Willie Mays – One of baseball’s cherished legends who remains an extremely collectible name in the baseball card hobby today.
Given his status as one of MLB’s greatest ever players, it’s no surprise that he has some of the most sought-after and valuable baseball cards ever made.
Here’s a look at 10 of his must-have cards:
10 Top Willie Mays Cards
10. 1965 Topps Willie Mays #250
Personally, I love the 1965 Topps design, and I know many other collectors agree.
By the time this Willie Mays card was released, he was an established, dominant force in MLB.
It’s not among his most valuable cards, but the design is such a classic, it had to be included. Centering issues can make it hard to find in top condition.
9. 1955 Topps Willie Mays #194
1955 saw Topps go for a different angle in terms of their card designs, with a first horizontal look.
It’s a great-looking card, which continues to be a hit today, and no doubt one of May’s must-have pieces.
8. 1959 Topps Baseball Thrills Willie Mays #464
I think this is a really cool card, and something a bit different.
It showcases Mays’ historic catch, which happened 5 years earlier, with a storyboard-style trio of images.
It’s not as valuable as his bright-yellow regular Topps card from 1959, but the representation of the legendary play is a must for any Mays fan, or baseball fan in general!
7. 1973 Topps Willie Mays #305
This is a memorable card for multiple reasons: It’s the last mainstream Willie Mays baseball card as an active player, and the only mainstream card of his featuring him in a New York Mets uniform.
I’m not sure if Topps purposely picked an image that makes him look really old, given that he was at the twilight of his career, but the overall design is clean, and it’s no doubt one of his most memorable cards.
6. 1956 Topps Willie Mays #130
‘56 Topps is one of the brand’s most beloved sets, and it includes one of Mays’ most valuable baseball cards.
There are lots of similarities to the 1955 Topps card, with the horizontal design and dual-image, but the action shot background adds to the aesthetic appeal, in my opinion.
5. 1954 Topps Willie Mays #90
You might feel like you’ve already seen this card further up the list. That’s because Topps used the same headshot image of “The Say Hey Kid” on this, his ‘55 Topps and his ‘56 Topps cards.
Despite that, the card is a classic, and a favorite among Mays collectors. The dual-image concept debuted in ‘54 Topps, and the bold background color makes it hard to miss.
4. 1953 Topps Willie Mays #244
Military service meant that Willie Mays missed the 1953 MLB season, but Topps still featured him on their checklist that year with this beauty of a card.
It’s one that’s as scarce as they come for his cards around that time, given that it was a short print. The black border in the bottom corner also makes it difficult to find in top condition, so higher-graded copies carry a bigger premium.
3. 1952 Bowman Willie Mays #218
It’s not on equal-footing to his Topps card from the same year, but the ‘52 Bowman Willie Mays second-year card remains one of his key and most sought-after baseball cards.
It features an awesome design, with a classic stance and blue sky background. For me, it’s actually a nicer looking card than ‘52 Topps, but most will agree it doesn’t quite hold the same status.
Regardless of that, it’s cemented as one of the all-time greatest and most important Willie Mays cards.
2. 1952 Topps Willie Mays #261
‘52 Topps Baseball is a true blockbuster set. For me, it’s the greatest baseball set Topps have ever released.
For Mays, it’s a second-year card, but it’s his first Topps appearance and easily one of his best and most significant cards.
Unlike Mantle, it’s not the number 1 card for him, but it certainly isn’t far off. It’s also one of his most valuable ever, with higher-graded copies easily in the multiple 6-figure range.
1. 1951 Bowman Willie Mays #305
Here it is, the undisputed grail of Willie Mays cards – His iconic 1951 Bowman rookie card.
What a great card, and from a set that isn’t only one of the greatest ever because of its star-studded checklist, but also the beauty of the designs as well.
Mays’ true rookie is the pinnacle of his cards, and an absolute must-have. Unsurprisingly, it doesn’t come cheap – A PSA 8.5 graded copy sold for $391k in 2024.
High-graded copies are not easy to come by, which adds further premium to them. In fact, it’s a card that’s never received a grade 10 from PSA, SGC or Beckett (at the time of writing).
This one isn’t just one of the best baseball cards from the 1950s, it’s one of the most sought-after ever released.
