1982 Topps #636 Pete Rose/Steve Carlton

For baseball fans, “Charlie Hustle” needs no introduction, after all Pete Rose is Major League Baseball’s “Hit King” with 4,256 scattered across 24 seasons. Not only was Rose one of the game’s best all-time hitters, but he was also one of baseball’s most accomplished all-around players earning 1963 Rookie of the Year, two Gold Gloves (OF), a Silver Slugger, 1973 NL MVP, 1975 World Series MVP, and was part of three winning World Series teams.

The switch hitter inspired generations of players with his grit and determination on the diamond, and despite his troubles with baseball that kept him out of the Hall of Fame, his early card values remain high.

In the Beckett Online Price Guide there are 7,091 items featuring Pete Rose that are recognized… truly something out there for everyone in the hobby.

Year 2 with the Phillies – 1980

Going into his 18th MLB season at the age of 39, Rose was far from done or past his prime. Rose continued to be an everyday player, putting the cleats on for 162 games. At the plate, his average dropped from .331 the year prior to .282, but he led the league with 42 doubles. Another amazing feat, he smacked around 185 hits. A streak of All-Star Games that started in 1973 continued into the ’80 campaign.

Missing out on postseason opportunities since 1976, then with the Cincinnati Reds, Rose and the Phillies bulled their way to the World Series. Philadelphia won the NL East with a 91-71 record and then took the Houston Astros in five games to advance to the Fall Classic. With an opportunity to earn his third World Series title, Rose pounded out 14 hits through 11 postseason games carrying a .326 batting average. In a tightly contested series, Philadelphia beat the Kansas City Royals in six games.

Going off the 1980 Topps #540 Pete Rose card image, the same photograph was used for two 1980 Burger King released cards and on O-Pee-Chee #28 card front. On the low end, the Canadian counterpart values $3 higher over its US released brethren at $6 raw with a mint condition high of around $12.

1980 Topps #4 Pete Rose Highlights

1980 Topps #540 Pete Rose

Still Leading the Way

The strike-shortened season of 1981 still found Rose atop the game. Jumping his average at the plate back up to .325 over 107 games, he led the league in hits (140); the last noteworthy statistical category he will lead for a season in his career. For the first time in his career, Rose did not pop a home run.

The Phillies found themselves in the postseason again, but the ball did not bounce their way against the Montreal Expos, losing 3-2. In the five-game series, Rose hit, of course, .300.

The hobby got a boost while Topps received some market share contenders with Donruss and Fleer jumping into the baseball card universe.

The Fleer #1 is a UER, a typo stating Rose collected 270 hits in ’63 instead of 170. The Donruss #371 Rose runs from around $1 in excellent condition to $6 raw; the same pricing values can be found for the Fleer #1. The Topps #180 values slightly higher, ranging from $1.25 to $10 mint.

A different kind of item to chase for Rose collectors from this year, Topps Scratchoffs #62.

1981 Donruss #371 Pete Rose

1981 Fleer #1 Pete Rose UER

Another Last in a Great Career

The hustling machine that Rose built his career upon started to slow down in 1982. Still, at the age of 42, Rose played in all 162 games; the last time he would suit up for every game in a season as a player. Rose’s average dropped to .271, but he still sprayed 172 hits.

In the hobby, a tough item to find on a regular basis but one that can bring up to $200 in great condition, a 1982 FBI Discs #23 Pete Rose. The discs were released in Canada. The novelty of FBI paired with Rose brings the extra value, but the pairing is actually unrelated to the U.S. government agency. The actual tie is to FBI Foods’ Bantam drinks. A Rose/Andre Dawson FBI disc sold at auction in 2024 for $624.

O-Pee-Chee released eight different cards featuring Rose in ’82 while Topps put out 10. Corporate marketing opportunities were everywhere at this point, from K-Mart and 7-11 to Squirt. The Squirt #12 Rose cards are not as valuable as Topps flagship for the year but can still bring in $2 to $5 depending on condition.

1982 FBI Discs #23 Pete Rose

1982 Squirt #12 Pete Rose

One Last Fall Classic

The 1983 schedule was full of ups and downs for Rose. By the end of the season, Rose was riding the pine with opportunities as a pinch-hitter. Despite Rose’s woes at the plate, the “Wheeze Kids,” a play off the 1950s Phillies “Whiz Kids” because of their older ages, were still a force.

The Phillies won the NL East with a record of 90-72. Batting second in the lineup behind Bo Diaz, and ahead of Joe Morgan and Mike Schmidt, Philadelphia took the NLCS against the Dodgers in four games. Rose hit .375 in the NLCS and then hit .312 against the Baltimore Orioles in the World Series. Philadelphia got Game 1 against the Orioles but then fell in a “gentlemen’s sweep.”

Of the three leading baseball card manufacturers, the values for each Rose card currently hover around the same raw mark – $1-$5.

Something different and unique for the time, and holds good value in today’s secondary market, the O’Connell and Son Baseball Greats. Asking prices for a #15 Rose can go over $50 raw. The subsequent O’Connell and Son Baseball Greats releases after ’83 drop precipitously in value.

1983 Donruss #42 Pete Rose

1983 O’Connell and Son Baseball Greats #15 Pete Rose

Canada, Here We Come

Asked to take a reserve role with the Phillies, Rose requested to be released from his contract. The next opportunity for the future Hall of Famer was in Montreal with the Expos. The Phillies were loaded with older stars while the Expos had rising superstars in Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, and Tim Raines. Even with the younger talent, the Expos finished fifth in the NL East (78-83). Without Rose, Philadelphia did not fare much better finishing fourth (81-81).

Rose played 95 games with the Expos hitting .259. The milestone marker while in Montreal, on April 13, Rose knocked a baseball safely in play for the 4,000th time joining Ty Cobb as the only other player to reach the amazing accomplishment.

On Aug. 15, Rose was traded to the Reds where he picked up the title of player/manager. In 26 games, Rose had a resurgence hitting .365. Rose is the last player/manager in MLB.

The 1984 Donruss set holds a special place in the hearts of collectors from the era and Rose’s #61 has that “it” factor. Pricing on the #61 card can range from $4 to $20 raw.

Few ’84 cards show Rose as an Expo, the vast majority of cards still have him in uniform with the Phillies. One of the more valuable is the 1984 Fleer Update #U102 Pete Rose in the baby blues. The Fleer #636 base is a nostalgia piece with Rose, Morgan, and Tony Perez in their Phillies uni.

One release that stands out because of the bright all-white with red and blue stripes, the Stuart #17. A near mint-mint goes for around $120 while a mint reaches towards $200.

1984 Donruss #61 Pete Rose

1984 Expos Stuart #17 Pete Rose

First Full Managerial Season and the Cherished Record

Entering his 23rd season of MLB, Rose is the person who has seen and done it all… but 1985 promised something different – his first full season as a player/manager. Under their new skipper in 1984, the Reds went 19-22. In 1985, the Reds were 89-72 finishing second in the NL West.

1985 Topps Rose #27 Pete Rose

At 44 years old, Rose played 119 games batting .264. After going without a homer in ’83 and ’84, Rose knocked two out in ’85. For the last time in his career, Rose collected over 100 hits in a season (107). Two of those hits were individually as important as any other in his career after the very first one in 1963 – hit No. 4,191, tying him with Cobb for most all-time, and hit No. 4,192, breaking Cobb’s record. Rose broke the record against the San Diego Padres on Sept. 11 in Cincinnati.

If you thought Rose was “money” as a player, you can add his currency to your PC. Most 1985 Kahn’s Commemorative Coins #2 Pete Rose can be found around $10 with a few asking closer to $20 ungraded.

Topps went all in on Rose in ’85 producing 1985 Topps Rose, a 120-card retrospective set of his career. All the big milestones are in the release, taking the collector along the journey.

The completed 120-card set is not of great value, around $30 raw, but for the Rose fan, a must-have.

1985 Kahn’s Commemorative Coins #2 Pete Rose

1985 Topps Rose #120 Pete Rose/Scoreboard

One More Time Around the Bases

A 24-year veteran of the game, Rose got into 72 games at 45 years young in 1986. Rose collected 52 more hits, adding to his total that seemingly will never be passed. As a manager, the Reds again finished second in the NL West, a roadblock they would not pass with Rose calling the shots through his banishment from baseball in 1989.

The record-setting MLB career included most at bats (14,053), most plate appearances (15,890), most career hits (4,256), most singles (3,215) and most career games played (3,562) among many other noteworthy accomplishments.

The last iconic Rose playing days card has to be the 1986 Topps #1 Pete Rose. The values are not high, up to $3 raw in mint condition, but it is a great pairing of two icons. The Tiffany #741 holds a little more value due to quality and a short print of 5,000 but lacks the appeal of the base card. The preferred Tiffany version is the 1986 Topps Tiffany #206 Pete Rose Record Breaker.

1986 Topps #1 Pete Rose

1986 Topps Tiffany #206 Pete Rose Record Breaker

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