There are a few reasons Reggie Jackson is so important in the hobby. First, he was a tremendous player. That is indisputable. He was a 14-time All-Star and the 1973 MVP, and he hit no less than 563 home runs. That places him 14th on the all-time list. He notably rarely led the league in any stats, but his accomplishments are incredible nonetheless.
Another reason Reggie Jackson cards are a big deal is because he played some of the best years of his career with the New York Yankees. The Yanks have the most significant fan base in the sport. Furthermore, Reggie's exploits were recent enough that many collectors remember them well. At the same time, many of the Yanks' all-time greats are from the distant past, like Joe Dimaggio and Mickey Mantle, and many people who saw Reggie in his prime as a kid are now eager collectors.
Reggie also had a huge personality, and it fit New York perfectly. For example, he said boastfully, "If I played in New York, they'd name a candy bar after me." And that did indeed happen, though the “Reggie! Bar” was not the best candy ever made. He constantly attracted a massive amount of attention from the press.
Finally, there is the reputation Reggie Jackson earned as “Mr. October.” The player earned two World Series MVPs, in 1973 and 1977, for his incredible clutch performances. Indeed, he won the World Series no less than five times, three with the Oakland A’s and two with the New York Yankees. Reggie got that immortal nickname in the last victory in 1977. A TV correspondent wanted to interview Yankees catcher Thurmon Munson. He suggested they seek out the right fielder instead, saying, “Go ask Mister October.” That nickname has stuck to this day.
Perhaps the most memorable night of his career was the victory over the Dodgers in Game Six of the 1977 World Series when Jackson hit an incredible three home runs to clinch the title. Including the homer Reggie hit the previous night, that meant he had hit four in as many swings of the bat against Los Angeles. He ended his career with 10 home runs in 27 games. That places him fifth of all time behind Mickey Mantle, Babe Ruth, Yogi Berra, and Duke Snider. His five in the 1977 World Series remains the record, though others have tied it since.
Collecting Reggie Jackson Baseball Cards
Collecting Reggie Jackson cards is a pretty straightforward endeavor. For the reasons listed above, the man is an absolute legend. Everyone who watched baseball in the 1970s has key memories of Mr. October. Therefore, Reggie Jackson cards tend to have a higher value than most of his peers. That included some players who are arguably better than Jackson.
Since he rose to prominence in the late 1960s and early 1970s, all his big cards are Topps. They had a complete monopoly over the hobby at that time. Therefore, there is no real selection of cards to choose from. Everyone has and wants the same few cards. But that is, of course, good news for their value.
1975 Topps Reggie Jackson #300
A PSA 10 sold for $1,754
The 1975 Topps baseball card is one of the last ones of Jackson with the Oakland A’s. The 1975 Topps Reggie Jackson #300 is a fitting tribute to his incredible tenure with the team (considered the 3rd best player in team history behind Catfish Hunter and Rickey Henderson). The bearded, hippy-looking Reggie in his “Swinging A’s” version can be seen. And though the 1975 Topps baseball release is underrated, we love the design.
There are only two PSA 10s on the books. Therefore, it's a good bet that their value will go up. The 9s are a good investment, too.
1979 Topps Reggie Jackson #700
A PSA 10 sold for $1,802
The Yankees version of Reggie was less wild and more intimidating than his A’s counterpart. We can see why Jackson was the leader of this Yankees team. Although considering the team was known as “The Bronx Zoo” at the time, the other players may not have been following.
Because the 1979 Topps #700 Reggie Jackson card is newer than most of the Reggie cards and has white borders, it is far easier to find these in gem mint condition than most of his other items. There are over 100 PSA 10s and over 600 PSA 9s. That makes this one of the more affordable cards in the “Mr. October” portfolio
1972 Topps Reggie Jackson #436
A PSA 10 sold for $4,320
It's funny how all the A’s mentions and symbols are absent in this card, almost making it look like an unlicensed Panini edition or something. In 1972, it was rare to have an action shot on a card, so the “In Action” insert was a sought-after one. The 1972 Topps Reggie Jackson #436 one shows the man admiring a home run. I assume. He did hit a ton of them.
This insert tends to be priced higher than the base card in the 1972 Topps baseball set. The reason is its lower population count. There are 898 graded copies of the #436, as opposed to 2,009 of its base equivalent.
1978 Topps Reggie Jackson #200
A PSA 10 sold for $7,533
Aside from his rookie card, the 1978 Topps Reggie Jackson #200 may be the most beloved card featuring “Mr. October.” It is easy to see why. The card shows the form that helped Jackson give that unfathomably good performance in the 1977 World Series. And, of course, the decisive swing in the Yankees pinstripes, and with the elegant lettering of that year's design, just hit differently. That is why I was surprised to see that other lesser-known Reggie Cards cards fetch a higher price.
1977 Topps Reggie Jackson #10
A PSA 10 sold for $15,000
There is no way around it, folks: the 1977 Topps Reggie Jackson #10 is an ugly card. It's not just because I am not a fan of the Yankees pinstripes (sorry, Mets fan here). It's also that vacant look in “Mr. October’s” eyes. Maybe he misses Oakland? I also really prefer our friend with the beard he was rocking in 1975.
There are 15 PSA 10s of the 1977 Topps baseball card and over 200 PSA 9s. Nonetheless, Yankees fans have made sure to make this a highly valuable card. It could be because this is the year Reggie hit five home runs in the World Series.
1974 Topps Reggie Jackson #130
A PSA 10 sold for $27,600
In 1974, Reggie Jackson was the star of one of the greatest and most colorful teams ever. “The Swinging A’s” won three titles on the trot from 1972 to 1974. They were known for coming into town with their gaudy uniforms, bar mustaches, and destroying every team in sight. You can see much of that swagger in the 1974 Topps Reggie Jackson #130 card. The power that Reggie put into his incredible swing is also very evident. The design also has excellent 1970s charms. The only caveat is that the color scheme is too dark, and it's hard to recognize the future “Mr. October” without being able to delineate his features.
The PSA 10s for the 1974 Topps baseball cards are cheaper than most of the previous ones. That is because the white borders are more forgiving. Therefore, PSA has 5 gem mints and a good amount of PSA 9s on the books.
1976 Topps Reggie Jackson #500
A PSA 10 sold for $39,789
By 1976, the boyish charm of young Reggie was gone, replaced by the fearsome professional of “Mr. October” in his prime. The guy in the 1976 Topps Reggie Jackson #500 card is not one you want to mess with. The All-Star Outfield banner in the corner tells you all you need to know about this guy. The spare designs work here.
The price for a PSA 10 is surprisingly strong. There are 11 gem mints, and this is a late card in Reggie’s career. That shows how strong the market for this guy's cards is.
1971 Topps Reggie Jackson #20
A PSA 9 sold for $58,849
The 1971 Topps baseball release is one of the most iconic and beloved of the decade. Of course, as one of the biggest stars around, Reggie Jackson’s card is one of the keys to the set. Nonetheless, the 1971 Topps Reggie Jackson #20 is not one of the most attractive in the background. Don’t get me wrong; that facsimile signature is the bomb. Also, the idea of getting Reggie prepared to hit with a double bat is a good one. But Reggie looks completely slack-jawed and unfocused. Therefore, I really think a better picture could have been found. Still, 1971 Topps is an incredible set, and this card is excellent.
Unlike the earlier Reggie Jackson cards, there are no PSA 10s of the 1971 Topps. This set is well known for being a tough grade. Those black borders show every slight imperfection. There are only 11 PSA 9s as well. That is why they sell for such high prices.
1970 Topps Reggie Jackson #140
A PSA 10 sold for $43,100
Reggie was over the 1970 Topps baseball release. He was already considered one of the best players in the league following a tremendous 1969 season, which, as far as advanced stats are concerned, was the best of his career. So he had an All-Star and two league leader cards as well. But the base is the best-known one, and for good reason. The 1970 design was nothing much, but the picture is arguably the most attractive Reggie Jackson card of all, showing the impressive amount of power at his disposal.
The value of a PSA 10 is relatively high for a second-year card (not the second year in the MLB, but his second card). That is partially because Reggie Jackson was such a big star, and this card is a beauty. But more importantly, there is only one gem mint of this in the population count and 66 PSA 9s among the 3,482 graded copies. Therefore, that $43,100 sale in 2016 would seem utterly quaint compared to what the 1970 Topps Reggie Jackson #140 would be worth today.
1969 Topps Reggie Jackson Rookie Card #260
A PSA 10 sold for $1,005,000
The 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson Rookie Card #260 is one of the signature rookies of the entire decade. The card could be more attractive. It features the young Reggie looking a bit confused. The color scheme must be corrected and sharper than we would like. But whatever criticism we may have, it is the rookie card of perhaps the best-known player of his generation. Sadly, Topps waited until 1969 to release the first Reggie Jackson card. He made his debut for the A’s in 1967, when they were still in Kansas City, though he did not make much of an impact. But in 1968, he hit 29 homers and actually received MVP votes. So, we missed out on Reggie Jackson cards from his first two seasons. Shame on you, Topps!
If you want to know what a good investment a PSA 10 of this card is, all you need to do is check out the sales of the gem mint version. There are only two. It first sold for $115,242 back in 2012. Then, in 2021, A PSA 10 sold for a tad above one million dollars. Of course, that will happen when only those are on the market. Therefore, a million was a great deal since its future value will likely be much higher.
Final Word On Reggie Jackson Baseball Cards
As you can see, the value of these Reggie Jackson cards is remarkable. It may not be too surprising that the one PSA 10 copy of his rookie card fetches over a million dollars. More surprising are the substantial prices of his latter-day cards, even when there is no shortage of high-grade copies. Collectors of a certain age adore Jackson, and his legendary status for the biggest market team in the game certainly doesn’t hurt. As strong as these values are, I believe they will increase significantly in the future for these reasons.
