Top 10 Coaching Sports Cards Of All Time
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Coaches play a pivotal role in shaping championship contenders, leaving an enduring impact on numerous sports franchises throughout history. Some of these coaching legends were once star players who transitioned into remarkable coaching careers, while others never graced the professional athlete arena themselves.
Intriguingly, many coaching rookie cards and key cards featuring future Hall of Famers remain underrated gems. As follows, I’ll review the most valuable coaching cards across the four major sports: baseball, basketball, football, and hockey.
1. 1991 Proline Portraits Bill Belichick Pro Line Auto on Back
Bill Belichick is considered one of the greatest NFL coaches of all time, winning eight Super Bowls as a coach, six as head coach of the New England Patriots.
Belichick’s most valuable card is his 1991 Proline Portraits Autograph Rookie card. The card features Belichick when he was still an assistant coach with the Cleveland Browns.
Note a base version of the Belichick card without an auto also exists and is only worth a few dollars.
The autographed Belichick card was ahead of its time, being one of the earliest instances of a card manufacturer including a certified autograph on a rookie card.
Notably, Belichick’s autograph is located on the card’s back.
A total of 59 copies have been graded Authentic with a possible 10 autograph grade and are valued around $400 according to recent sales data.
However, a dual-graded example is much rarer, with only eight graded PSA 9 and one with a 10 autograph selling recently for $2,500.
This is a card to keep an eye on, especially one only with an auto grade, which can be grabbed for $500 or less. Keep in mind that any copies of this card with an autograph on the front of the card were not pack issued cards.
2. 1972 Topps Phil Jackson Rookie Card #32
Phil Jackson coached two NBA dynasty teams: the Chicago Bulls and Los Angeles Lakers, winning a total of 11 championships as a head coach.
His coaching style related well to players, and Jackson’s success as a head coach has been well documented.
Before his coaching career began, Jackson played in the NBA, and his rookie card is from the 1972 Topps basketball set.
In July 2020, the highest recorded sale of this card in a PSA 10 example reached nearly $12K. Only four PSA 10s of this card exist.
For collectors looking to invest in a more affordable Phil Jackson rookie card, a PSA 8 (NM-MT) copy is a good choice, valued at around $300.
3. 1962 Topps Mike Ditka Rookie #17
Mike Ditka is famous for coaching the powerful 1985 Chicago Bears, one of NFL’s most dominant all time teams.
Ditka would win two Super Bowls as a head coach and was also one of the innovators of the NFL tight end position.
Ditka’s 1962 Topps rookie card is highly sought after by collectors.
The highest sale for this card was $94,710 in March 2021. According to PSA Sales Data, only four cards are graded PSA 9 (Mint), with none higher.
The next best option for an investment is a PSA 8 (NM-MT) example which is valued at around $12K. This card sold for a little over $4K in 2020 and has increased 3 fold since!
4. 2004 Topps Total Gregg Popovich Autographed #411
Gregg Popovich, celebrated as one of the finest NBA coaches in history, has led the San Antonio Spurs since 1996, winning five NBA Championships.
His first trading card, the 2004 Topps Total #411, is highly sought after by collectors, given it is considered Popovich’s rookie card.
The card also exists in a scarce silver version, which adds to its collectability.
PSA has graded only 15 of these base cards in total.
This card is particularly rare and valuable when it’s autographed by Popovich; only six Topps Total cards have been PSA/DNA certified.
One of the base autographed cards fetched $300 at an eBay auction in late November.
5. 1991 Hoops USA Basketball Mike Krzyzewski Rookie #588
Mike Krzyzewski, famously known as Coach K, stands as one of the greatest college basketball coaches ever, leading the Duke Blue Devils to five national championships. He also led the USA Olympic Men’s Basketball teams to numerous Gold Medals.
For those looking for an affordable option, Coach K’s 1991 Hoops USA rookie card is a great choice. The base version of this card, especially in a PSA 10 grade, is still underrated. Its most recent sale was just $40.
Collectors should also consider a PSA/DNA signed copy of Coach K’s 1991 Hoops USA rookie card. Signed copies can usually be found on eBay for $700 or more.
Another significant Coach K card is from the 1987-88 Duke Blue Devils set. The highest graded example of this card, a PSA 6, with none graded higher, sold for $900 at an eBay auction. This rarity makes it a sought-after collectible.
With Coach K’s recent retirement, now is an opportune time to invest in his cards, as their value may increase due to his lasting legacy in basketball.
6. 2006 Topps John Hall of Fame Class of 2006 John Madden #JM /50
John Madden was an iconic football coach, who later became even more famous for developing the popular Madden football video game, plus a prominent broadcaster.
Madden won one Super Bowl as a head coach with the Raiders. He was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2006, and Topps that year had him sign a commemorative autographed card.
This card had a print run of only 50 copies, with the last public sale of a dual-graded PSA 6 with a 10 autograph in November 2023 for $2,225.
This Madden card is very difficult to find and does not appear often for sale. It’s a lot easier to find base copies of this card that were signed in-person by Madden after the fact and graded by PSA.
However, the official 2006 Topps Hall of Fame commemorative autographed options are more valuable and highly sought after by collectors.
7. 1962 Topps Joe Torre Rookie Card #218
Joe Torre was manager of the New York Yankees dynasty teams in the 1990s-2000s, winning four World Series Championships and the last three-peat in baseball.
Before becoming a manager, Torre was a solid major league player, and his 1962 Topps card is his rookie card.
When Torre was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, his rookie cards saw a huge increase in value and have steadily increased since.
Only one PSA 10 exists of this card and has not surfaced since 2016; the most recent sale on a PSA 9 (Mint) copy sold for $4,159 in 2021, and even PSA 9’s are tough to find as well, with only 20 in existence.
Your next best option is investing in a PSA 8 (NM-MT) example, which averages $900 at auction.
8. 1970 Topps Pat Riley RC #13
Pat Riley is an NBA Hall of Famer and is considered one of the best NBA coaches of all time.
Riley won five NBA Championships as a coach and was named coach of the year three times.
Before becoming a coach, Riley played in the NBA, and his 1970 Topps card is his rookie card.
Riley’s highest recorded sale of his rookie card sold for $3,329 in March of 2021.
Only 10 PSA 9 (Mint) copies of this card exist, and none are graded higher.
Many other mid-grade examples of this card are still quite undervalued, in my opinion, including PSA 7’s for around $130 to $150 at recent eBay auctions.
9. 1909 T206 White Borders John McGraw
John McGraw was one of the best baseball managers of all time, serving as manager of the New York Giants for nearly 30 years, from the early 1900s through the 1930s.
McGraw won three World Series Championships with the Giants and was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1937.
McGraw has four cards (finger in air, portrait with cap, portrait no cap, and glove at hip) in the famous T206 set, with many mid-grade examples still widely undervalued.
PSA 5 (EX) copies of any McGraw sell for around $800, while one grade higher (PSA 6) copies are worth close to $2000.
Less than 50 copies of each of McGraw’s T206 cards have earned a PSA 6 grade. McGraw’s t206 still has plenty of upside.
10. 1974-75 O-Pee-Chee Scotty Bowman Rookie #251
Scotty Bowman coached in the NHL from 1956 to 2002 and holds the most wins by a coach in NHL history. Bowman is widely considered the greatest hockey coach of all time.
Bowman’s rookie card is featured in the 1974-75 Topps set. The highest recorded sale of this card in Gem Mint (PSA 10) condition sold for $750 in 2019. Only two PSA 10 copies exist.
A PSA 8 (NM-MT) example is still widely undervalued, especially because many vintage PSA 8s of Hall of Famers from this era are becoming tougher to find.
Scotty Bowman’s PSA 8 rookie card is valued at around $175 and has a relatively low PSA-graded population, with only 68 PSA 8s in existence.
Honorable Coaching Card Mentions
Vince Lombardi, often mentioned among the top football coaches in history, doesn’t have any trading cards that are considered highly sought after. However, his autographed ticket stubs are valued items among collectors.
Geno Auriemma, regarded as one of the best NCAA Women’s Basketball coaches of all time, unfortunately, does not have any trading cards in the market.
Dean Smith, another legendary name in basketball, does have a rare autographed card (#’d to 50) from the 2006-07 Upper Deck Chronology collection. A PSA graded copy of this card is worth about $500. Smith is renowned for his coaching prowess at UNC and for mentoring numerous basketball legends, including Michael Jordan.
Pat Summitt, one of the greatest NCAA Women’s Basketball coaches ever, is featured on a rare auto from the 2009-10 Panini Hall of Fame Signatures series. A card graded PSA 10 of hers is currently listed on eBay with an asking price of $1,200 or best offer.
Red Holzman, celebrated as one of the all-time great Knicks coaches, has his number retired in the MSG rafters. His 1948 Bowman rookie card is an item of significant interest for collectors and fans, capturing a piece of Knicks’ rich history. To learn more about Knicks retired jerseys, you can refer to articles discussing the team’s honored players and coaches.