When it comes to Hall of Fame pitchers in baseball, there’s no decade quite like the 1960’s.
This particular era of baseball includes the rookie years of eleven Hall of Fame pitchers, including some of the all-time greatest to play the game: Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Steve Carlton.
No other decade in baseball has more than ten Hall of Fame pitchers to debut, and no decade since the 1960’s has had more than five.
When you consider that this treasure trove of elite pitching also took place during the “golden age” of Topps baseball cards, you have something really special. A magical decade of baseball card collecting, including some truly important rookie cards from one of the most impactful eras in baseball.
Here’s a look at all eleven Hall of Fame pitchers from the 1960’s including their key rookie card and how their card sales compare in three different conditions (low grade, mid grade, and high grade).
Sorting these pitchers by their highest PSA 7 sales over the last 12 months shows just how much more valued Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver are from the rest of the group. Collectors are shelling out several thousand dollars for high grade copies of those two rookie cards. Steve Carlton comes in third place, but the gap between Carlton and Ryan/Seaver is quite high.
Juan Marichal is an interesting name to see near the top of the list. Marichal was the first, though certainly not the last, great Dominican pitcher to take over baseball, playing for the San Francisco Giants for 14 years. His resale value might be higher due to his international appeal.
Looking at the list, there are also plenty of undervalued guys, especially in the low grades.
Prior to putting this list together, I did not think you could obtain even low grade copies of any Hall of Fame pitchers from the 1960’s for less than $50. But, as it turns out, you can buy at least four for less than that. Fergie Jenkins, Don Sutton, Catfish Hunter, and Rollie Fingers are some low grade steals for right around $40 each, on average.
Don Sutton is especially undervalued. Considering that he ranks 2nd in wins among the names on this list, you would think his sales would be higher. His 324 wins are tied with Nolan Ryan and only five behind Steve Carlton’s 329, yet his PSA 7 average sales are just above $200.
You can buy a mid-grade copy of Don Sutton’s rookie card for just around $50-60 these days even though he’s the 14th winningest pitcher of all time. Talk about a steal.
Some collectors might be interested in putting together a set of every Hall of Fame pitcher who debuted in the 1960’s. If so, they should expect to pay around $2,100 for a low grade set, $3,700 for a mid grade set, and $8,000 for a high grade set.
Sources: vintagecardprices.com, baseball-reference.com