MLB Baseball cards · Most popular
Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card Value & Most Valuable Cards
As of October 26, 2026, the most popular Cal Ripken Jr. card is the 1982 Topps Traded, listed from $195 on eBay.
Updated
The ranking
- 1982 Topps Traded
Topps Traded
Card #98THis first solo Topps card, sold only in the boxed 1982 Traded set. Many collectors treat it as his key rookie, and perfect PSA 10 copies sell for about $5,000 to $7,000; one closed at $5,280 at Heritage Auctions in December 2024.
from $195 - 1982 Topps
Future Stars
Card #21His first Topps card, a three-player Future Stars rookie he shares with Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider. Only about 1 in 75 graded copies earns a perfect PSA 10.
from $34.75 - 1992 Donruss Elite
Signature Series
Card #S2/5000His first certified autograph card: a signed insert numbered to 5,000, found in 1992 Donruss packs. A PSA 10 sold for $2,899.99 in July 2018.
from $875
Fun fact
Ripken's record streak of 2,632 straight games began on May 30, 1982, his rookie season, and ran until September 20, 1998. He passed Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record of 2,130 on September 6, 1995, a night fans later voted baseball's most memorable moment.
- 1982 Donruss
Base Card
Card #405His Donruss rookie. Off-center printing is common, which keeps perfect copies scarce.
from $48.99 - 1982 Fleer
Base Card
Card #176His Fleer rookie and the key card of the 1982 Fleer set. Affordable ungraded.
from $34.99
- 1995 Select Certified Edition
Select Certified Edition
Card #2131A special card made for the night he broke Lou Gehrig's record by playing his 2,131st straight game, numbered 2131 on the back.
from $38.99 - 1983 Topps
Base Card
Card #163His second-year Topps card, from the season after he was named Rookie of the Year. Inexpensive and easy to find.
from $14.95
Cal Ripken Jr.'s rookie cards are all from 1982, the year he became the Baltimore Orioles' everyday shortstop: the 1982 Topps #21 Future Stars, Donruss #405, Fleer #176 and the boxed-set-only Topps Traded #98T. This guide ranks those rookies, his first certified autograph and his best-loved later cards by grail status, with prices that update daily.
- 1983 Donruss
Base Card
Card #279His second-year Donruss card. Ungraded copies sell for a few dollars.
from $45 - 1983 Fleer
Base Card
Card #70His second-year Fleer card, from the season he won AL MVP and the World Series.
from $9.49 - 1984 Donruss
Base Card
Card #106His 1984 Donruss card, from the season after he won the MVP and the World Series. PSA 10 copies have sold for about $85 to $150.
from $15
Didn’t see the one you want? Browse 67 Cal Ripken Jr. cards for sale, $1 to $300
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Frequently asked
What is Cal Ripken Jr.'s most valuable card?
His 1982 Topps Traded #98T. It's his first solo Topps card, sold only in a boxed set, and perfect PSA 10 copies sell for about $5,000 to $7,000.
What are Cal Ripken Jr.'s rookie cards?
All of them are from 1982: Topps #21 (a three-player Future Stars card), Donruss #405, Fleer #176 and Topps Traded #98T. The Topps #21 is his first Topps card, and the Traded #98T is his first card on his own.
How much is a Cal Ripken Jr. rookie card worth?
Ungraded 1982 Donruss and Fleer rookies usually sell for a few dollars to around $20, and the Topps #21 for a bit more. Perfect PSA 10 copies run from a few hundred dollars for the Fleer to around $3,000 for the Topps #21 and $5,000 or more for the Topps Traded. Check the live prices on each card above for today's market.
What's the most affordable Cal Ripken Jr. card to start with?
An ungraded 1982 Fleer or Donruss rookie, or one of his 1983 cards. All are easy to find for a few dollars.
Are Cal Ripken Jr. cards a good investment?
Sports cards are collectibles, not guaranteed investments — values move with hobby demand and can fall as fast as they rise. This page is for research and enjoyment, not financial advice; buy what you love and do your own homework.
What's a fun fact about Cal Ripken Jr.?
Ripken's record streak of 2,632 straight games began on May 30, 1982, his rookie season, and ran until September 20, 1998. He passed Lou Gehrig's 56-year-old record of 2,130 on September 6, 1995, a night fans later voted baseball's most memorable moment.
What's the most expensive Cal Ripken Jr. card for sale?
As of October 26, 2026, the most expensive Cal Ripken Jr. card on our list that's for sale is the 1992 Donruss Elite Signature Series (#3), listed from $875 on eBay. If you'd rather buy one, the best Cal Ripken Jr. card under $100 is the 1982 Topps Future Stars (#2), listed from $34.75 on eBay. Prices update daily.
What's the best Cal Ripken Jr. card under $100?
As of October 26, 2026, it's the 1982 Topps Future Stars — #2 on our list of the 10 most popular Cal Ripken Jr. cards — listed from $34.75 on eBay. Prices update daily.
What's the best Cal Ripken Jr. card under $500?
As of October 26, 2026, it's the 1982 Topps Traded — #1 on our list of the 10 most popular Cal Ripken Jr. cards — listed from $195 on eBay. Prices update daily.
Where this comes from
Facts
Rookie card checklist, card numbers and PSA 10 values
Facts
1992 Donruss Elite autograph card number, print run and sale
Community
Streak commemorative cards
Facts
Fun fact: the consecutive-games streak
How we rank these cards
We rank by popularity — how coveted a card is — not by price alone. A card rises on its iconic standing (flagship rookies, on-card autographs, and marquee inserts), its scarcity (low serial numbers and true one-of-ones), and collector demand, with market value as a strong signal. The most expensive card isn't always the most popular.
Every list is checked against several sources before it goes live. The facts — how rare a card is, what it sells for, which versions exist — come only from card checklists, price trackers, and real sold listings.
What the community is chasing shapes how we order the list, but it never counts as a fact on its own. It tells us about demand, not whether a card truly belongs at the top.
We only call a card's rarity confirmed when the maker officially publishes the number. Otherwise we label it an estimate — and we never make a number up.
Each card photo comes from the eBay listing its button points to, so you're always seeing a real card that's actually for sale — credited to that listing, never taken from the card maker.
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