Top Brooks Robinson cards to collect

There were many accolades bestowed upon Baltimore Orioles great Brooks Robinson during and after his 23-year major league career.

An 18-time All-Star. The 1964 AL MVP. Most Valuable Player of the 1996 All-Star Game and the 1970 World Series. Inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1983.

And perhaps most impressive was his record 16 straight Gold Gloves, cementing his status as the greatest third baseman of all time. His 2,870 games played at third base are the most ever by any player at one position.

Also See: Brooks Robinson talks rookie cards, autographs and why he's such a nice guy 

Robinson, who passed away on Sept. 26, 2023, was also a force offensively, topping 20 home runs in a season six times. He finished his career with a .267 batting average, 268 home runs, 482 doubles, 1,357 RBI and 1,232 runs scored. He led the American League with 118 RBI in 1964 and led the Orioles to the 1966 and 1970 Worlds Series championships.

Known as “Mr. Oriole,” he played his entire 23-year career with Baltimore — a record matched only by Boston’s Carl Yastrzemski.

But perhaps the most important part of Robinson’s legacy, the thing that endeared him to so many fans, is that he was widely known as one of the classiest players and nicest guys ever to play the game. In 2015, Robinson sold his memorabilia collection at Heritage Auctions, raising more than $1.4 million for the Constance & Brooks Robinson Charitable Foundation.

“It wasn’t hard. I was raised that way,” Robinson said in a 2022 interview with Sports Collectors Digest. “I enjoy people and I enjoy being around them. I think I owed something to the public and I tried to do as much as I could.”

Along with fellow Hall of Famers Frank Robinson and Cal Ripken Jr., Robinson will always be one of the most popular and beloved players in Orioles history.

We take a look at his top trading cards.

1957 Topps Rookie Card #328

Though Robinson played in three decades and has many cards worth collecting, his 1957 Topps rookie card is his most coveted. The set has several key rookie cards, including teammate Frank Robinson, but the #328 Brooks rookie is the most popular of the series. 

Though many cards in the set have a dull, washed-out look, Robinson’s portrait has a bright, colorful appearance fitting of his friendly smile and pleasant demeanor.

Also See: Top Mickey Mantle cards for collectors 

1958 Topps #307

Though much more affordable than his rookie card, Robinson’s second Topps issue is not necessarily his finest. In fact, in the 2022 interview, he called it his “ugliest” card.

The photo was taken just after the young third baseman had finished running and Robinson said it looked like he was “throwing up.”

“I remember that one more than any other card,” Robinson said.

Still, the 1958 issue has endured for decades as a popular Robinson card.

1959 Topps #439

Though he was known more for his sparkling defense, Robinson was also a productive hitter, though he did struggle early on. His 1959 card #439 is his first showing him in a batting pose. 

It was also the first season that Robinson showed potential as a hitter, batting .284 in 88 games. The next season he hit .294 with 14 home runs and 88 RBI, showing that his 1959 card was perhaps a precursor of things to come.

Also See: Top Roberto Clemente cards to collect 

1960 Leaf #27

The 1960 Leaf Baseball set was one of the finest black-and-white sets of the early years, and Robinson’s smiling image looks as if he has a white halo over his head. It is one of his most beautiful and fitting cards.

1971 Topps #300 & #331

The 1971 Topps set featured two odd-looking cards of Robinson. Card #300 features Robinson at the plate following through on a swing — one in which he clearly missed the pitch.

Card #331 is even more odd, showing Robinson on his hands and knees in the infield dirt during Game 5 of the 1970 World Series. The blurry, uncropped action photo makes it difficult at first glance to see what is going on — until you see the bottom of the card, which proclaims “B. ROBINSON COMMITS ROBBERY! Clearly, the 1970 World Series MVP is robbing another hitter of a base hit, making this one of his most impactful cards.

Also See: Top Jackie Robinson cards to collect 

1967 Topps The Champs #1 & #600

Robinson is shown on the 1967 The Champs card with star teammate Frank Robinson and Orioles manager Hank Bauer. The #1 card in the set celebrates the Orioles 1966 World Series championship. 

With two Hall of Famers, the card is one of the most popular among collectors of the two Robinsons, the first two players inducted into the Orioles Hall of Fame.

The Robinsons also appear together on a 1968 Topps “Bird Belters” card.

Robinson’s 1967 Topps #600 card, featuring a clean, classic batters pose, is one of the top cards in the set and much better-looking than his regular Topps 1968 card, which also features a batting pose.

1965 Topps 1964 AL RBI Leaders #5

Robinson had the best offensive season of his career in 1964, hitting .317 with 28 home runs and a league-leading 118 RBI. For his efforts, he shared this 1965 AL RBI Leaders card with two more Hall of Famers — Mickey Mantle and Harmon Killebrew. 

Given his defensive prowess, this might be one of Robinson’s favorite cards, and certainly a favorite among collectors. Robinson's 1965 Topps #150 base card is also a good one, showing the ever-smiling third baseman in a floppy Orioles hat. 

1963 Topps #345

Robinson’s 1963 Topps card is one of the few that feature both a portrait and an image of a batting pose. 

It is most significant, however, because the back of the card points out that Robinson led all third basemen in fielding percentage in both 1960 and 1961, a feat he continued throughout his career. At the end of his career, Robinson’s .971 fielding percentage was the highest of any third baseman ever.

1973 Topps #90

Robinson’s 1973 Topps card is significant for two reasons. It is one of his last cards before he began to slump offensively. He batted .257 with nine home runs and 72 RBI before his production dipped even more in 1974 and ’75. He played just 95 games combined in 1976-77 before retiring. 

It is also, surprisingly, one of the few cards that show him in a defensive pose, including the odd 1971 card. This is the pose most fans recall when remembering the Hall of Fame third baseman.