The 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card is one of the most recognizable and sought after cards of the 1980's.
Sadly, many cards printed in the 1980's are not worth anything these days.
But Rickey's rookie is definitely one of the exceptions...
In mint condition, this card can go for big bucks.
He also appeared on a couple of Minor League cards that can be worth a pretty penny as well.
And, in this guide, we'll take a closer look at all of them.
Let's jump right in!
1980 Topps #482 Rickey Henderson Rookie Card
Estimated PSA 9 Value: $1,800
Since most collectors in this hobby tend to draw the line on the "vintage era" at 1980, many consider the Rickey Henderson rookie card to be the last big-name vintage rookie.
And while its value pales in comparison to other big-name vintage rookies like Mickey Mantle, Willie Mays, Hank Aaron, and Roberto Clemente, to name a few, its price soared dramatically during the recent sports card boom.
I remember several years ago you could find this card in a PSA 9 holder quite easily for $400 or so, which made it undervalued even back then.
After all, Rickey Henderson is the greatest lead-off hitter of all time, whose records for runs scored (2,295) and stolen bases (1,406) may very well never be broken.
However, during early 2021, PSA 9 examples of this card frequently sold for $4,000 - $5,000 or more.
Recently, the price of a PSA 9 has continued to steadily fall to around $1,800 or less.
For the 1980 season, Henderson raised eyebrows with his extraordinary speed as he led the league in stolen bases (100) for the first of twelve times in his legendary career.
1977 Chong Modesto A's #5 Rickey Henderson
Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $7,000
In 1977, long before he was rewriting the MLB record books, Rickey Henderson was showcasing his blazing speed at just 18 years old for the Single-A Chong Modesto A's.
In 134 games, Henderson stole an incredible 95 bases while scoring 120 runs.
Clearly, the kid could run.
As many Minor League teams did at the time, the Modesto A's released a set of baseball cards that contained 22 cards in all.
Henderson is easily the key to the set and the only player in the checklist to go on to a notable Major League career.
They aren't necessarily rare, but as of this writing, PSA has graded just 41 examples of the card, with 12 of them achieving a PSA 8 grade and just a single example in a PSA 9 holder.
This may not be a rookie card, but it's an incredibly important early Rickey Henderson issue that is highly coveted in today's hobby.
1979 TCMA Ogden A's #9 Rickey Henderson
Estimated PSA 8 NM-MT Value: $125
Henderson's last stop in the Minors ran through the Triple-A Ogden A's in 1979.
By then, the organization knew that Henderson had a bright future with the Oakland Athletics and, after lasting just 71 games with Ogden in 1979, the team called him up to the Bigs.
Henderson batted .309 with 66 runs scored and 44 stolen bases during those 71 games as he wowed fans throughout the Pacific Coast League.
Beginning in 1972, TCMA or "The Card Memorabilia Associates", released many sets that included vintage players but they ultimately become well-known for their Minor League team sets.
The cards aren't rare at all but they do have a unique place in hobby history.
This Henderson card isn't a rookie either, but it is important in that it gives hobbyists a chance to own a Henderson card from his time in Ogden.
