The Five Most Expensive Colorado Rockies Baseball Cards

Trading sports cards became a favorite pastime activity during the pandemic when people were under lockdown and had all the time to assess the value of the cards they collected years ago. Thus, Rob Gough, an actor/producer, had spent $10 million by mid-January 2021, on sports cards. He became the trending topic when he purchased a 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle for $5.2 million. That Mickey Mantle card is the second-most-expensive sports trading card after Honus Wagner T206 SGC 3 sold for $6.6 million. If you are a Colorado Rockies fan wondering where you can get the most expensive baseball cards, here are the top five to look out for.

5. $11,999 – Ezequiel Tovar 2021 Bowman Chrome

According to Roxpile, Tovar was ranked 19th on the Colorado Rockies prospects in 2021. Like Veen, Tovar is 20 years old, and the article went ahead to praise him for being one of the reasons Fresno was successful. He began showing his prowess at Fresno where his first professional full season began with scheduled 132 games, quite a lot for the young man who was just starting. Tovar is still considered the best shortstop on the Colorado Rockies team, and being away from home never affects his game. He is from Maracay, Venezuela, and due to the pandemic, did not go home after Venezuela closed its borders. Another trait that he shares with Veen is the maturity with which he handled the difficult situation.

4. $12,499.99 – Nolan Arenado 2013 Topps Atomic Refractor

For a baseball player to appear twice on the list of the most expensive Colorado Rockies baseball cards, he must be doing something right in his profession. This is especially true for a player like Arenado, who drew a lot of skepticism as described above. He has risen above the negativity to be one of the best players on the team and has several of his cards listed on eBay, where they are worth thousands of dollars. This refractor card is worth almost $12,500, which is expected since refractor cards offer a premium value. A refractor baseball card is a trading card with a reflective coating. It displays a rainbow when held at a particular angle. An atomic refractor card has a higher value, thanks to the different background designs you cannot find on a refractor card. Although he is no longer with Colorado Rockies, he is arguably the best third baseman in professional baseball, both offensively and defensively. Such recognition had fans wondering if he would be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

3. $15,035 – Zac Veen 2020 Bowman Chrome Draft

Veen is only 20 but is showing lots of promise in professional baseball. The young player was so nervous during his first game because he had never played 120 games before, and even when he played in high school, it was not an everyday occurrence. Colorado Rockies saw past the nervousness of young Veen and, during their first round of the 2020 draft, signed Veen to a signing bonus of $5 million. He was only 18 at the time, and the top high school player, making him the no.7 overall prospect on the top 200 MLB.com list. He was considered an average runner and played center field in his high school. Thus Colorado Rockies knew they had their work cut out for them since they had to train Veen to handle all outfield spots. On January 14, 2022, MLB.com reported that Veen was a quick study and had a mature approach; no wonder his baseball card is now worth $15,035.

2. $16,995- Russell Wilson 2010 Bowman Chrome

Wilson is a multi-talented athlete currently worth $135 million primarily from his prowess on the field. He is signed to the Seattle Seahawks, a professional football team that extended his contract by four years in 2019 when Wilson signed a $140-million deal. Although he is best known for being an American football player, Wilson was once a baseball player. He played three Division 1 seasons, and his rights are apparently still owned by New York Yankees. He played football and basketball in high school but still dabbled in baseball, where he hit .467 in his junior year. Being a good baseball player got him a spot on the North Carolina State baseball team, playing second base. He continued displaying his talents in college, where he hit five home runs, but when he transferred to Wisconsin, Wilson did not play baseball. In 2010, the Colorado Rockies drafted him, and Wilson spent two years in the minor league. His 2010 Colorado Rockies baseball card is worth $16,995 on eBay.

1. $19,000 – Nolan Arenado 2010 Bowman Chrome

Arenado grew up a Dodgers fan, thus later joined the baseball team at El Toro High School. In his junior year, he hit .456 and became better in his senior year, hitting .517. Despite such an impressive score that saw him make the Los Angeles Times All-Star Team, there was a lot of skepticism about his future in professional baseball. Some said he was duck-footed, and others thought that at a height of 6’ 2” and a weight of 200 pounds, Arenado was not athletic. So in 2009, it must have come as a shock when Colorado Rockies selected Arenado during the second round of drafting. Speculations were that he could continue playing the shortstop position he had held in his high school. Bleacher Report in 2011 speculated that if in 2012 he performed well, then the Colorado Rockies would have a hard time holding on to him because the third baseman would move on to the big league. In February 2021, the Rockies traded Arenado to St. Louis Cardinals for $50 million. His great performance with the Colorado Rockies has a baseball card going for $19,000.00 on eBay.