Yogi Berra was inarguably one of the greatest catchers of all time. He was an All-Star for an incredible 18 times in an illustrious career. He also owns at least 3 MVP awards. That is tied for second most behind Barry Bonds, with other greats like Mike Schmidt, Mickey Mantle, and his contemporary catcher Roy Campanella. ESPN has him ranked as the third-greatest catcher of all time and the 39th-greatest player in baseball history. The only question is how this dude got only 86% of the votes when inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1972. Who on earth voted against him?
The man won 10 World Series titles in his career. That can’t be a coincidence. He was the link between the great Joe Dimaggio teams and the Mickey Mantle ones. A catcher is one of the most important, arguably the most important, leaders any team has. They have to manage the entire pitching staff while also playing an essential role in the team's offense. Yogi Berra was also one of the best contact hitters ever, often hitting more homers than he struck out. A remarkable achievement.
But he was also so much more than that. For starters, he played for THE most successful baseball time ever in its most prolific period. But he is also easily the most quotable man in baseball and possibly in all of world sports. His quotes are so memorable and succinct that there is a term for them. Yogi-isms.
What made these quotes great is that, at first glance, they seem dumb. But there is always real wisdom beneath the surface. It is an art that is all of Yogi’s creations. The most famous is, “It ain’t over till it’s over,” which has become an integral part of American culture. Others include, “It’s like déjà vu all over again,” or “When you come to a fork in the road, take it,” or “Baseball is 90% mental and the other half is physical.” However, my two favorites are “Always go to other people’s funerals. Otherwise, they won’t come to yours,” and “No one goes there nowadays; it’s too crowded.”
The player was so beloved they even named an immortal cartoon character after him. Sure, the folks at Hannah-Barbera denied any connection to the catcher. But when Yogi Bear debuted in the Huckleberry Hound Show in 1958, Yogi was already one of the most famous players in America. Berra sued them for the name, though he eventually dropped it. Funnily enough, when Berra died, the Associated Press reported that Yogi Bear had died instead.
All this made him one of the most beloved athletes of his generation. Watch an interview with the guy. He was overflowing with warmth, wit, and charisma. There was just no one like Yogi Berra.
Collecting Yogi Berra Baseball Cards
There is a unique combination of factors that seem perfectly tailored to perpetuate Yogi Berra card values. First and most important, he is one of the greatest players in his position ever. Second, he played his entire career (aside from one forgettable year for the New York Mets) playing for the Yankees. That is the most extensive market team of all. Third, he played through the golden era of baseball cards. Yogi Berra appears in all of the earliest Bowman and Topps releases and even rare releases before them. Finally, his quotes and outsized cultural importance mean he will always be beloved.
All of these things are precisely what you want in a card investment. You can take a few other players to the bank as reliably as Yogi Berra. And Yogi Berra cards are also delightful.
1947 Tip Top Bread Larry Berra
A PSA 7 sold for $1,912
Yogi Berra didn’t have a proper rookie card from a big company. Neither Bowman nor Topps were around yet. The 1947 Tip Top Bread Larry Berra is probably the best among those that exist. It has a nice, clean look. The minimalism is alluring. And it is funny to see our hero called Larry and designated as an outfielder. Also, watch out; there are fakes out there. Especially if they are high grade. There is only one PSA 8 and none above. So don’t be fooled.
1948 Bowman Yogi Berra #6
A PSA 10 sold for $132,000
The first Yogi Berra Bowman baseball card is just as minimalistic as its 1947 Tip Top Bread equivalent. More so because the name and position do not appear on the front. Nonetheless, people vastly prefer the 1948 Bowman Yogi Berra #6 card because of the company name. I will never get that. But unlike the bond bread card, this one says “Yogi” on the back and gets his position right. Considering how old the set is, the card has a relatively large population count. There are 1,742 graded copies. And as you can see, that one gem mint is worth a ton.
1949 Bowman Yogi Berra #60
A PSA 9 sold for $15,727
The 1949 Bowman Yogi Berra #60 stands out among the early Yogi Berra cards. The perfect silhouetted image of the catcher and the sharp red background complement each other perfectly. It has tremendous charm and is one of the best in the set. Also, according to the back of the card, you could send three baseball card wrappers to the Bowman offices and get an “official baseball ring.”
1950 Bowman Yogi Berra #46
A PSA 9 sold for $12,500
The 1950 Bowman baseball set is one of the most beautiful and evocative ever created. But I won’t lie to you; the 1950 Bowman Yogi Berra #46 is not one of the best-looking cards in the set. His head looks far too big and doesn’t really fit with the rest of Berra’s body. The whole thing seems pretty awkward. Why is there an extra glove next to Yogi, and why does he appear to be in the woods? It is a confusing card.
1951 Bowman Yogi Berra #2
A PSA 9 sold for $48,432
The 1951 Bowman Yogi Berra #2 makes our hero look more handsome than any of his other cards. The legendary catcher cleans up nicely! Of course, the 1951 Bowman baseball set needs no introduction. It includes the legit Mickey Mantle rookie and is one of the key baseball card sets. For that reason, and because this card rocks, it sells for more than most of Yogi’s other non-rookie cards.
1952 Topps Yogi Berra #191
A PSA 9 sold for $47,500
We finally enter the Topps era. The Yogi Berra card is always one of the keys to any set it is part of. The 1952 Topps Yogi Berra #191 is the same despite having a lot of competition. It's amazing to think that he was still a young man at the time because Berra looks 50 in this pic. Because this 1952 Topps baseball set is so prestigious, the card is worth a fortune.
1952 Bowman Yogi Berra #1
A PSA 9 sold for $75,000
The Bowman artists had an excellent feel for Yogi Berra (with the exception of the unfortunate 1950 card). This one captures the warmth of his personality and the power that made Yogi the most excellent catcher of his generation. The 1952 Bowman Yogi Berra #1 is the nicer of his cards from that year and is worth more as a result.
1953 Topps Yogi Berra #104
A PSA 9 sold for $28,800.
The way Yogi is drawn in the 1953 Topps Yogi Berra #104 card makes him look like a brave lion looking into the distance. A genuinely heroic image of the great catcher, complemented by the almost perfect lettering of the set and the great logo. It is one of the most magnificent cards of the decade, and that really says something.
1953 Bowman Color Yogi Berra #121
A PSA 9 sold for $9,000
The 1953 Bowman Color release was a rarity at the time. Most photos were black and white, which is one of the reasons illustrations were used. In Yogi’s case, the warm coloring palette reveals his personality in a way none of the previous cards do. That is why the 1953 Bowman Color Yogi Berra #121 is a classic.
1954 Topps Yogi Berra #50
A PSA 9 sold for $7,500
It is hard to get past the puke green here. Honestly, Topps, why? But I do like the juxtaposition between Yogi's defensive and offensive postures in the 1954 Topps Yogi Berra #50 card.
1954 Bowman Yogi Berra #161
A PSA 9 sold for $17,288
The 1954 Bowman Yogi Berra #161 catches the man in an amicable mood. Did you know that tilting your head to the side is a universal body language sign of friendliness? Yogi has mastered it here. I could do without the pink element here, which really doesn’t fit. But it's still a great card. The price for the PSA 9 is significantly higher than any of the singular PSA 10 received because it is more recent. Therefore, it's likely that one PSA 10 is now worth a good deal more.
1955 Topps Yogi Berra #198
A PSA 9 sold for $19,800
The 1955 Topps Yogi Berra #198 card suffers from the same ailment as that 1950 Bowman one. The head looks weirdly placed on the body. Also, Yogi’s right leg looks much smaller than the left one. Sure, it's a matter of perspective, but you can’t unsee it once you see it! No PSA 10s of this card exist, so the 9s go for excellent prices. This is a classic release, after all.
1955 Bowman Yogi Berra #168
A PSA 9 sold for $24,723.
I am not a fan of the whole TV set 1955 Bowman baseball design. I blame it for the company hitting the dustbin of history. But the 1955 Bowman Yogi Berra #168 is one of the great cards of the Yankees catcher. He looks fearsome! And the stadium lights are a great touch. This is an excellent example of how much Berra’s cards have risen in value. A PSA 9 of this went for under $2,000 as recently as 2019. Now look at the most recent price.
1956 Topps Yogi Berra #110
A PSA 10 sold for $14,051
The 1956 Topps baseball design may be the most beautiful ever made. We also love the 1956 Topps Yogi Berra #110. But it isn’t without its issues. It isn’t the most flattering picture of Yogi. But also, why is the action picture showing Berra getting scored on? And by Cleveland, of all teams? Good versions of this card are in short supply, with no PSA 10 and 9 PSA 9s.
1957 Topps Yogi Berra #2
A PSA 9 sold for $5,655
By this time, Berra had perfected his drunk Santa and got into a fight look. Let's be honest: the 1957 Topps Yogi Berra #2 card is probably more of a close-up than anyone with his features should get. Still, his face had character, and this picture is proof. It has more PSA 9s than most cards of this era, with 18. That drives down the value.
1958 Topps Yogi Berra #370
A PSA 10 sold for $185,389
The orange background and picture aren’t a great combination. But this is another example of how much value Yogi Berra’s cards have gained over the years. The one PSA 10 of the 1958 Topps Yogi Berra #370 card sold for $7,364 in 2006. When it sold again in 2022, it went for 24 times more.
1959 Topps Yogi Berra #180
A PSA 9 sold for $5,008
Again, with the weird orange? But the 1959 Topps Yogi Berra #180 is a much nicer card than the 1958. It shows the catcher for the grizzled and unbeatable veteran he had become. There is a single PSA 10 out there somewhere. But it has never been sold.
The Final Word On Yogi Berra Baseball Cards
When you review the sales figures for Yogi Berra cards, the increase in value over the last two to three years is positively staggering. Vintage has gone up in general. But Berra, as a particularly notable immortal, benefitted from that trend more than most. As we discussed, he has a particular combination of assets that has allowed that to happen. Therefore, his high-grade cards have done phenomenally well. It is also unlikely that they have hit their ceiling.
