Collecting the History of the Astros
At Topps RIPPED, we’re taking a look at How to Collect your favorite teams. If you’re new to the chase, take a look at our Team Collecting Primer. Not meant to be a definitive guide, these profiles aim to give team collectors, and those looking to get started, an idea of some of the charms of collecting each franchise.
This week, we’re heading to the Lone Star State, to take a look at collecting the Houston Astros.
Twist of Fate
“My Astros journey is kind of strange,” says Longtime Houston Astros fan and super collector Billy Neill. “I’m from Louisiana and my grandpa would take me to Double-A Shreveport games. They were a Giants’ affiliate. But, the Giants weren’t on TV. I’d have to watch WGN, the Cubs were on. And they’d play this team that would beat them, with these crazy rainbow jerseys. They were a little close to Louisiana at least. In a way, I’m an Astros collector because of an old AA Giants team.”
As the years have gone by, Neill, an Astros completist, has turned his focus to collecting autographs of every player who has appeared for Houston. “I still get everything else, but I’m autograph-focused.” Neill currently has 1,004 unique Astros autographs. “I think I’m down to 19 players where I don’t have their autos at all,” he said.
Like many team collectors, Neill is driven by his love for the game and for his favorite club. In fact, the Astros fan is part of a group called Team Collectors, who trade cards to members of the group depending on what teams they pull. “Anything I buy, I keep the Astros, but everything else gets sent to the other collectors. If there’s a Giants guy, he gets my Mike Yaz autos. It seems insane at first, but everything I get back is Astros.”
Houston Astros Grails
“For Astros collectors, I go with the Joe Morgan/Sonny Jackson dual rookie card,” Neill said. “Jackson’s not huge in The Hobby, but he’s a fan favorite in Astros world. That Morgan/Jackson team was unbelievable.”
Another favorite for Neill is Rusty Staub, who may be one of the most underrated players in MLB history. Staub reached base over 4,000 times in his 23 seasons. The quad 1963 Topps Rookie Stars card seen above is hard to find in a top grade. No PSA 10’s and only 10 PSA 9’s are currently listed on PSA’s population report. A PSA 5 sold for $60 on May 7.
Neill also called out Jim Wynn’s 1964 Topps rookie card, back when the team was still known as the Colt .45s.
Rusty Staub also has one of his most treasured cards in 1964 Topps Baseball. Featuring the All-Star rookie trophy, Staub’s card in tandem with Wynn’s is a fun way to celebrate one of the great duos in Houston baseball history.
The Greats Who Weren’t Astros First
As with many franchises, the Astros have had amazing ball players who started their careers elsewhere. While some collectors will gravitate to rookie cards no matter what, some team-oriented collectors prefer to emphasize the story and history of the player with the team itself.
While no one would turn down a historic card like this 1968 Topps Baseball Jerry Koosman/Nolan Ryan (a PSA 10 once sold for as much as $600,000), collectors like Neill tend to gravitate toward Astros-era Ryan cards, running through the ’80s.
Some team collectors will prioritize the first card of a player in the uniform. For Nolan Ryan, that’s this legendary 1981 Topps Baseball offering. A PSA 10 sold for over $7,000 last March.
Same goes for legendary pitcher Joe Niekro, who began his MLB career with the Cubs. Niekro’s first Astros card is in the 1976 Topps Baseball set, but the 1980 is an intriguing option, with Niekro showing off the knuckleball grip he perfected with the Astros.
The Killer Bees
Before the Astros finally got a World Series in 2017, Houston’s Killer Bees built the best team Houston had ever seen. With six postseason berths in nine years (from 1962 to 1996 the franchise had made the playoffs a total of three times) and an AL Pennant in 2005, the Killer Bees are among the most beloved players in franchise history. Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Derek Bell, and Lance Berkman represent an amazing era. Bagwell’s first Astros card can be found in 1991 Topps Traded. A PSA 10 is currently listed for under $100.
“The (1989) Biggio Tiffany rookie is a great option,” Neill says. “It’s got some value for sure, but you can find it where you’re not breaking the bank to get it.” A PSA 10 is currently listed for $1,250 on Fanatics Collect.
“I think Berkman is incredibly underrated, on the field and in The Hobby. His 1997 Bowman Chrome, especially if you can get one of his international refractors.” This PSA 10 sold for just over $200 in September 2024.
The Championship Era
World Series Champions in 2017 and 2022. Seven straight ALCS appearances. Four World Series appearances in six years. For Astros collectors, 2017 AL MVP Jose Altuve is perhaps the most coveted of the players from that era. His 2011 Topps Baseball Update card is cherished, and Neill thinks there remains upside on his 2010 Bowman Chrome Prospects card.
Three-time All- Star Yordan Alvarez is a cornerstone of the next iteration of the Houston Astros. His 2018 Bowman Chrome Baseball Prospect Autographs cards are some of the most valuable Houston Astros cards. A Red Refractor Auto /5 sold for over $30,000. Neill suggested Alvarez’s 2024 Topps Stadium Club card: “A phenomenal photo, sometimes it’s just aesthetics. If you wanted a rainbow, that would be the card for me. But for an Astros fan, it may be less a product run, and more a color match.”
One advantage of collecting the Astros, according to Neill, is that many sets will feature low-numbered parallels in orange, setting up a way to chase a favorite player in a way that looks great as a color match and can hold some value.
Who’s Next for the Houston Astros?
When it comes to prospects, the hottest one in Houston is Cam Smith. The most hyped return from the Kyle Tucker trade, Smith has already made his way to the big leagues. At only 22 years old, his Bowman cards saw a big uptick in value as he broke camp with the Astros.
On March 29, his 2024 Bowman Draft Baseball Sapphire Edition 1/1 sold for $37,332. On May 12, his 2025 Bowman Baseball Printing Plate 1/1, featuring the young star in an Astros uniform, fetched $555. No doubt Astros collectors will be very keen to get their hands on Smith’s MLB Rookie Debut Patch Auto.
Collecting as a Community
Billy Neill’s involvement with the Astros Hobby community has only grown over the years. Today, he runs AstrosAtoZ, with over 16,000 followers on X. There, Neill, a teacher, engages the community, as well as posting and selling cards to raise money for his robotics classroom.
“It’s a cool way to be in The Hobby and help the kids be successful,” he said. “It gives them opportunities they wouldn’t necessarily have.”
