Top 10 Star Wars Trading Cards and Values

Regarding collectibles, few franchises can match up with Star Wars. A massive cultural phenomenon throughout the late ‘70s and beyond, the latest trilogy of films concluded late in 2019.

OUR TOP PICK: 1977 Luke Skywalker Topps Star Wars RC #1

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From games to toys, cards, and everything in between, there’s a massive market for Star Wars merch, and scarcity tends to tie into overall values. 

With that in mind, we’ve come up with a list containing 7 of the top Star Wars cards of all time, with info about how much they’re worth and how they managed to make it onto the list in the first place.

Between 1977 and 1978, Topps released five different Star Wars cards, each building off the last. Of course, they’re not of the best overall quality, primarily when held up to modern editions. (Think poor centering, blurry images, and no autos.)

 

BUDGET PICK: 1977 STAR WARS WONDER BREAD SEE-THREEPIO #7

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The 2007 Topps Star Wars 30th Anniversary set was arguably the pinnacle until the 2015 SW-themed release, which continued to build on the expanded universe.

As always, we’d look to graded options when possible. PSA is likely the preferred service for older cards, while BGS will probably handle the auto cards released in later years. 

When looking at mint copies, most options to make the list will sell for at least four figures. For this list, we’re sticking with the highest grades possible.

 

1977 Artoo-Detoo Topps Star Wars The Little Droid R2-D2 #3

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First up on the list is the original R2-D2 card from 1977. It features an image of the little robot against a stone backdrop.  There’s a classic SW logo at the bottom, and the border is also attractive. Blue and white features tiny planets and stars dotted across the sides.

We love the long-term value of the 1977 Artoo-Detoo Topps Star Wars The Little Droid R2-D2 #3… if anyone has a PSA 10 or BGS 10 email info@goldcardauctions.com The card has a plain reverse, which is slightly disappointing, but the same is true for most cards from the set.

In terms of value, a PSA 10 grade will sell for a comparable price to one of the latest Harrison Ford autos, so it shouldn’t be discounted.

The same is true for most gem mint options from the set, but you can pick up the entire collection for a low fee if you’re not worried about the condition.

 

1977 C-3PO Topps Star Wars Error Card #207

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He’s joined on the list by his erstwhile companion C-3PO, in one of the best cards I’ve ever seen. The 1977 Topps C-3PO card was released in error, as he’s sporting large goldenrod, and that’s not even a euphemism!

The cards were hastily recalled, but not before they made their way onto the collectible market. Otherwise, it has a thick, green border. It might not be as valuable as you expected, but adding a copy of the error card to your collection will still take a significant change. 

 

1977 Topps Star Wars Luke Skywalker #235

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Sticking with 1977, we’re looking at the Luke Skywalker card from the set, which will always be a favorite with fans. It sports a profile image of the actor dressed as the character with a pale blue/grey background. It has a deep green border and a red Star Wars logo at the bottom. The colored corners make it incredibly condition-sensitive, which is the case for most cards from the 1977 release. As with the others, a gem mint copy will sell for four figures.

 

2015 Luke Skywalker/Mark Hamill Topps Chrome Star Wars SP

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Fast forward to 2015, and signed cards are now in vogue. There’s no better than the reclusive Mark Hamill, who returned to play the role of Luke Skywalker in the latest trilogy.

The films may not have been received well, but the same can’t be said for his signed cards. Unlike the other signed cards from the set, Hamill’s card is only available in parallel versions, which can be found below.

The one-of-one is exceptionally expensive, while even the Prism is relatively expensive. The image is a close-up of Skywalker being trained by Yoda, who sits on his shoulder. It has a chromium background, and the auto is found on a plain section at the bottom.

Parallels: Prism (/50), X-Fractor (/25), Gold Refractor (/10), Superfractor (1/1), Printing Plates (1/1)

 

2017 Star Wars Stellar Signatures Harrison Ford /40

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Harrison Ford is known for his distaste of Star Wars films, but he’s always suitable for a signed auto if he’s paid well enough.

Han Solo is a popular character, so his signed options easily exceed four figures when they come up at auction. This classic card features a circled image of Solo with his trademark blaster in hand.

It comes with gold trim and a plain white background that is faded at the base. This gives way for grand on-card auto, completing the look. The base version is numbered to just 40 copies, while many rare parallels are on offer.

Parallels: Blue (/25), Green (/20), Purple (/10), Gold (/5), Galactic Black (1/1), Imperial Red (1/1), Rebel Alliance Orange (1/1)

 

2019 Topps Now Star Wars Gina Carano/Cara Dune SP #GC-A/E

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Carasynthia “Cara” Dune is a character from the hit TV series; The Mandalorian. Her autographed card from the 2019 Topps Now Star Wars collection is one of the more popular modern options, released as one of three signed cards from the set.

It features a shot from the show, with Gina Carano in character. The card notes that it’s from S01:E7 specifically. There’s a serial number at the bottom found next to the Star Wars logo, while her auto is filled in blue ink across the bottom half of the card. Carano has been exceptionally generous, with one of the larger signatures you’ll find on a collectible. 

Parallels: Base (/49), Purple (/25), Red (/10), Orange (/5), Gold (1/1)

 

2019 Topps Star Wars Harrison Ford #AHF

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Ford is back in the 2019 Topps Star Wars Stellar Signatures set, which features autos from most of the significant stars on the silver screen. Of course, there’s no end of fans who are willing to purchase a rare signed Han Solo card, so it’s one of the more popular and valuable options. 

It has a classic profile shot of Ford as Solo, with a chrome Star Wars logo in the top left corner. As with the 2017 card, you’ll find a range of similar parallels.

Parallels: Blue (/25), Green (/20), Purple (/10), Gold (/5), Galactic Black (1/1), Rebel Alliance Orange (1/1), Imperial Red (1/1).

 

Star Wars Trading Cards Value

The most expensive Star Wars Trading Cards are the 1977 Topps Star Wars #3, The Little Droid Artoo-Deetoo R2-D2, and the 1977 Topps Star Wars Luke Skywalker #235.

 

Original Star Wars Trading Cards

The 1977 Topps Star Wars trading cards are considered the original Star Wars Trading Cards and can fetch big bucks at high grades.

The most recognizable 1977 Topps Star Wars comes from the first series… surrounded by the classic blue starfield border, it’s a design that’s instantly recognizable to Star Wars FANBOYS across the globe

The 1977 Topps Star Wars Trading Card set had a total of 330 cards, and 55 stickers and was broken into five series as shown below:

Series 1 Border Color: Blue Card Numbers: 1-66 Sticker Numbers: 1-11
Series 2 Border Color: Red Card Numbers: 67-132 Sticker Numbers: 12-22
Series 3 Border Color: Yellow Card Numbers: 133-198 Sticker Numbers: 23-33
Series 4 Border Color: Green Card Numbers: 199-264 Sticker Numbers: 34-44
Series 5 Border Color: Orange Card Numbers: 265-330 Sticker Numbers: 45-55

 

 

1977 Stars Wars Trading Cards Checklist

Stars Wars Trading Cards Series 1 Checklist

 

Stars Wars Trading Cards Series 2 Checklist

 

Stars Wars Trading Cards Series 3 Checklist

 

Stars Wars Trading Cards Series 4 Checklist

 

Star Wars Trading Cards: Buyers Guide and Investment Outlook

Investment Rating: Buy (4.2 out of 5)

Ownership Disclosure: None

Top-Rated Star Wars Trading Card: 1977 Artoo-Detoo Topps Star Wars The Little Droid R2-D2 #3

Not only should Star Wars Trading Cards constantly rise in value over the years, but at some point, we predict a significant celebrity will buy one, making them super hot for a few years before settling back down to the average price range (similar to the Pokemon card craze we are experiencing now).

If that happens to pick up a few high-end 1977 Star Wars Trading Cards sounds like a good idea… even if our prediction fails, these cards still should do very well ROI-wise over the next 10 to 20 years…. cheers Luke Skywalker!

Are Star Wars trading cards worth money?

Star Wars trading cards can be worth thousands of dollars if they are in great shape i.e. high grades such as PSA 10 or BGS 9.5.

What are the best Star Wars trading cards?

The best Star Wars trading cards from an investment (ROI) perepecrive are the 2017 Star Wars Stellar Signatures Harrison Ford /40 PSA 10 grade and the 1977 C-3PO Topps Star Wars Error Card #207 PSA 10 grade.

Do people collect Star Wars cards?

Yes people do collect Star Wars cards. We have sold a few dozens in our short sales history and millions of people from around the world own at least one Stars Wars Card.

Are 1977 Star Wars trading cards valuable?

Not only are the 1977 Star Wars trading cards valuable but they are also one of the more popular if not the most popular of all Star Wars trading cards.