It took awhile for fans, and especially collectors, to warm up to Larry Walker and his talents. However, things changed in the World Series as they couldnt seem to figure out the Cincinnati Reds pitching and shockingly found themselves on the other end of a sweep. Due to poor sales of the previous Fleer Update sets, the print run was slashed for the 1992 release, making it one of the few hard-to-find sets of the Junk Wax Era. In 1989, Bo Jackson reached career highs in games played (135), home runs (32), and RBI (105), and he also stole 26 bases for the Kansas City Royals. He had surpassed Bobby Bonds (35) that April. You May Like: Baseball Knicker Pants With Piping. Bo Jackson was an incredibly popular athlete during the late 80s and early 90s. Check prices on: Amazon. This time hes on his own, but its still a great option even without the help of Mickey Mantle. Sure, its not George H.W. Clean-looking raw versions regularly sell for over $1,000 on eBay, with buyers hoping to strike gold by getting it graded. But theres still a certain cynicism among many when we hear about a rookie being the next big thing. It was a blistering campaign that launched the young superstars career into the stratosphere. This may very well be the most stylish card on the list. Of the 19,386 submitted to PSA to date, only 621 have even received a PSA 9 grade, with a mere 21 coming back with the vaunted PSA 10 gem mint grade. 17 overall pick in the 1995 draft, Roy Halladay debuted in 1998 and pitched well in a swingman role the following year, but he was shelled to the tune of a 10.64 ERA in 67.2 innings in 2000. Read Also: Nike Youth Baseball Pants With Piping. Even if it's not in pristine shape, it can still be worth thousands of dollars. The New York Yankees signed 20-year-old Mariano Rivera out of Panama on Feb. 17, 1990, and he allowed just 17 hits and one earned run with 58 strikeouts in 52 innings in his pro debut at the rookie ball level later that year. It was an underwhelming season for the team overall and Ripkens numbers werent the greatest either as he batted just .250 with 21 home runs, 84 RBI, and 78 runs scored. . Despite the bad press, the list proves that the 1990s wasnt the worst time to begin investing in baseball cards, as long as you knew where to look and only went for the best of the best. $49.00. Along with those of Wade Boggs and Ryne Sandberg, the 1983 Topps Tony Gwynn rookie card is one of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1980s. Even today, though, there is still some mystique to those McDonald RCs that once sat near the top of the hobby mountain. This one is scarce enough that pics are tough to come by, though PSA has a few on its Auction Prices Realized tool for this set. By the time this card was issued, Cal Ripken was starting to draw heavy flak for his slipping performance at the plate. Due to poor sales of the. There is also more demand for rookie cards due to the perceived value. Similar to Bo Jackson, even though Mattingly's career declined at the height of his prime, he was one of the hottest names in the hobby of that era, and collectors still love his cards today. Within that OBP stat was the remarkable fact that Henderson either walked or hit safely in 125 of the 136 games he played that season. And then there is the photography, which is pretty sharp in some cases. In the end, Walker had the last guffaw, elected to the Hall of Fame in 2020. He kept racking up All-Star appearances, too, which led to this card. Beltres rookie card from 1997 recently sold at auction for $3,016. In 2020 a PSA 10 edition of this card sold for an astonishing $180,000. Olerud took awhile to build a resume that would land him on lists like this, putting up solid, semistar-to-star-level performances year after year. Technological advancements were on the rise but the world was yet to be completely changed by increased connectivity. 1990 Score Ken Griffey, Jr. (#560) If there is one great player from the 1990s and 2000s who seems to have sidestepped any suspicion of PED usage, it's the inimitable Ken Griffey, Jr. And, from the time Junior appeared on card #1 in the inaugural Upper Deck issue in 1989, he has been been hobby royalty. Cards 258. Even now, decades after his retirement and years after he fell off the Hall of Fame ballot, Mattingly still carries plenty of weight in the hobby he helped build. However, if you want to get real serious with Frank Thomas cards, it really doesnt get any better than this rare piece. You May Like: Red White And Blue Baseball Jersey. Your email address will not be published. That performance was just the beginning, of course, and also the start of a climb for his cards in the hobby. I think it's odd that he was a two-time MVP but only a three-time All-Star. The back of the card references his hitting ability that he displayed in high school but also makes reference to him being though of as the next Mario Lemieux. Sammy Sosa entered 1990 with designs on a starting job for the first time in his big league career, thanks to a midseason trade in 1989 from the Rangers to the White Sox. The next few years saw McDonald settle in as a solid but not spectacular rotation piece who never quite lived up to his next Roger Clemens billing. With *still* less than 300 of these gracing the PSA Population Report as of January 2022, and with Big Hurt firmly enshrined in Cooperstown, its no wonder this card is such a big kahuna among 1990 baseball issues. While cards are easily available for purchase, the most valuable ones have reached seven-figure territory. For the first time in his young career, Bonds batted over .300 (.301), drove in more than 100 RBI (114), hit more than 30 home runs (33), and scored more than 100 runs (104). I've always liked the look of these cards, and as a kid, I loved ripping packs in search of rookies and star players. Topps continued their Ryan celebration here by showing him with the Houston Astros, who had made the future Hall of Famer the first baseball player to earn $1 million+ when they signed him as a free agent prior to the 1980 season. During this period, its estimated that companies were producing three times as many cards as they had previously, fueled by greed and ever-increasing public demand. Before we get started, I do want to make it clear that most of the cards from this set do not have any value these days. Is it a Thomas back on a Ripken front, or some other configuration? Entdecke Cal Ripken 9 Vintage Kartenlot, 1987 -1992, Topps, Punktzahl All Star Diamond King Neuwertig in groer Auswahl Vergleichen Angebote und Preise Online kaufen bei eBay Kostenlose Lieferung fr viele Artikel! Which Was Your Favorite Old-Time Baseball Cards Publica 1987 Topps Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable R 1978 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide, 25) 1990 Topps Sammy Sosa Rookie Card (#692), 24) 1990 Topps Larry Walker Rookie Card (#757), 12) 1990 Topps Bernie Williams Rookie Card (#701), 5) 1990 Topps Rickey Henderson Record Breaker (#7), 4) 1990 Topps Frank Thomas Rookie Card (#414), 6) 1990 Topps Delino Deshields Rookie Card (#224), 5) 1990 Topps Juan Gonzalez Rookie Card (#331), 4) 1990 Topps Ben McDonald Rookie Card (#774), 3) 1990 Topps Marquis Grissom Rookie Card (#714), 2) 1990 Topps Frank Thomas Partial Blackless (#414), 1) 1990 Topps Frank Thomas No Name on Front (#414), 2) 1990 Topps Traded Cecil Fielder (#31T), 1) 1990 Topps Traded David Justice (#48T), 1990 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Your Set U-Pick (#'s 401-600) Nm-Mint, Coast-to-Coast Cardboard: Rocco Constantinos Collecting Story, 1952 Bowman Baseball Cards 12 Most Valuable, 1990 Upper Deck Baseball Cards - The Ultimate Guide - Wax Pack Gods, 1990 Topps Baseball Cards - The Ultimate Collector's Guide, 1957 Topps Baseball Cards 15 Most Valuable, 1967 Topps Baseball Cards 17 Most Valuable, 1959 Topps Baseball Cards 17 Most Valuable, 1961 Topps Baseball Cards 16 Most Valuable, 1986 ProCards Pittsfield Cubs Rafael Palmeiro Left Room for Interpretation Wax Pack Gods, 1998 Upper Deck Final Tribute Captured Eddie Murray in His Second Home Wax Pack Gods, Players with 3000 Hits and 500 Home Runs Wax Pack Gods, Card Traders Near Me: Where to Find Them! Serial numbered to just 99, its extremely fragile, while the shiny border is especially susceptible to chips and will highlight any blemishes. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. But how do you know whether it was pack pulled or signed post pull by Griffey? It would take a few years for Sammy Sosa's career to heat up so I don't recall this card being too hyped at the time. However, cards from Sandbergs first run with the Chicago Cubs are also quite. So, just how costly are the most sought-after baseball cards? Its another reason why its so valuable in comparison to every other card in the set. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. The only Leaf card to make the list, their 1996 set is one of the best the company ever released. We'll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.. Posted by Adam Hughes | Baseball Card Values, Baseball Cards | 4 |. Similar to Bo Jackson, even though Mattinglys career declined at the height of his prime, he was one of the hottest names in the hobby of that era, and collectors still love his cards today. T210 Old Mill Joe Jackson The T210 Old Mill deck is one of the most varied. Eight-time All-Star Roy Halladay was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2019 and sadly passed away in 2017. Well, the 1993 card was printed with a foil layer making it incredibly delicate. How much are YOUR cards worth? Its the 24k gold foil overlay that really makes this card stand out. One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. Its difficult to find a more important autographed duo card in the history of baseball, featuring two players who tore up the record books during their respective careers. His other rookie cards are in the 1997 Bowman and 1997 Bowman's Best sets, while his first Topps card was in the 1998 flagship set where he's pictured alongside fellow third base prospect Aaron Boone. The young, toolsy prospect made a decent showing in his new climes, cracking double-digit home runs and stealing 32 bases. Well, no, actually. This Upper Deck card shows Frank Thomas in the motion of striking a ball. Hed never get a World Series ring but during the mid to late 80s, he was one of the sports best players and his cards were on fire in the hobby as a result. Like the 93 Derek Jeter, this is a card that was produced with a foil back and mint condition versions are hard to come by. In the 1990 set, that RB card celebrated Rickeys 40th career leadoff home run late in 1989, which extended his own record. . Autographed Cards Population Totals. That 5000th strikeout that Ryan recorded in 1989 did wonders for his hobby profile, beginning right at the front of the 1990 Topps set. And also like Grissom, DeShields managed to put together a fine career that left him short of the Hall of Fame but still popular enough among old-time collectors to keep his rookie card out of the commons bin. And, even though Juan Gone will never make the Hall of Fame, hell also never completely lose his collector base. Jeters 1993 SP Foil is arguably the pick of the bunch and the most expensive and has also seen a notable uptick in recent years. Theres a small UD logo in the top right corner, while the reverse has a guarantee for the signatures. It's hard to make the claim that any 1990 Fleer baseball cards are really "most valuable" from a monetary standpoint. On the baseball field, Jackson had a cannon for an arm and a compact, powerful swing, which is on full display on this card. Hyped as a generational talent and future superstar from the moment he was taken No. With his production continuing to slide, and the Braves going nowhere fast, Atlanta sent their legendary two-time MVP to the Phillies in a sort of complicated August trade. Bonds card prices, its seems, like his Hall of Fame candidacy, are victims of his PED taint. And, while this one may not inspire thoughts of grandeur, its good to see The Man of Steal back where he began and where hed set a slew of records over the next several seasons. In 2015, a PSA 10 copy would sell for roughly $30,000. It took him just 133 at bats to reach #15. If the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. is the most iconic baseball rookie card of the 1980s, the 1993 SP Derek Jeter holds a similar spot in for the 1990s. This card from 1992, showing Piazza in a crowded catchers stance, is worth a fair amount of money within collectors circles, often going between $200 and $300. His reputation as a two-sport superstar earned him a place in commercials, video games, and even cartoons. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million. The checklist also contains rookie cards of Jeff Kent and Tim Wakefield. This is about as bland a card as youre likely to find for one of the greatest pitchers of all time, but I guess that was Roger Clemens punishment for having not won a Cy Young award for two years running at the time of issue. Rookie cards were typically harder to find compared to cards issued later in a players career, which makes them more valuable. The on-card autograph is located at the base and was filled out using black ink. But, the Toronto Blue Jays did let him tryout and I guess that was good enough for Score to put him in their Traded series. launch monetization_on $4.99 08/28/2022. During the 1990s, Griffey Jr. was one of the hottest stars in the sport and seemed destined to break all kinds of records. If its the former, its a wrong back and might have a small premium over a regular Ripken for collectors of one or both of the players. Nothing huge, though, as its really just a printing mistake. Predictably, his cards skyrocketed like one of his Wrigley Field blasts. In 1994-95, baseball was rocked by a player strike which massively ate into the season resulting in a blow to the games public image. This card was produced for US servicemen and women serving in Operation Desert Storm so imaginably, there arent many out there and even less in mint condition. That was old for a prospect, and he hadnt exactly torn up the minors, either. The card features Griffey, Jr. against a green background with a rainbow effect. And he nearly won the batting title with his .325 average, narrowly losing out to George Brett (.329) on the final day of the season. And for those of us who grew up collecting these as kids, they'll always have a huge nostalgic factor to them despite not having the most monetary value. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the list: 1990 Upper Deck Heroes Reggie Jackson Autograph Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $750 The 1990 Upper Deck set contained a monstrous 800-card checklist that was distributed in two series: the Low Series (#1-700) and the High Series (#701-800). And at the end of his career, he was just a notch or two below Cooperstown levels, but still plenty decorated enough to make his rookie card a solid hobby star all these year later. Hes widely regarded as one of the best baseball players to come from the Dominican Republic and was a great all-round athlete who had a long-spanning career. The higher the grade, the more valuable a card will be, so were typically looking at PSA 9s and 10s only. The action shot features a young Jeter primed to make a catch, with the player superimposed over the holofoil. As an All-Star card, the back of this one shows his AS stats: But some of the cards printed in early runs purported to show his recent major league performance: Its scarce enough, at least in Junk Wax terms, to land a pretty cherry spot on this list. Read the full disclosure here. Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50. The most valuable cards include rookie cards and cards from Sandbergs year in the Minor League. Despite such controversy, the 90s produced some fantastic highs and quality players which would affect the baseball card market in the long term. Upper Deck released its super-premium SP product line during the same year that Topps (Finest) and Fleer (Flair) unveiled their own high-end set, but SP is the only one that contains a rookie card of New York Yankees superstar Derek Jeter. Also Check: Cbs Sports Major League Baseball Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr #156 This is a beautiful baseball card. With 10,886 PSA 9 and 3,857 PSA 10 in circulation, it's not hard to find a high-grade version, but they still sell for a premium as an iconic card of one of the decade's biggest stars. By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Baseball Card Market Report. Ortiz spent six seasons with the Minnesota Twins before joining the Boston Red Sox in 2003, and he immediately broke out as one of the game's premier run producers. The former president was presented with one hundred copies of his very own baseball card from his days as captain at Yale in 1990 by Topps. Those who remember the mass hysteria surrounding the Y2K bug saga at the end of 1999 will know what Im talking about. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. The most expensive cards tend to be rare, and theyre often serial numbered. Rookies have a history of booming and busting. The blue and yellow borders on this card matched up perfectly with the Mariners uniforms back then. It includes a lot of minor players that you may not have heard the name of before. Very few of them exist with both athletes signatures and even fewer in this condition, making this card almost certainly a one-of-a-kind treasure. Well, for Topps this was the one, and its still special more than 30 years on. This card was produced in a limited edition of only 24 examples, with this one being #14/24. I wont get into it here, and theres a great article on PWCC that dives deeper that was just written this past June, and offering this nugget: The pack pulled, dual Mantle and Griffey auto is one of the most desirable dual auto pack pulled cards ever. Alex Rodriguez is a 14-time All-Star, and one of the greatest of all time when youre looking at stats alone. 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! Fast forward a year and a half, though, and Thomas was one of the best hitters in baseball, well on his way to becoming the Big Hurt and, ultimately, a Cooperstown denizen. Heres a list of seven of the most valuable baseball cards from the 1990s, with info about each one, including an explanation as to why theyre so expensive. Seen as one of the key reasons behind their success, its all the more impressive considering he won his last World Series in 2009, 13 years after his maiden victory. His is the last of the key rookie cards in this set. By 1990, Cal Ripken Jr. was starting to take flak for continuing The Streak in spite of slipping performance at the plate. Naturally, his rookie cards were hot tamales. The impressive home run and RBI tallies would fade, causing Mattingly to be overlooked for any All-Star selections in the 1990s. He has an exceptionally rare card from 1991 which is the first to make our list. He primarily played for the Dodgers and Mets and was an All-Star 12 times between 1993 and 2005. And, voila! Despite not making his major league debut until June 29, Kevin Maas still managed to hit 21 home runs for the Yankees in his rookie season. Thanks , Your email address will not be published. Stats via Baseball Reference. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. You shouldnt be fooled by the SP label, as it still had a massive print number when you compare it to the modern sets of today. Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. The hobby has never been more popular, while sets were expanding into crazy territory. It remains to be seen if Bonds will be inducted into the Hall of Fame but I dont think anyone can argue how talented he was. Beltre is viewedas a likely first-ballot Hall of Famer when he is eligible for the first time in 2024, andthis is a card that still has some room to grow in value. Most Expensive 1990 Topps card list & price guide. It perfectly illustrates just what made Bo Jackson so special: It includes a lot of minor players that you may not have heard the name of before. Aside from the emblem and the potential for a few battle scars, its a fairly simple card that features Jones with a bat slung over his shoulders, with a couple of trees in the background. All card images courtesy of TCDB, while pricing data is pulled from recent eBay sales as of Thursday morning. Not surprisingly, Thomas 1991 breakout (.318, 32 home runs, 109 RBI, 104 runs) sent us all scrambling to find his 1990 rookie cards, and theyve been hobby royalty ever since. An autograph can instantly increase the value of any card. This Frank Thomas Topps rookie card is very notable for its mistake: the complete absence of Frank Thomass name! The man needed to take a day off now and then, they said, and forget about chasing Lou Gehrigs record for consecutive games played. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Alright, lets play ball, 1990 Topps style! Even with that honor under his belt, though, Boogers cards like this 1990 Topps rookie never exploded in popularity or value and offer the chance to own some Cooperstown cardboard on the relative cheap. Card #137 in the Skybox Premium Star Rubies Set is this 1999 Ken Griffey Jr. card. Read our methodology. The hype surrounding Arizona Diamondbacks slugger Travis Lee and Chicago Cubs phenom Kerry Wood helped drive interest initially, but it's Adrian Beltre who wound up having the most valuable rookie card in a set that also contains first-year cards of Roy Halladay, Aramis Ramirez, Miguel Tejada, Lance Berkman, Eric Chavez, Vernon Wells and many other notable 2000s standouts. Would anyone be interested in buying my Sports Card Collection. For example, PSA 10 copies of his 1991 Upper Deck were selling for roughly $40 in 2017, but they now go for almost 10 times that amount. His 1990 Topps rookie card has held up over the years with decent value. In 16 seasons, he hit .318/.379/.553 for a 140 OPS+ with 449 home runs, 1,496 RBI and 59.5 WAR, and he earned Hall of Fame induction in 2018. The action shot shows Griffey Jr. after a successful swing, and the card immediately catches the eye thanks to the shiny border. Highlighting Reggie Jackson, the "Heroes of Baseball" set that originated in 1990 would. One gem mint listing on eBay has an asking price of $9,500. This set was a monster and contained a 792 card checklist in total. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. The Investment Case for the 1989-1990 Hoops Michael Jordan #200 Basketball Card. He also set a personal best for stolen bases (52) while leading the league in slugging percentage (.565) and OPS (.970). Joe Jackson is one of the renowned names. This card is so odd because Lindros never even actually played professional baseballnot even in the Minors. In truth, MJ wasnt particularly good at baseball, but his RC is still worth adding to your personal collection if and when prices begin to slow down. Frank Thomas was a first-round pick in 1989, but the average collector might have been forgiven for thinking that Topps had their sports mixed up when this card started popping out of packs in 1990. It was sold at an auction in 1966. All baseball fans are familiar with the exploits of Derek Jeter hes a legend of the game, but what makes this card so special? You May Like: Best Walk Up Songs Baseball. His enduring popularity for a major market team, legendary career, and the fact that it's his only true rookie card have helped make this one of the most valuable raw cards of the 1990s, with ungraded versions regularly topping $100. You shouldnt be fooled by the SP label, as it still had a massive print number when you compare it to the modern sets of today. Don Mattingly's career was almost a tale of two decades. The 1990 Topps baseball card set went to great lengths to pay tribute to Nolan Ryan's achievement of surpassing the 5,000 career strikeout mark.