most valuable baseball cards 1990s most valuable baseball cards 1990s

Still, The Iron Man played well enough to earn his eighth straight trip to the All-Star game. 2. That was good enough to win the NL Rookie of the Year award and leave us all wondering where his Topps rookie card was. 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. 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. And he also gave us the chance to see him on a Giants card, a reality Topps helped facilitate that fall in their Traded set. This is one such example of one of the decades rarer cards. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. But, hey, if youre going to spray out an iconic error card (that may actually just be a printing flaw), what better way than to target a Hall of Famer? Heres our rundown of the most valuable baseball cards from 1990-2000. 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. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Recommended Reading: National League Baseball West Standings. Jones had a great career with the Atlanta Braves and was a key figure in their success during the 90s. How much are YOUR cards worth? Even today, though, there is still some mystique to those McDonald RCs that once sat near the top of the hobby mountain. 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. Chipper Jones won a World Series and made eight All-Star appearances for the Atlanta Braves in a storied career. The Seattle Mariners outfielder was one of the top players in the game during that decade, and his cards are now highly sought after by collectors. Everyone wanted Don Mattingly cards when I was a kid. 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. . Well, no, actually. In all cases, you could also opt for the more limited, super glossy Tiffany version, which will generally set you back three to five times the cost of the corresponding base cards. The price for a piece of Americas pastime keeps going up. Ken Griffey Jr. is back again, in one of the most important sets from the 1990s. The Oakland Athletics were the hottest team in baseball in 1990 as theyd go on to finish 103-59 in the regular season and swept the Red Sox 4-0 in the AL Championship Series. We didnt really know that Dont Call Me Joey would be a thing when this card was issued, but wed find out soon enough that Albert Belle had one of the most potent bats in the history of baseball. Griffey was one of the most popular players of the era and his cards were always in high demand. Another rare card with two of the best players to grace the field, this 1994 Upper Deck release features both Ken Griffey Jr. & Mickey Mantle. His is the last of the key rookie cards in this set. It took awhile for fans, and especially collectors, to warm up to Larry Walker and his talents. Currently, listings on eBay value this card around the $2000 mark but they have been known to fetch more than triple that at auction. But, because of Bonds popularity and legacy, it still holds decent value in top grade. Occasionally, hed pop something really gaudy, like that Ty Cobb-esque .363 batting title in 1993. Lower-grade cards can sell for around $1000 whilst a higher-grade edition went for $8,655 in 2018. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. His reputation as a two-sport superstar earned him a place in commercials, video games, and even cartoons. Today, even after the great slugger downfall of the 2010s, Sosas rookie cards maintain enough hobby swagger to appear on lists like this one. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, 1987 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide, 1990 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide. While both cards sell for a similar price ungraded, the shiny foil nature of the Bowman's Best card makes it extremely difficult to find them in gem mint condition. There are a lot of Adrian Beltre cards out there but this one from 97 is for sure the most valuable. In spite of the steroid allegations, Rodriguezs RC was always going to be high on any list of the most valuable 90s cards. This is the holy grail of 1990s baseball cards. Check prices on: Bo Jackson was an incredibly popular athlete during the late 80s and early 90s. The dynamic duo had been shut down, something that was unheard of heading into the World Series. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Griffey Jr. is casually jogging across a leaf-green background like the legend that he is. Naturally, his rookie cards were hot tamales. It's said that those that made it to the White House were coated with a glossy finish. Sure, its not George H.W. And together with a great action shot of Griffey showing off his sweet swing, that color scheme makes this one of the best-looking cards in the set. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the top ten: 1990 Score #697 Bo Jackson Estimated PSA 10 Value: $70 Check Prices On: Amazon This card is arguably one of the most iconic cards of the "junk" era. $39.20. 1990 Frank Thomas Topps NAME ON FRONT ROOKIE RC #414 White Sox PSA 8 NM/MINT. Mostly, though, it was just a steady climb to 2200+ career hits, pulling his rookie card along with him. David Justice was already 24 years old when the Braves called him up for the second time, in May of 1990. I have a jose Uribe 87 donruss,I googled his birthday and it was 1959, but my card says 1960,. So, in order for the cards on this list to be worth much, they'll either have to be the Tiffany version (Topps' premium factory set) and/or be graded by PSA to be in perfect, gem mint condition. And then there is the photography, which is pretty sharp in some cases. It was graded NM 7 by the PSA, which is not as impressive as later cards on this list but still high. Not only did he stay in the lineup, he went on to record maybe his greatest season in 1991, winning his second MVP award in the process and setting a dinner date with history for 1995. Ryan found his final baseball home with the Texas Rangers in 1989, and Topps captures him with his new team on this card, fittingly showing him doffing his cap after recording his 5000th strikeout. The value of this card is $5 million. Marquis Grissom was one of what seemed like an endless string of Expos prospects in the 1980s and 1990s. 1990 Classic card list & price guide. By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Baseball Card Market Report. 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. Then, at age 29, a blown rotator cuff ended his career. Of course, even the stoutest of the 90s will likely never rattle any bank accounts, not on the whole, and not to the extent that some of the hobbys big hitters do and will. There was no bigger rookie heading into the 1990 season than Ben McDonald. The Most Valuable 1990s Baseball Cards: Summary, As well as rarity due to the small release, (estimated to be between 6,000 and 7,500), the majority had to get to an active war zone and back before being encased by the likes of, (Okay, we said that you wont find any of these cards hidden down the back of the couch, but this is the exception!). With Walter Johnson years in his rearview, Nolan Ryan sailed past 5000 strikeouts in 1989, on his way to baseball immortality. In 1995, he notched an incredible 52 doubles and 50 home runs, becoming the only player in MLB history to finish the season with 50 or more doubles and home runs in a single season. It turns out there was. 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. The higher the grade, the more valuable a card will be, so were typically looking at PSA 9s and 10s only. 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. It seemed like Rickey Henderson showed up on a Record Breaker card just about every year during the 1980s and 1990s. He was playing against the Cleveland Naps after the Philadelphia Athletics made an exchange in 1910. Because of his jaw-dropping performance that year, Bonds earned his first trip to the All-Star game, won his first MVP, and picked up his first Gold Glove and Silver Slugger awards. Dimensions: 1-1/2 x 2-5/8. You May Like: Baseball Tournaments In Southern California. Back from a starring role in Japan, Fielder had us all shaking our heads as he crushed 51 home runs for the Detroit Tigers, the first 50-homer season in the bigs since George Foster went deep 52 times for the Reds in 1977. Although Canseco batted just .182 (2-11) with one RBI in the AL Championship versus the Red Sox, the Athletics collectively played well enough to sweep Boston. For a time, it was Maas-mania in all facets of baseball, including cards. While his 1992 Bowman rookie is one of the iconic cards of the 1990s, it's actually his 1992 Fleer Update card that earns a spot on this most valuable list. It was the first to offer an auto in every pack, with signatures from some of the biggest stars from the time. This card is ungraded, has no autograph of him but is very valuable. After all, the strapping young lad looked more like a linebacker than a first baseman, and we didnt have the sort of 24-7 access to baseball information and images back in those pre-internet days. For many in the hobby, we have a shorthand when a young player starts hitting home runs at a rapid rate. 1 overall in the 1993 draft, Alex Rodriguez debuted the following year and then set the card market ablaze when he hit .358/.414/.631 with 54 doubles, 36 home runs, 123 RBI and 141 runs scored in his age-20 season to finish runner-up in MVP voting and win the AL batting title. McDonald logged ten more minor league appearances in 1990 before going 8-5 with a stingy 2.43 ERA with the big club to finish third in AL Rookie of the Year balloting. While batting .318 with 32 home runs, 104 runs scored, and 109 RBI, Thomas also led the league in walks (138), OBP (.453), and OPS (1.006), helping to launch his reputation as a disciplined and well-rounded hitter. 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. Both of his rookies eclipsed $100 raw following his Hall of Fame announcement, but it's the Ultra version that sells for slightly higher in high-grade condition. In the current market, Jordan cards from 91 are worth anything up to $400. 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. Also Check: National League Standings For Baseball. You should do your own due dilligence before spending your money on anything including baseball cards. The hobby has never been more popular, while sets were expanding into crazy territory. Drafted in the 62nd round of the 1988 draft as a favor to Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, who was a family friend and the godfather of his younger brother, Mike Piazza went on to become the greatest offensive catcher in MLB history. Dates back to 80s and 90s. And he was an integral part of the Yankees dominance of that era. You May Like: Baseball Knicker Pants With Piping. The clean design, upscale look, bright photo not to mention the fact we pretty much all had at least one make it one of the most memorable 1990 cards still today, even if it comes with a cautionary tale. Rookie cards were typically harder to find compared to cards issued later in a players career, which makes them more valuable. #1: 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000 Dimensions: 2-5/8" x 3-3/4" The most important post-war card in the hobby, price movements of the 1952 Topps #311 Mickey Mantle baseball card are often seen as an indicator of the health of the sports card market overall. 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). Edges are a major issue when it comes to grading, and better versions show off every curve of Mantles ear. To other top rated players. 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. Table of Contents. Read the full disclosure here. Where had this guy been all our lives? Joe Jackson is one of the renowned names. Over the years since this card was issued, NNOF has become a one-name wonder that lets collectors know right away what youre talking about, sort of like Uribe these days, but with the chops to back it up. 1997 - 1998 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13 $599,999.99. To that point, only 59 of 16,753 that have been graded by PSA have come back with a PSA 10 grade. Baseball in the 1990s was dominated by two teams. So, just how costly are the most sought-after baseball cards? While cards are easily available for purchase, the most valuable ones have reached seven-figure territory. As well as rarity due to the small release, (estimated to be between 6,000 and 7,500), the majority had to get to an active war zone and back before being encased by the likes of PSA. 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! Then it was on to the Colorado Rockies, for whom Walker broke out, big time forever giving critics the yeah, but he did that in the thin air of Denver excuse to denigrate, or at least downplay, his performance. To honor President Bush, Topps printed 100 or so of these with a picture of him during his college days in his Yale uniform. 1992 Bowman #302 Mariano Rivera Buy on eBay #9. Ripken would regroup during the offseason to turn in the finest season of his career, setting multiple personal bests during the 1991 campaign while taking home his second MVP to go along with a Gold Glove and Silver Slugger. All baseball fans are familiar with the exploits of Derek Jeter hes a legend of the game, but what makes this card so special? 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. The first of those historic sales was for what many believe is the most iconic trading card in all of sports. A real parallel foil or border foil card will sell more in the realm of $10,000-$20,000, depending on its condition. Read our methodology . I really dont know much about Scores motive for putting him on a baseball card but Im assuming it was some sort of promotional gimmick. But, Donruss had a tribute of their own, albeit less flashy. Its condition sensitivity has made high-grade versions very scarce and very valuable. The 1993 SP Jeter is one of the best cards from the 1990s, produced on a foil background that can be ruined by the faintest touch. You May Like: Nike Dri Fit Baseball Shirts. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Surely Upper Deck has a way to account for this, right? The second, however, showed its value by nearly doubling the price of the former record holder. You could argue he was a better center fielder than others (like Lloyd Waner, for example) who made it to the Hall of Fame, too. 1996 Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant #269 PSA 10 $500,000. Like Marquis Grissom, Delino DeShields was one of a new crop of Expos prospects who promised to bring diamond success to Montreal in the 1990s. Cal kept plugging, though, even when the Orioles were bad, and even when he himself wasnt great. At one time, this 1990 rookie card sat near the top of the new-card mountain and still pulls decent collector interest today. 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. The card features Kobe in a yellow Lakers jersey passing the ball with one hand. With six straight All-Star appearances and one MVP during the 1980s, Mattingly seemed to be on a clear path towards the Hall of Fame. And, even though Juan Gone will never make the Hall of Fame, hell also never completely lose his collector base. 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. For his efforts, Canseco earned a trip to his fourth All-Star game and picked up the second Silver Slugger of his career at that point. 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. I feel for the investment, the Lebron card is a less risky buy. Technological advancements were on the rise but the world was yet to be completely changed by increased connectivity. Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50. It all solidified Cal as an ironclad collector favorite, and we still love him today. Its also seen as his ultimate rookie card, helping to further drive up prices. There are a few of them about but its nearly impossible to find copies with high-quality grades. 1984-85 Star Michael Jordan XRC RC #101 BGS 7.5 Rookie Card | eBay. The record for the most expensive baseball card has changed twice in the last month. With six straight All-Star appearances and one MVP during the 1980s, Mattingly seemed to be on a clear path towards the Hall of Fame. Read our methodology . A PSA 10 gem mint condition version of his 1997 Fleer Ultra Platinum card sold at auction for $4,238. 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. He would extend that 0-fer to three years in 1990 before getting off the snide and reigniting his cards in 1991. Though the gridiron ultimately proved to be his primary passion and gift (hes in the Pro Football Hall of Fame), Sanders spent enough time on the diamond to rack up plenty of steals and runs over his nine-year career. He has an exceptionally rare card from 1991 which is the first to make our list. Prices for 1990 Topps Baseball Cards 1990 Topps card list & price guide. The fact that there are only two of them has helped increase demand, with the 1995 Bowman and 1995 Bowman's Best sets containing his only rookies. One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. Of the six Kevin Maas Rookies, its the 1990 Upper Deck that resonates most. Well, for Topps this was the one, and its still special more than 30 years on. #8. Derek Jeter is one of the most decorated players in the modern era, with 14 All-Star appearances and five World Series wins in a 20-year MLB career spent with the New York Yankees. Its a unique card due to its style it contains an artistic portrait of two baseball legends with autographs and is printed in landscape orientation. Even cards in less-than-perfect condition can go for hundreds, maybe even thousands, and a professionally-rated card is darn-near mythical. Well, Japan and the Blue Jays. Unfortunately for Oakland, Canseco was even worse in the World Series, batting 0.083 (1-12) with one home run and two RBI. Despite hitting .322/.390/.511 with 34 doubles, 18 home runs and 93 RBI at Single-A in 1996, only the Fleer company had the foresight to put David Ortiz in its 1997 products, meaning the 1997 Fleer and premium 1997 Ultra sets contain the only two rookie cards of one of the marquee players of his generation. Like the Griffey card on this list, this may not be the most exciting card in the world. Due to the availability of baseball cards from 1990 and the crash of the sports cards market in the 1990s, most of the standard cards are worth just a few dollars. It was made in a limited set of 50 and this card that sold at a Goldin auction was #50/50. It perfectly illustrates just what made Bo Jackson so special: In fact, its so sensitive to chipping and wear that a combination of the design and packaging caused many copies to grade less than PSA Mint 9, even when pulled straight from the pack. We had an avenue toward Smiths first Cards card, and this was it (Topps division). The most expensive baseball cards of the 1990s were released by Ken Griffey Jr. Theres something for every budget, and thats only going to be good news for collectors. 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. Prices for 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 1990 Fleer card list & price guide. Its another reason why its so valuable in comparison to every other card in the set. I especially remember that monstrous 1997 season he had with 49 home runs, 143 runs scored, 130 RBI and a .363 batting average. 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! had made good, that we were pretty sure Grissom could live up to his advance billing. The card is key for three main reasons: Like wow like comic books have (something I first realized while reading a post from Night Owl Cards). As many sets had excessive print runs, (think millions, although nobody knows for sure) the majority of 1990s options are worth little more than the cost of the materials that they were printed on. He kept racking up All-Star appearances, too, which led to this card. Right!? The top card in a major debut release, it has a memorable look for a generational talent. After the initial production run, someone may detect the error and pull the card from the line. But going back to the Mantle-only auto cardwhats stopping anyone from getting Griffey to sign after the fact, thus turning a pack-pulled Mantle auto into one that resembles the daul? Our list of the most valuable 90s baseball cards has a few surprising names, as well as a host of legends from the sport. Don Mattingly could flat out playhe could hit for average and a bit of power while at the same time maintaining a solid glove at first base . Ungraded & graded values for all '90 Classic Baseball Cards. The cheapest Jordan rookie by a significant margin, its a chance for collectors to own a bona fide piece of sporting history, even if the cards are slightly overpriced due to the latest influx of MJ fans and hype around his RC options. The fact is, Belle was one of the most consistently productive hitters of the 1990s as he hit no fewer than 28 home runs and drove in no fewer than 95 runs from 1991 to 1999. Bush money, but its still a decent payout for a 90s baseball card! That zeal spilled over to the hobby, where we made Junior one of the most popular players in cardboard right off the bat, and his 1990 Topps card has become something of a Junk Wax classic that still delights after all these years. 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. His standard rookie (which we'll get to later) is the key rookie card in this set, but the version without his name on the front is an incredibly rare error and collectors are willing to pay up big time for it. Bernie Williams was an extremely productive player during the mid to late 1990's. However, there are a few rare gems from this period that are exceptions to the rule.