Joe Montana Rookie Cards Climb in Price

Joe Montana, once considered football's GOAT, has seen strong prices in his cards years after his retirement. His 1981 Topps rookie card is one of the most iconic football cards of all time. "Joe Cool," as he was known throughout his career, embodied football's growth in the 1980s as it began to rival baseball as America's most popular sport.

1981 Topps Joe Montana Rookie Card | Image Courtesy of Card Ladder

Montana's rookie card shows him delivering a pass, his chinstrap unbuckled and a clean 49ers jersey. It's a classic pose that has remained one of the hobby's enduring images. A PSA 10 copy, with a population of 115, has seen four sales in the past three months, resulting in a 16.8% increase in value. The most recent sale was for $48,800.

According to PSA, a 2005 sale at Memory Lane of a PSA 10 sold for $4,075. The card has increased in value by 1,097% in the past 20 years. Not bad.

Joe Montana Super Bowl — San Francisco quarterback Joe Montana celebrates after he threw the winning touchdown to John Taylor against the Cincinnati Bengals during Super Bowl XXIII in Miami on Jan. 22, 1989. Xxx E01 Montana 24 Sbsbs S Fbn Usa Fl | H. Darr Beiser, USA TODAY, USA TODAY via Imagn Content Services, LLC

The PSA 9 sells for a lot less than a Gem Mint copy, but the most recent sale was for $2,035. While PSA 9s have a high population of 2,195, Montana's legacy continues to drive the value of the card. The most recent PSA 9 sales mark an 11% increase over the past three months.

In 2010, PSA 9s were selling for about $300. Over the past 15 years, this marks a 578% increase in value.

1981 Topps Joe Montana PSA 8 | Image Courtesy of Card Ladder

PSA 8 copies still sell for hundreds despite a population of 9,717. The latest copy sold for $329, according to Card Ladder. In the last three months, PSA 8s have seen a low sale of $290 and a high of $431. PSA 8s, unlike the two grades above it, have seen a decline in the past three months, down 5%.

For Montana fans or fans of iconic rookie cards, the greatest growth in value is in the highest-graded copies. While the cards may be expensive, Montana's legacy and success keep his hobby relevant.