23,119. Marquis Grissom was one of what seemed like an endless string of Expos prospects in the 1980s and 1990s. David Justice was already 24 years old when the Braves called him up for the second time, in May of 1990. And part of that goes towards chasing Kevin Maas Rookie Cards back in the day. His greatness began to show in earnest that summer, though, as he led the Pirates to a division title and won his first National League MVP award. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. He primarily played for the Dodgers and Mets and was an All-Star 12 times between 1993 and 2005. His is the last of the key rookie cards in this set. At 36, Gary Carters best days were behind him in 1990, but he still put up a solid season at the plate for the Giants that summer. 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. 1997 - 1998 UD Game Jersey Michael Jordan #GJ13 $599,999.99. 10 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1990s - Gold Card Auctions So there you have it, the ten most valuable 1990 Topps cards. Happy investing! 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. However, injuries would catch up to him, and even though he still had a top-notch glove on defense and could still hit for average, his power wasnt nearly what it used to be. The green background makes any flaws or cornering issues easier to detect, which is why finding a mint condition copy of this card is difficult. His reputation as a two-sport superstar earned him a place in commercials, video games, and even cartoons. He would finish in the top five in Cy Young balloting a total of seven times in his career, and he was undoubtedly one of the elite pitchers of his generation. We love the '80s (and '90s) baseball cards: The top 15 sets of the era | Sporting News Astros +400 Dodgers +600 Mets +700 Yankees +700 Braves +900 Padres +1000 Phillies +1200 Blue Jays +1300. Stats via Baseball Reference. Sure, the dudes personality rubbed folks like a porcupine-grained sandpaper, and health issues sank his Hall of Fame hopes, but Belle managed to dominate in the batters box long enough to add some forever value to his rookie cards. Well, first of all, you might see the card with a Ken Griffey Jr. auto only, or a Mantle auto only, and then of course, the dual auto that is basically the greatest combo dual auto to ever grace a baseball card. 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!). Constantly nipping at their heels were the Atlanta Braves who performed consistently well over the decade despite winning only one World Series title (they lost on a heart-breaking four occasions). If youve got an old box of cards lying around somewhere, its got to be time to dust it off and take a look to see if theres a 93 Derek Jeter hidden amongst your collection. 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.. 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. Ungraded & graded values for all '90 Topps Baseball Cards. 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. In any case, they help to make the 1990 Topps set what it is, and they deserve some of our cardboard love, too. The most expensive baseball cards of the 1990s were released by Ken Griffey Jr. Rickey led the AL in four major statistical categories beginning with runs scored (119), stolen bases (65), OPS (1.016), and OBP (.439). It was all sort of ho-hum greatness until Gwynn kicked things up a gear in his mid-30s, winning four straight crowns from 1994 through 1997 and flirting with .400, especially in that first, strike-shortened season. Well, no, actually. 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. A number of steroid sagas have somewhat marred his legacy in recent years, but theres no denying his talent. If theres a Holy Grail of all 1980s baseball cards, the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. is it. 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. Edges are a major issue when it comes to grading, and better versions show off every curve of Mantles ear. Added to that, there are presidential artifact collectors who also drive up the price for it. Remarkably, that stat line wasn't good enough to take home the Triple Crown but he did win MVP honors that season. 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. 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. This card is ungraded, has no autograph of him but is very valuable. Contact us: contact@baseballloveclub.com, The 30 Most Valuable Baseball Cards From 1990-1994, Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1990s Rookie Cards Only. As with the SP cards above, the player is outlined to help him to stand out, going so far as to put him above the border in places. I have a jose Uribe 87 donruss,I googled his birthday and it was 1959, but my card says 1960,. And, voila! As an added disclaimer no copyright infringements were meant to be made in regards to the publishing of the images and cards. If its something else, it would be interesting to see whats up. Most Expensive 90s Baseball Cards - BaseballLoveClub.com As such, it was never corrected because there wasnt really anything to correct. Much of the shine faded in the glare of the various PED scandals, but Joses place in hobby history wont go quietly into the night, and his early-career cards still draw interest today. 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. Bonds card prices, its seems, like his Hall of Fame candidacy, are victims of his PED taint. But theres still a certain cynicism among many when we hear about a rookie being the next big thing. The initial production run containing the error becomes scarce, driving up its value. Has there ever been a bigger revelation in the course of one baseball season than what Cecil Fielder wrought in 1990? The following cards either dont quite measure up to the biggies on our list, or they are oddball cases that you just dont see very often. Despite the disappointing turn of events in his career, collectors of that era still love Jackson and have built quite the following for his cards these days. Mike Piazza is one of the most iconic catchers in the game. The only Leaf card to make the list, their 1996 set is one of the best the company ever released. 1992 Bowman #302 Mariano Rivera Buy on eBay #9. Even if it's not in pristine shape, it can still be worth thousands of dollars. Some of the Mantle-only autos were pulled, then later signed by Griffey. This one features a young Ryan with the New York Mets, where he made a first, brief, and wild stop. After winning American League Rookie of the Year and MVP honors in 1982 and 1983, respectively, Ripken had managed just 21 home runs and a .257 batting average in 1989, even as his Orioles rebounded from laughingstock (54-107) in 1988 to contender (87-75) the next summer under second-year manager Frank Robinson. Unfortunately, the back issues kicked in at the wrong time as he struggled with back spasms throughout the entire postseason. When he burst onto the scene, his rookie cards were among the hottest sellers in the entire hobby. Due to poor sales of the. It was the first to offer an auto in every pack, with signatures from some of the biggest stars from the time. 1989 Star Jerome Walton Autographed Card #1 Signed Auto 1990 Donruss RC Error! I have looked and cannot find the value. For many in the hobby, we have a shorthand when a young player starts hitting home runs at a rapid rate. 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. Bo Jackson was an incredibly popular athlete during the late 80s and early 90s. (Okay, we said that you wont find any of these cards hidden down the back of the couch, but this is the exception!) 22) 1990 Topps Roger Clemens (#245) This is about as bland a card as you're 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. Its hard to find in good condition, which is why high PSA grades are so expensive. After the initial production run, someone may detect the error and pull the card from the line. The problem is, that the first half of the 1990s was marred by the junk wax era, which is considered to have lasted from 1987 to 1994. 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. He continued to impress at Single-A the following year, and that was enough to earn him a spot on the 1992 Bowman checklist. Griffeys rookie card from 1988 is worth an estimated $2 million, according to Sports Illustrated. All baseball fans are familiar with the exploits of Derek Jeter hes a legend of the game, but what makes this card so special? Like the Griffey card on this list, this may not be the most exciting card in the world. The card companies came calling, and collectors were happy to scoop up rookie cards of the young slugger in 1990, especially when he bashed 29 long balls at Triple-A Oklahoma City that summer before connecting on four more in just 25 games for the Rangers in September. 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. No one knew it at the time, but this would be the last time Dale Murphy ever appeared in a Braves uniform on a regular-issue Topps base set as an active player. Coming in the number 1 spot for the most Valuable 1990s basketball cards is the Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems card. Bernie Williams was an extremely productive player during the mid to late 1990's. 30 Best Baseball Cards from Late 1980s, Early 1990s, Ranked List, Guide 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. To honor President Bush, Topps printed 100 or so of these with a picture of him during his college days in his Yale uniform. Pitchers with 300 Wins and Their Baseball Cards. Walker's rookie card received quite a boost in price once he finally received the call to the Hall of Fame. How Much Should You Invest Annually In Sports Card. We use cookies to improve your experience. The on-card autograph is located at the base and was filled out using black ink. Only two have achieved a BGS 9.5 grade, and it thoroughly deserves a place among the most valuable '90s options. This second hunk of the Ryan recap shows him with the California Angels, the team for whom he burned down American League hitters like toothpicks in a cremation furnace for nearly a decade. On the baseball field, Jackson had a cannon for an arm and a compact, powerful swing, which is on full display on this card. Right, but where were his *Detroit* cards? Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card issupposedto look like when his full name appears at the bottom of the card. Even cards in less-than-perfect condition can go for hundreds, maybe even thousands, and a professionally-rated card is darn-near mythical. Unfortunately, the 1990 season would be Jackson's last full season in baseball as a devastating hip injury during a football game in 1991 prevented him from ever playing at his All-Star level again. 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. Its hard to find in good condition, which is why high. 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. All card images courtesy of TCDB, while pricing data is pulled from recent eBay sales as of Thursday morning. He had surpassed Bobby Bonds (35) that April. Both players are shown side by side, wearing caps that help to denote the team they play for. That performance garnered him his first Cy Young votes and also sent collectors searching for his 1987 rookie cards. For a time, it was Maas-mania in all facets of baseball, including cards. An additional 420+ MLB taters followed, along with a couple of MVP awards and plenty of other accolades. Theyre also prone to counterfeiting, which is why its better to go for a graded option if possible. 25 Most Valuable 1980s Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. 1996 Sport Illustrated For Kids Tiger Woods II #536 ($250) Anything Topps Tiffany! It perfectly illustrates just what made Bo Jackson so special: Trending: Best Luka Doncic Rookie Cards | Best Joe Burrow Rookie Cards | Top Tom Brady Rookie Cards | Justin Herbert Rookie Cards are still a sneaky good buy. If we are talking Upper Deck, a card brand that blew up in the 90s, its only right Ken Griffey Jr. be included here multiple times. That was good enough to win the NL Rookie of the Year award and leave us all wondering where his Topps rookie card was. Because of his accomplishment the year before of eclipsing the 5,000 strikeout mark, Topps placed him as the first card in their 1990 set. It was a blistering campaign that launched the young superstars career into the stratosphere. Take a day off now and then, critics said, and the Orioles will be all the better for it. The most valuable cards include rookie cards and cards from Sandbergs year in the Minor League. Alex Rodriguez is a 14-time All-Star, and one of the greatest of all time when youre looking at stats alone. Trae Young is currently in 2021 leading the 2018 class with most career points at 3,549, right above Luka Doncic and Colin Sexton. In his first full season back in Oakland after a four-and-a-half-year stint with the Yankees, Rickey Henderson played lights out in 1990, to put it mildly. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The higher the grade, the more valuable a card will be, so were typically looking at PSA 9s and 10s only. A copy sold for $180,000 in January 2020, while another sold for $166,712.70 in May of the same year. That was Walkers last year with the team. However, cards from Sandbergs first run with the Chicago Cubs are also quite. This card is so odd because Lindros never even actually played professional baseballnot even in the Minors. Under manager Frank Robinson, the 1990 Baltimore Orioles finished fifth in the AL East with a 76-85 record. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. But Mickey Mantle? Still known as David Arias when his rookie cards were printed, it wasn't until he made his MLB debut late in the 1997 season that he informed the Twins that he preferred David Ortiz. . That decision was one of the worst in baseball history. 1990 Topps Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro Recently a PSA 10 gem mint condition version of his 1997 card sold at auction for $1,591 making it one of the most valuable cards of the 90's. Adrian Beltre (1997 Bowman Chrome International Refractor #182) Beltre's rookie card from 1997 recently sold at auction for $3,016. 1990 Classic card list & price guide. And then there are some pretty interesting subjects, from draft picks to error cards to scads of Nolan Ryans. This mint-condition autographed card is selling for $3,500, making it one of the most valuable baseball cards from the '90s. Now that we got that out of the way, let's take a look at the top ten: You did not read that first price incorrectly. This is the holy grail of 1990s baseball cards. The young, toolsy prospect made a decent showing in his new climes, cracking double-digit home runs and stealing 32 bases. Wax Pack Gods, 100 Most Expensive Magic The Gathering Cards Sold on eBay in the Last 30 Days, 1989 Upper Deck Baseball Cards 28 Most Valuable Wax Pack Gods. However, if you want to get real serious with Frank Thomas cards, it really doesnt get any better than this rare piece. It's hard to make the claim that any 1990 Fleer baseball cards are really "most valuable" from a monetary standpoint. 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. The dynamic duo had been shut down, something that was unheard of heading into the World Series. We love the '80s (and '90s) baseball cards: The top 15 sets of the era 1994 ALEX RODRIGUEZ ROOKIE CARD GRADED MINT 10 FLEER WAVE OF THE FUTURE 2. Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1980s Price Guide & Values Baseball cards / By Matt Johnson #25 1986 Donruss Highlights "Highlights in White." Bo Jackson rookie card #43 PSA 10 sold for $360 Shop the 1986 Donruss Bo Jackson rookie card on eBay 1986 Donruss Highlights cards have two versions printed. It includes a lot of minor players that you may not have heard the name of before. The product was only available to hobby dealers and a few select retail outlets, and the result was a smaller print-run than the massively overproduced counterparts of the era. Topps cards were relatively error-free throughout the 1980s, so its a bit surprising in retrospect that they uncorked such a doozy to lead off the new decade. Just in case that came to pass, Donruss was ready, anointing the young lefty swinger as a Rated Rookie in their bloody 1990 set . 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. Basketball legend Michael Jordans ill-fated attempt to become a baseball star is generally meme-worthy, but his RC from 1991 is still one of the better cards from the decade. The GOAT took some time away from basketball to chase his lifelong dream of playing professional baseball. Disclaimer: Please note none this is meant as investment advice purely for entertainment and informational purposes only. Now, if that last sentence up there and that Donruss rookie card look a bit. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Like Barry Bonds and others from the steroid era, Clemens reputation has fallen on hard times in recent years, but his amazing numbers are hard to overlook even if his 1990 Topps doesnt stoke your nostalgia fire. After all, the Orioles had selected the big righthander with the first overall pick in the 1989 Draft, then brought him up after just two games in the minors. Prices are updated daily based upon 1990 Fleer Canadian listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. 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. Recently a PSA 10 gem mint condition version of his 1997 card sold at auction for $1,591 making it one of the most valuable cards of the 90s. 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. In this case, its just a couple hunks of the black links surrounding the name box and not the name itself that are missing. This is one such example of one of the decades rarer cards. Its an error in the sense that it does not list his correct birthday, but there were several cards that listed that date. His other high . You May Like: Red White And Blue Baseball Jersey. 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. had made good, that we were pretty sure Grissom could live up to his advance billing. 1. The combination of the two greats and a dual autograph is enough to drive interest, which is why it makes the list. 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! The record for the most expensive baseball card has changed twice in the last month. Ahead, we've taken a closer look at the 10 most valuable rookie cards of the 1990s. Surely Upper Deck has a way to account for this, right? This company was founded in 1988 with headquarters in the US. Within the set were also several different subsets, including: It really is a pretty decent set overall. Occasionally, hed pop something really gaudy, like that Ty Cobb-esque .363 batting title in 1993. This Traded entry was their answer, and its still evocative of that magical summer all these years later. As well as Derek Jeter, players like Alex Rodriguez, Despite the bad press, the list proves that the 1990s wasnt the worst time to begin, Justin Herbert Rookie Cards are still a sneaky good buy, Best 10 Frank Thomas Rookie Card Investments, Top 3 Jordan Lawlar Rookie Card Investments and Checklist, 3 Best 2015 Topps Update Rookie Cards To Consider, 10 Best 2023 Topps Series 1 Variations Baseball Cards To Buy, 10 Best 1989 Topps Baseball Cards To Buy Plus Error List, 2022 Topps Heritage Baseball Most Valuable Cards and Checklist, These 10 GOATS Rookie Cards Will Outperform Stocks Over Next 10 Years, Gold Card Auctions | Sports Card Investing. But there were few sluggers as feared as Juan Gone through most of the 1990s, and he won two American League MVP awards with Texas, in 1996 and 1998. Juan Gonzalez kind of got lost in the shuffle of the home run barrage during the late 1990s and the early 2000s, and especially because he sort of flamed out in his early-to-mid 30s. Cal kept plugging, though, even when the Orioles were bad, and even when he himself wasnt great. The card has a large photo of a rookie A-Rod with a bat clasped in both hands, smiling towards the camera. Are you ready for a stat thatll probably make you sick to your stomach? 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. The impressive home run and RBI tallies would fade, causing Mattingly to be overlooked for any All-Star selections in the 1990s. But, because of Bonds popularity and legacy, it still holds decent value in top grade. He also topped 30 home runs for the first time and joined his father, Bobby Bonds, in the 30-30 club by adding 52 steals. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 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. The 90s isnt a bad era for baseball cards, and you can even pick up many complete sets for next to no financial outlay. In 2015, a PSA 10 copy would sell for roughly $30,000. The only Leaf card to make the list, their 1996 set is one of the best the company ever released. There is also more demand for rookie cards due to the perceived value. 1990 Fleer Card Prices | PSA & Ungraded Values - SportsCardsPro While currently ranked as the 5th most valuable baseball card, when Trouts 2009 Bowman Chrome Superfractors autographed card serial-numbered 1/1 sold in August 2020, it became the most valuable baseball card in the hobby.