The Dugout│Best Don Mattingly Baseball Cards

Don Mattingly is one of the most beloved New York Yankees of all time, and his rookie cards are a testament to that. His rookie cards are some of the most sought-after cards in the game’s history. Mattingly's rookie cards are so popular that they can fetch top dollar—anywhere from $100 to $2,000, depending on the grade.

Don Mattingly is an inspiring baseball player who spent his entire 14-year MLB career with the New York Yankees, earning him the nicknames 'The Hit Man' and ‘Donnie Baseball.’

Winning a total of nine Gold Glove Awards, an AL record for a first baseman, Don also won the 1984 AL batting title with a .339 average, the 1985 AL Most Valuable Player award, and was even selected to play in the International, Southern League. He also appeared in the New York-Penn League All-Star Games.

Additionally, Don set two major league home run records, hitting six grand slams in a season and eight home runs in eight consecutive games—talk about streaky. Don Mattingly is one of the most beloved players who’s simply hard too forget for all the records he holds that may never be broken.

Don Mattingly rookie cards 

Don Mattingly rookie cards are so valuable that they are breaking the bank—literally. A PSA 10 1984 Donruss Mattingly card can often sell for around $1,250.

As Mattingly was the face of the Yankees for so many years, it's no surprise that his cards have held up well over time. Even his pre-rookie card from Arby's Nashville Sounds from 1981 has become one of the key minor league cards from the '80s.

In terms of modern cards, collectors are going wild for the 2000 Greats of the Game memorabilia card because it's a great-looking relic with an added bonus—a certified autograph. That's right, this Don Mattingly baseball card features his signature as well as a jersey piece. Love Donnie Ballgame or not, these cards are too valuable to pass up.

Collectors invest in Don Mattingly cards because they’re relatively affordable while still being iconic cards with strong historical value.

Don’s rookie cards like the 1984 Donruss, Fleer, and Topps cards are some of the most sought-after 1980s baseball cards among today’s collectors. While his rookie cards have become more affordable since his retirement, high-grade copies still carry a hefty price tag.

With such a wide selection of cards to choose from, a Don Mattingly baseball card is a great way to start or add to any valuable collection. Let’s highlight the best Don Mattingly card investors and collectors are clamoring for.

1. Nashville Sounds Don Mattingly baseball card

• Price Range: $24 to $650
• Highest Sale Price: $2,000
• PSA 10 Supply: 187
• Brand: Arby’s promo card

Why wait in line for an autograph when you can get your hands on the special 1981 Arby's Nashville Sounds Don Mattingly card? This card boasts the allure of being the very first Don Mattingly card ever made, along with all the potential rewards of owning a piece of a true MLB legend.

Given the card's PSA 10 supply of 187 and prices ranging from $24 to $650, this card looks like it deserves a spot in your collection. However, this historic card's price could skyrocket for those wanting an investment opportunity with a good ROI potential—highest sale price has already hit $2,000. Talk about a grand slam. 

Don’t let your collection hit a stagnant slump. Invest in this Don Mattingly baseball card, and don’t strikeout.

2. 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly RC #248

• Price Range: $25 to $3,500
• Highest Sale Price: $8,000 
• PSA 10 Supply: 305 
• Brand: Donruss

The 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie Card is valued for its sleek design, epic portrait photo, and hard-to-find print run. Its accessible price tag and 305 PSA 10 supply make it a hard to miss opportunity.

The 2-1/2" by 3-1/2” card features an inspiring portrait of Mattingly and its sleek design is a testament to its timelessness. With the added bonus of there being less of these cards produced than other rookie cards from the same era, this investment packs a punch like Mattingly himself.

With a current price range of $25 to $3,500, not only is this Don Mattingly baseball card a nice-looking addition to any display, but it is a certified moneymaker—the highest sale price to date is an impressive $8,000. Don't let this one pass you by.

3. 1982 TCMA Columbus Clippers Don Mattingly #21

• Price Range: $24 to $650
• Highest Sale Price: $2,500
• PSA 10 Supply: 49
• Brand: TCMA

Don Mattingly's second 1982 minor league card is one to eye for any collector or investor. Featuring a photo of Mattingly on the front, the TCMA #21 card from the Columbus Clippers highlights the rockstar-to-be even before he made his major league debut. With prices ranging between $24 and $650 and a single recorded sale of up to $2,500, you know this card must be good.

Calling all risk-takers and thrill-seekers, this card is for you. At the moment, only 49 examples of this PSA 10 variant exist, so if rarity is your thing, now's your chance to get your hands on a piece. And don't forget about its early release date. Baseball card prospecting has moved a long way since then, but no one can deny the significance of Mattingly's early cards.

4. 1993 Donruss Elite Dominator Don Mattingly #6 Autographed

• Price Range: $27 to $330
• Highest Sale Price: $330
• Supply: 2,500
• Brand: Donruss

This limited-edition card was offered exclusively on the Shop at Home television network in 1993 and was part of a 20-card insert set that ran as a supplement to the 1993 Donruss set. Out of the 5000 sets produced, half (2500) of the Nolan Ryan, Juan Gonzalez, Paul Molitor, and Don Mattingly cards were autographed, making them the cream of the crop.

For a limited time, the network offered each box of 1993 Donruss for $99 plus $6 for postage and handling, which included one Elite Dominator insert card placed in an envelope and shrink-wrapped directly to the box. 

Shop at Home also offered a box without the Elite Dominator card for only $89. It has since been reported that the entire print run of 100,000 Elite Dominator cards were purchased by Shop at Home.

In the past few years, the 1993 Donruss Elite Dominator Don Mattingly #6 Autograph has been sold with prices ranging from $27 to $330—the highest sale price to date. This is definitely one to consider.

5. 1993 Topps Finest Don Mattingly Refractor #98

• Price Range: $271 to $1,250
• Highest Sale Price: $1,750
• PSA 10 Supply: 30 
• Brand: Topps

The 1993 Topps Finest cards, particularly its scarce refractors, was a set comprising only 199 cards (seven per team)—selected from the crème de la crème of that season's best players, including legend Don Mattingly. Refractors were randomly inserted into some packs, creating instant rarity.

The supply of Don Mattingly Refractor #98's PSA 10 cards, the highest grade attainable, sits at a mere 30 cards—making it sound more and more appealing to serious investors. And here's some inside info: Major League Baseball players buy and hoard these cards, making them even more difficult to acquire.

Investors need to know their stuff—it takes sharp eyes and knowledge of market trends to make a profit. With prices auctioning for an impressive high of $1,750, this card is worth far more than it originally cost your grandpa way back when.

6. 1984 Topps Don Mattingly rookie card #8

• Price Range: $9 to $950
• Highest Sale Price: $3,238 
• PSA 10 Supply: 892
• Brand: Topps

The 1984 Topps Baseball set, with its white-bordered design, is loaded with Hall of Famers. And the card everyone wants? You guessed right—Don Mattingly's rookie card #8. In fact, in 2016, Andy Sharp (who owns the registry's No. 2 Current Finest set), said an impressive twenty percent of all the cards PSA graded in this set were Mattingly rookies.

This is one of the most undervalued and inexpensive sets from its era, so you know you're getting an amazing deal. Sharp even thought Mattingly's card was still "the big card" at the time. So why wait? With prices ranging from $9 to $950 now and the highest sale price just above $3,000, it's safe to say that this one has an attractive potential ROI.

7. 1984 Fleer Don Mattingly RC #131

• Price Range: $2 to $730
• Highest Sale Price: $1,525 
• PSA 10 Supply: 418 
• Brand: Fleer

Investors and collectors alike are drawn to the 1984 Fleer baseball card set for one reason: the Don Mattingly rookie card #131. His 1984 Fleer rookie card was the chest-thumping lifeblood of the entire set, and no baseball card collection from the 1980s and early 1990s was complete without it.

On average, collectors can expect to pay between $2 and $730 for this classic card. For the smart investor, getting their hands on a PSA 10 graded version of this card could net returns of around $1,500 and above. 

And for those who like to have bragging rights, there are currently 418 of these pristine cards graded gem-mint—a certified classic worth adding to your collection.

8. 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Yankee Clippings Don Mattingly RC

• Price Range: $6 to $209
• Highest Sale Price: $209
• PSA 10 Supply: 2
• Brand: Fleer

Set your sights on the 2000 Fleer Greats of the Game Yankee Clippings Don Mattingly rookie card which comes with a genuine scrap of Mattingly's jersey. There's also a bunch of star power names like Mickey Mantle, Reggie Jackson, and Dave Winfield in the set.

And with a price range of $29 to $208, it won't break the bank. Don't wait too long, though—there are only two PSA 10s. This Yankee clipping can surely return you some winning results on the long-term market.

Don Mattingly rookie cards are desirable investments, particularly if it has been graded gem mint by PSA. A PSA 10 Mattingly card can command prices from $3,000 to $8,000. A purchase like this is a boon for both the serious collector and investor.

As one of the greats of baseball, Mattingly baseball cards have an impressive history of value retention, making them an ideal choice for the sports card aficionado looking for a value play that could be a grand slam one day.