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When it comes to iconic names, there's one every collector knows—but it might not be who you think. It’s not Mickey Mantle, Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky, or Tom Brady. I’ll give you a hint:
He’s making a list and checking it twice—you know who I’m talking about. That’s right, I’m talking about the GOAT of December, Santa Claus.
What many collectors may not know is that Santa Claus has popped up on sports cards every now and then since the late 80s.
Santa first appeared on a Pro Set promo card distributed to hobby dealers and NFL personnel in December 1989. Since then, he’s been featured on short prints, stand-alone sets, and everything in between. He’s even shared pieces of his suit for relic cards and stepped away from the North Pole to sign autographs for the kids.
It’s easy to forget about Santa outside of the holiday season, but if you’re a fan of Christmas and want to add some Saint Nick cards to your collection, here are ten of our favorites you should check out.
Pacific's 1993 depiction of Santa Claus is SO 90s. From the block-letter name plate to a floating Santa set on top of the innovative refractor card stock—cutting-edge at the time—this card oozes nostalgia. It’s one of just two cards on our top 10 list to feature a live-action Santa.
The 2023 Leaf Web Exclusives Santa Claus Anime Nation is the newest addition to our list. Released exclusively on Leaf.com as part of their web-only series, this card is numbered to just 165 copies. It features Santa, styled in vibrant anime artwork, spilling boxes of Leaf trading cards from his present sack. It’s also the only numbered card on our list—an important detail for collectors who value rarity.
Believe it or not, Santa is not only a prolific gift giver but also an incredible athlete. Santa’s 1993 Playoff card captures him breaking a tackle and sprinting past another defender in dramatic fashion. With its stunning artwork and borderless design, the card transports collectors to an epic, snowy scene.
1991 Pro Line features Santa hitting the Heisman pose and sporting a flattop haircut while running into the endzone with his sack of presents. This card feels much more like a football card than a holiday-themed Santa card, but I enjoy the classic Santa artwork and its cheerful vibe more than others on the list.
I’ll be the first to admit that this card has a slightly eerie quality, but there’s a fascinating history behind Santa’s 2010 Allen & Ginter Creatures of Legend, Myth, & Joy card. It features Thomas Nast's 1881 illustration, Merry Old Santa Claus, widely regarded as the earliest American depiction of Santa.
The story behind the card, paired with the signature quirkiness of Allen & Ginter, makes this a must-have in my collection. Its blend of history, art, and holiday charm makes it stand out from the rest of Santa's cards on the list.
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If there’s one card on this list that could easily claim the top spot, it’s Santa’s 1991 Parkhurst hockey card. Modeled after a 1935 painting of Santa Claus by Norman Rockwell, with its cozy, nostalgic depiction of Santa sitting at his desk, carefully looking over cards before packing them into his gift sack.
The use of white space draws your focus to Santa, while the Parkhurst logo pops beautifully against the clean background. In my opinion, this is Santa’s most aesthetically pleasing card.
Santa’s 2022 Donruss Downtown! case hit is by far his most expensive card. Already highly sought after by ultra-modern collectors, it stands out for its unique design, depicting Santa with his elves and reindeer in the North Pole as they gear up for a busy night delivering presents.
With fewer than 100 PSA 10 copies, it’s also among Santa’s rarest cards in high grade. This combination of scarcity, artistic detail, and holiday charm makes it a must-have for collectors.
If you’re looking for a game-used or holiday-used Santa card to add to your collection, this card is as good as it gets. The oversized design features a 'Holiday-Worn' piece of Santa’s suit and a green foil-stamped facsimile autograph. It’s a fun and nostalgic piece that draws inspiration from the style of early basketball jersey autograph cards, which were groundbreaking for collectors.
Santa's 1989 Pro Set Promo is often considered his 'Rookie Card' or 'Pre-Rookie Card' (Depending on who you ask). Originally distributed to hobby dealers and NFL personnel in December 1989, the card was designed to promote the upcoming Pro Set football release. Styled in the iconic 1989 Pro Set design, it shows Santa flipping through his football cards on Christmas Eve—an image that resonates with many Millennials who started collecting around this time.
With approximately 450 PSA graded copies, this card is more than three times as rare as Santa's 1990 Pro Set card, which has around 1,300 graded examples. However, its gem rate of 25% means there are slightly more PSA 10s compared to its second-year counterpart. PSA 10s currently sell for between $400 and $500, reflecting both its rarity and its nostalgic appeal
Santa's second-year Pro Set appearance has become his most recognizable card. Depicted in a whimsical scene, Santa is once again delivering cards to children—this time decorating a Christmas tree with football and hockey cards. You'll also find 'Elfred,' the Elf of the Month, in the background. Elfred is thought to have been inspired by a Pro Set employee at the time, though his true identity remains unknown.
This card is among the more expensive Santa Claus cards due to its rarity in high grades. With fewer than 100 PSA 10 copies out of approximately 1,300 PSA copies graded.
Honorable Santa Claus Sports Card Mention
While this isn’t a sports card, its design was too good not to include on the list. Cardsmiths, a creative non-sport card manufacturer, has produced unique sets ranging from Bob Ross to The Golden Girls. However, their most successful series to date is the Currency sets, which celebrate various cryptocurrencies with parallels inspired by real-world currency designs.
In 2023, Santa appeared in their special holiday edition release, adding a festive twist to the series. The cards were released in the following parallels: Garnet (numbered to 75), Silver (numbered to 50), Gold (numbered to 10), and Snowflake (numbered to just 3).
Bonus: Santa Claus Complete Set
If you search 'Santa Claus' in Card Ladder's Sales History, you’ll find numerous cards depicting Santa Claus, paying homage to iconic Topps designs over the years. In 2007, Topps released the first stand-alone Santa Claus Holiday Set, an 18-card collection featuring 16 base cards, one memorabilia card, and one autograph. Affordable and festive, the set was a perfect Christmas gift for collectors.
Jake from 90s BBall Cards on YouTube has a great set break you can see below.
While complete Santa sets are no longer released annually, Topps has incorporated the concept into its annual Holiday insert sets, keeping the tradition alive for modern collectors.
If you want MORE Santa Claus card content, Trading Card DB has the most complete listing I could track down of his cards here.
I hope you have a Merry Christmas and a happy new year!