Pete Rose Cards are Impacted By This News

Pete Rose has always been a big draw among collectors. With recent news that he will receive a presidential pardon and Commissioner Rob Manfred is considering reinstating him, his cards have increased in value.

Horacio Ruiz | Mar 4, 2025

An emotional Cincinnati Reds hall of famer Pete Rose adjusts his cap as he takes the microphone during a pregame ceremony for the unveiling of Pete Rose's bronze statue being installed outside the stadium before the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Saturday, June 17, 2017. / Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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Pete Rose has one of the most complicated legacies of any 20th-century athlete. One of the greatest hitters in baseball history, he was undone by a gambling addiction that drove him to gamble on baseball games. Rose always maintained he never bet on his team to lose.

Cincinnati Reds Pete Rose in action against the New York Mets in baseball action at Shea Stadium in Queens New York July 7, 1986. / Frank Becerra Jr./The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

There was another tawdry admission, with Rose disclosing in legal documents to having sexual relations with a 16-year-old in Ohio, which was Ohio's age of consent. With the admission, the Philadelphia Phillies cancelled his induction into the Phillies Wall of Fame; Rose played for Philadelphia from 1979-83.

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Despite this, Rose has always been a draw among collectors. He was a regular in Las Vegas, drawing a sizable fan base wanting his autograph on baseballs, photos, or jerseys. His rookie card, the 1963 Topps Rookie Stars #537, is one of the most expensive post-war vintage rookie cards.

Card Ladder's one month Pete Rose index. / Image Courtesy of Card Ladder

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According to the Pete Rose Card Ladder Index, his cards are up 5.24% in the past month and 3.32% in the past three months. One of the biggest risers is his rookie card in a PSA 4. The card has seen a 67% growth in price in the past three months. The average sale price in the last three months is $1,292.

Image Courtesy of Card Ladder

Rose's PSA 7 rookie card is up 34%, and his PSA 3 is up 18%. But it's not just his rookie cards that are up. The 1978 Topps in PSA 9 is up 14.39%. His 1977 Topps in PSA 9 is up 44.50%. Of course, there have been declines with some cards, but his market over the past three months is almost entirely positive.

1977 Topps Pete Rose #450 PSA 9 is up 72% over the past 3 months. / Image Courtesy of Card Ladder

There's no telling what is behind Rose's increase in value, which took off on February 23. President Donald Trump announced two days ago he would give Rose a pardon. A few hours later, news reports indicated that Manfred was also considering reinstating Rose. On February 10, the Reds announced the team would wear No. 14 patches throughout the season in honor of Rose, who died in September 2024.

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Whatever the case, it's possible that Rose's increased acceptance, including posthumous eligibility for the Hall of Fame, will have a lasting positive effect on his card prices.