140) and although many of these are fairly easy to come across, it’s the higher graded versions that often act as cornerstones for baseball card collections that are built on players from the early 1980’s.
The 1981 Topps card (Card No. 302) is entitled “Dodgers Future Stars” and includes Jack Perconte, Mike Scioscia, and Fernando Valenzuela on a fairly simple design that’s coupled with a three-player presentation.
From a pricing perspective, we can see that the raw version of this card was selling for roughly $3.50-$5 back in December 2022, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in raw form selling for $24.99 via eBay on May 10th of this year. With that said the PSA 9 (PSA 10s do not exist) version of this card was selling for roughly $165 back in September of 2024, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in PSA 9 form selling for $400 via eBay in May of this year.
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The 1981 Topps Traded (Card No. 850) Fernando Valenzuela rookie card is a vibrant masterpiece that immortalizes the lefty phenom at the height of his rookie-season dominance. Bursting with a pink border and carrying historical significance, this is the must-have card for both Dodgers fans and 1980’s collectors alike.
From a pricing perspective, we can see that the raw version of this card was selling for roughly $10.50 back in January 2022, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in raw form selling for $20 via eBay on June 8th of this year. With that said the PSA 10 version of this card was selling for roughly $1,112.40 back in September 2021, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in PSA 10 form sold for $2,550 according to PSA.
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The 1981 Fleer Fernando Valenzuela rookie card (Card No. 140) couples that early 1980s charm with a determined and focused look on the face of Valenzuela. Finding itself right at the height of “Fernandomania”, this card is not only a testament to one of the greatest to ever take the mound, it’s also a testament to his hard work and the grit he demonstrated during one of the greatest rookie pitching campaigns in the history of the game.
One thing for collectors to keep in mind as it relates to this card is the spelling of the first name, which reads "Fernand" and although its a visible error, it's never been corrected.
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From a pricing perspective, we can see the raw version of this card was selling for roughly $1.75 back in October 2021, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in raw form selling for $20.50 via eBay on May 28th of this year. With that said the PSA 10 version of this card was selling for roughly $95 back in May 2020, whereas a recent sale had the exact same card in PSA 10 form sold for $433 according to PSA.
When it comes to Fernando Valenzuela’ rookie cards, there’s no doubt that he's still a favorite among the baseball card collecting community especially if collectors can get their hands on a PSA 10 version of any of these. With that said, there is one that stands out among the rest and that is of course his 1981 Topps Traded card not only because it’s the most valuable, but also because it’s the cornerstone card of "FernandoMania".
Passionate sports card collector and writer based in Queens, NY. Lifelong fan of the New York Mets, Jets, and Rangers. Covering sports cards and collectibles with deep industry knowledge and enthusiasm, while bringing a fresh perspective to the ever-evolving hobby world on http://SI.com/collectibles.