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Hello! If you’re looking for a list of the best Ozzie Smith rookie baseball cards, then you’ve come to the right place.
Ozzie Smith is a baseball legend and his name is synonymous with greatness. A shortstop for the St. Louis Cardinals, he was known for his acrobatic fielding and his superb batting.
He was a 15-time All-Star, 13-time Gold Glove winner, and helped the Cardinals win the World Series in 1982.
Ozzie Smith was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2002, and his rookie cards are some of the most sought-after by baseball card collectors.
So, if you're looking to add a legend to your collection - or just want to make a wise investment - Ozzie Smith rookie cards are definitely worth considering.
The experts here at Sports Card Sharks have spent countless hours sifting through each and every Ozzie Smith rookie card on the market and have compiled a list of the ones we feel are the best of the best.
Enjoy!
FAQs
The rookie cards we select for our lists are judged based on 3 criteria:
- Design / Aesthetics
- Price
- Rarity
At Sports Card Sharks, we tend to go against the grain. We typically aren’t buying what everyone else is buying when everyone else is buying it, so if you’re moving with the masses this may not be the right list for you. Adios!
Our Founder is an 80's baby that grew up in the 90's collecting sports cards during the junk wax era.
While card collecting when on hiatus for a couple of decades, that passion was re-sparked in 2020 and we haven't looked back since.
We spend countless hours researching each player and constructing these posts to help you save time and energy so that you can focus on the fun part which is collecting!
Ozzie Smith Player Profile
MLB Draft: 1976 (7th round by the Detroit Tigers)
College: Cal Poly
Team(s): San Diego Padres, St. Louis Cardinals
Position: Shortstop
Height: 5' 11"
Weight: 150 lbs
Date of Birth: December 26, 1954
All-Star Appearances: 15x
World Series Championships: 1x (1982)
Career Statistics: View Here
Why We Love Ozzie Smith
- Great nickname - "The Wizard" or "Wizard of Oz"
- Hall of Fame
- Considered one of the greatest shortstops of all time
Our List of the Top Ozzie Smith Rookie Cards
1. 1978 Ozzie Smith Family Fun Centers Rookie Card #1
This Ozzie Smith rookie card was the first to ever feature him in a San Diego Padres uniform and for that reason many people in the industry consider this to be his true rookie card.
This was an oversized card so it was more susceptible to damage and finding highly graded ones can prove to be difficult.
Also Check Out: Dwight Gooden
2. 1979 Ozzie Smith Hostess Rookie Card #102
Technically speaking, this isn't actually a "card" at all. This Ozzie Smith rookie card was actually printed on the boxes of Hostess treats such as Twinkies and had to be cut out by hand.
Because of this, the cards were often damaged or off-center.
Also Check Out: Derek Jeter
3. 1979 Ozzie Smith O-Pee-Chee Rookie Card #52
New collectors in the trading card world may be unaware that the O-Pee-Chee brand was created for distribution in the Canadian market.
While it is more rare that its Topps counterpart, it doesn't really command a higher price point.
One unique thing about this card is that the back features a write-up of Ozzie in both English and French (because Canada).
Also Check Out: Ken Griffey Jr
4. 1979 Ozzie Smith Topps Rookie Card #116
As you can see, this card mirrors the O-Pee-Chee design but with the Topps logo.
This Ozzie Smith rookie card is one of the most sought-after rookie cards of the vintage era and it goes for a pretty penny if the card achieves mint status.
It should be noted that this has only happened a handful of times in history which makes it incredibly difficult to find.
Also Check Out: Mark McGwire
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About the Author:
Trevor Weitzel is the founder of Sports Card Sharks. His pro sports teams are the Timberwolves, Vikings and Twins (which is rough). If we’re talking college then we’re only talking the University of Arizona Wildcats – BEAR DOWN! He is also an avid reseller, crypto enthusiast, and digital marketer.