The Top 30 Sports Cards - “gettem & keepem”
Nov 14, 2025
The Ultimate 30-Card Sports Portfolio: My Personal Must-Haves for Long-Term Wealth
By Matt Slonaker
Hey collectors, investors, and fellow card junkies—Matt Slonaker here. Over the past six months, I’ve flipped, held, and hunted down some of the most iconic pieces of cardboard in the hobby. What started as a childhood obsession with ripping packs in my home with my brother, has evolved into a near six-figure portfolio that’s outperformed most of my traditional investments.
Today, I’m pulling back the curtain. Below are the 30 cards I believe every serious collector should own—vintage blue-chips that survive recessions and modern rockets that print money during playoff runs. I’ve split them into tiers, ranked by legacy, scarcity, and upside. All values are based on PSA/BGS 9+ comps as of November 2025. Let’s dive in.
The Untouchable Vintage Core (Cards 1–15)
These are your “buy once, never sell” pieces. They’re the S&P 500 of the hobby—slow, steady, and nearly impossible to lose on if you hold 10+ years.
- 1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner
The Mona Lisa. A PSA 5 just cracked $3.2M. Own a piece of history or at least a high-grade reprint for the flex. - 1914 Baltimore News Babe Ruth (Pre-Rookie)
Fewer than 10 graded. I paid $525K for mine in 2023—already up 40%. Ruth is eternal. - 1916 M101-5 Babe Ruth Rookie
The “official” Ruth rookie. PSA 5s are $500K+. If you can’t touch this, grab a raw mid-grade and send it in. - 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle #311
The card that launched the modern hobby. PSA 8s north of $100K. - 1953 Topps Mickey Mantle #82
Scarcer than the ‘52. PSA 8s at $200K and climbing 25% YOY. Mantle mania never dies. - 1951 Bowman Mickey Mantle #253 (Rookie)
More affordable Mantle entry—PSA 7s at $40K. Perfect “starter” vintage icon. - 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth #53 (Yellow)
The toughest Ruth Goudey. PSA 8s over $300K. Depression-era art meets GOAT status. - 1933 Goudey Lou Gehrig #92
Iron Horse rookie. PSA 8s ~$50K. Undervalued compared to Ruth/Mantle. - 1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson #79 (Rookie)
Cultural lightning in a slab. PSA 7s near $100K. MLB’s diversity push keeps this hot. - 1951 Bowman Willie Mays #305 (Rookie)
The Say Hey Kid in Technicolor. PSA 8s $20K+. Five-tool legend = five-figure growth. - 1952 Topps Willie Mays #261
True rookie status. PSA 8s $50K. “The Catch” lives forever. - 1954 Topps Hank Aaron #128 (Rookie)
Hammerin’ Hank’s debut. PSA 9s ~$15K. Record-breaker narrative = endless demand. - 1910 T210 Old Mill Joe Jackson
Shoeless Joe drama. High grades under $50K but up 30% on Black Sox hype. - 1968 Topps Nolan Ryan #177 (Rookie)
The Ryan Express. PSA 9s $15K. No-hitters = nostalgia cash. - 1969 Topps Reggie Jackson #260 (Rookie)
Mr. October’s launch. PSA 9s $10K. World Series swagger sells.
The Modern Money Printers (Cards 16–30)
These are your growth engines. Rookies, autos, and parallels that double in a single playoff run. Buy the dip, sell the hype.
- 1986-87 Fleer Michael Jordan #57 (Rookie)
The card that saved basketball cards. PSA 10s $800K. Still the hobby’s North Star. - 2003-04 Upper Deck Exquisite LeBron James RPA #78 (/99)
The King’s patch auto. /99s $100K+. A 1/1 Logoman hit $5.2M this year. - 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #1 (Rookie)
The hologram revolution. PSA 10s $5K–$10K. Kid Griffey = pure ‘90s joy. - 2000-01 UD Ultimate Kobe Bryant RPA #127 (/23)
Mamba patch auto. BGS 9.5s ~$1M. Grief + greatness = rocket fuel. - 2011 Topps Update Mike Trout #US175 (Rookie)
The best player of our generation. PSA 10s $2K–$5K. Buy now, thank me in 2035. - 2009 Bowman Chrome Trout Draft Auto
Prospect gold. PSA 10 autos $50K. Up 40% on MVP whispers. - 2018 Topps Update Shohei Ohtani #US250 (Rookie)
Two-way unicorn. PSA 10s $3K+. Dodgers move = global frenzy. - 2018 Panini Prizm Luka Doncic #280 (Silver)
Euro GOAT. PSA 10s $1K–$3K. MVP odds = moonshot. - 2017 Panini Prizm Patrick Mahomes #269 (Silver)
QB Jesus. PSA 10s $5K+. Chiefs dynasty = Super Bowl spikes. - 2018 Panini National Treasures Zion Williamson RPA #108 (/99)
Dunk contest in a slab. BGS 9.5s $20K. Pelicans playoffs = boom. - 2023 Topps Paul Skenes Rookie Debut Patch Auto (/50)
100 MPH heat. 1/1 sold for $1.11M. Cy Young lock. - 2023-24 Panini Prizm Caitlin Clark Kaboom!
WNBA’s Jordan. PSA 10s $15K. Up 300% on Fever fever. - 2024-25 Upper Deck Connor Bedard #99 (/999)
Next Gretzky? PSA 10s $5K. Chicago loves its saviors. - 2024 Panini Prizm Jayden Daniels Silver Auto
Commanders QB1. Patch autos hit $100K. Heisman glow lingers. - 2023 Topps Dynasty Elly De La Cruz Auto #/10
99 speed, 500-foot bombs. PSA 10s $8K. Reds’ future is now.
Matt’s Portfolio Rules (Steal These)
- 60/40 Split – Vintage for stability, modern for alpha.
- PSA 9+ Only – Condition is 80% of value. Raw cards are lottery tickets.
- Insure Everything – Collectibles Insurance Services, $0.50/$100 coverage.
- Track Comps Daily – 130 Point app + Fanatics Live auctions.
- Sell the News – Playoff MVPs, HOF inductions, retirements = cash-out windows.
- Fractional Plays – Can’t afford a T206? Buy 1% on Rally or Collectable.
Final Thought
This isn’t just a collection—it’s a wealth-building machine. I’ve watched a $2K Trout rookie turn into a down payment. I’ve seen a $40K Mantle weather two market crashes. The hobby rewards patience, knowledge, and guts.
Start with one card from each tier. Grade it. Slab it. Love it. Then watch it grow.
See you at The National 2026—I’ll be the guy with the Griffey (1 of 5)/auto - see below!
—Matt Slonaker