The 1964 Topps baseball cards set is one of many beloved vintage releases. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or someone who just inherited grandpa’s shoebox collection, understanding what these pieces of cardboard are worth today can be beneficial in multiple ways.
Let’s chat about five cards that caught my eye from this iconic set and what they could be valued on the open market.
Editor’s Note: Looking to Sell Sports Cards? Here’s How to Do It Quickly & Easily
The Five Most Valuable 1964 Topps Baseball Cards
Here are the five 1964 Topps Baseball cards that I was drawn to when looking back through this release:
Lou Brock #29: One of the game’s most prolific base stealers, but pictured as a Cub before getting traded to the Cardinals. According to Sports Cards Pro data, a PSA 9 version of this card sold twice in 2021 ($10,500 in May and $2,698 in September).
Eddie Mathews #35: A glimpse of the Hall of Fame third baseman, with Hank Aaron in the background (I believe). A PSA 9 example sold in April 2025 at Heritage for $1,200.
Mickey Mantle #50: I can almost never pass up an opportunity to feature Mantle when he appears in a release. Getting a piece of the Commerce Comet on this card in PSA 9 form has consistently gone for at least $20,000, per Sports Cards Pro data.
Ernie Banks #55: This is just a great portrait of Mr. Cub, isn’t it? This card has consistently fetched more than $5,000 in PSA 9 condition.
Duke Snider #155: Snider played for the Giants in 1964, but he spent 1963 in the Big Apple with the Mets. The price for a PSA 9 version of this card can push over the $500 mark, depending on market conditions.
Mickey Mantle’s #50: A Final Flash of Brilliance
Although he seemingly played most of his Hall of Fame career while dealing with injuries, they began taking their toll on Mantle. But he still had one last bit of magic left in his bat during the 1964 season. The 32-year-old slashed .303/.423/.591 with 35 home runs, 25 doubles, 111 RBI, and 92 runs scored in 143 games. It was the last time he finished a year with a .300 average, at least 30 homers, and 100-plus RBI. He also finished second to Brooks Robinson in American League MVP Award voting.
This card is significant because we get another glimpse at the legend during what ended up being his last truly dominant season before his production (and playing time due to injuries) started heading downhill. While PSA 9 examples of this card are quite expensive, it becomes more manageable for those with smaller budgets by going down just a couple of rings below that. PSA 7 examples have recently been trading for between $1,000 and $2,000.
Lou Brock’s Chicago Beginnings
Whenever someone mentions Lou Brock’s name, most baseball fans associate him with the St. Louis Cardinals. That makes sense — he spent 16 years in St. Louis while being named to six All-Star Games and winning two World Series. Brock also dons a Cardinals hat on his Hall of Fame plaque in Cooperstown.
But that’s not where he started his career. Brock broke into the big leagues as a 22-year-old in 1961 with the Chicago Cubs. He spent parts of four seasons on the North Side (327 total games), resulting in a .689 OPS, 20 home runs, 52 doubles, 20 triples, 50 steals, 86 RBI, and 183 runs scored.
The outfielder suited up for 52 games with the Cubs in 1964 before getting dealt to the Cardinals on June 15 for pitcher Ernie Broglio, and the rest was history. At the time of the trade, Brock had just a .640 OPS with 10 steals through 231 plate appearances. But over his final 464 trips to the plate in St. Louis, he posted a .915 OPS with 33 steals.
Brock eventually became MLB’s all-time base-stealing king (before Rickey Henderson passed him) with 938 thefts. The Hall of Famer also compiled 3,023 hits before hanging his spikes up for good. While high-grade examples can go for thousands of dollars, cards in PSA 7 condition can be bought for less than $200.
The 1964 Topps Set: Design and Legacy
The 1964 Topps baseball card release consisted of 587 cards. As we can see with some examples above, the company experimented with different photo treatments, including action shots and close-up portraits that gave the set some variety.
What really makes this release special is the sheer number of Hall of Fame talent included during their primes. Beyond the headliners like Mantle, Banks, and Brock, the set also includes Roberto Clemente, Hank Aaron, Willie Mays, and Sandy Koufax.
The cardboard stock Topps used in ’64 was notoriously susceptible to corner wear and centering issues, which explains why pristine examples can fetch such high prices.
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