The 5 Most Valuable Walter Payton Cards
By Ripbin Research · Updated 2026-06-13 · prices from live market data
The most valuable Walter Payton card is the 2020 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Walter Payton #DT-28, worth about $1,220.00. The top 5 are worth roughly $1,263.58 combined.
From rookie-year keys to short-printed parallels, these are the 5 most valuable Walter Payton cards right now, ranked by real market prices.
Number one checks in around $1,220.00 ungraded. Each entry links to grade-by-grade values (PSA, BGS, CGC, SGC) and current listings.
#12020 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Walter Payton #DT-28
$1,220.00PSA 10 ~$2,775.83The undisputed king of this list at $1,220.00 raw. A PSA 10 changes the math entirely: about $2,775.83.
#31981 Topps Walter Payton #400
$5.99PSA 10 ~$3,914.90Raw copies trade near $5.99. In PSA 10 it's a different card — around $3,914.90. Surviving high-grade copies from 1981 are the exception, not the rule.
#42022 Panini Donruss Optic Walter Payton #38
$5.90PSA 10 ~$42.40Raw copies trade near $5.90. In PSA 10 it's a different card — around $42.40. This is the Silver Circles — scarcer than the base and priced accordingly.
#51981 Topps Walter Payton #202
$3.36PSA 10 ~$1,337.50Currently around $3.36 in raw condition. In PSA 10 it's a different card — around $1,337.50. Vintage condition sensitivity means sharp copies are genuinely scarce.
Market snapshot
The top 5 Walter Payton cards are worth a combined $1,263.58 in raw condition, and where graded data exists, PSA 10 copies average about 265.3× the raw price — condition is doing real work in this market. 1 of the top 5 clear the $100.00 mark. Values move with the market — each card page above tracks current prices and live listings.
Frequently asked questions
- What is the most valuable Walter Payton card?
- The 2020 Panini Donruss Optic Downtown Walter Payton #DT-28 tops the list at around $1,220.00 ungraded — graded copies sell for more.
- Are Walter Payton cards worth money?
- Yes — the top 5 Walter Payton cards alone are worth about $1,263.58 combined in raw condition, and gem-mint graded copies average roughly 265.3× the raw price.
- Where can I sell Walter Payton cards?
- eBay is the most liquid market — each card above links to live listings. You can also scan your cards with Ripbin to track values and receive bids from collectors.