Smith was already an All-Star closer as the 1990 season dawned, but his biggest seasonal save totals still lay ahead, with the St. Louis Cardinals. 1991 Topps Desert Shield #333 Chipper Jones RC ($200) 1993 Stadium Club Murphy Derek Jeter RC ($60) 1991 Wild Card Brett Favre #119 5 Stripe ($40), 10 Stripe ($80), 20 Stripe ($120), 50 Stripe ($250), 100 Stripe ($350), 1000 Stripe ($1,800) Like the Griffey card on this list, this may not be the most exciting card in the world. 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. (Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. It was the first to offer an auto in every pack, with signatures from some of the biggest stars from the time. 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. You May Like: Baseball Knicker Pants With Piping. Its a novel card and extremely rare so it has a decent value. 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. Top 100 1980s Baseball Cards and Why They're So Memorable - Beckett News 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. And, voila! Their rarity, combined with their quality (PSA 9+) gives them their value. 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. The 1990s were a strange time to be a baseball card collector. Edges are a major issue when it comes to grading, and better versions show off every curve of Mantles ear. 25 Most Valuable 1980s Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards Would anyone be interested in buying my Sports Card Collection. The 10 Most Valuable '90s Baseball Cards That Might Be - TheRichest This card sold for $1,910 in 1966. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. After belting 38 home runs and driving in 108 RBI during the regular season, McGwires power stroke was silent when it mattered most. It perfectly illustrates just what made Bo Jackson so special: 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. At one time, this 1990 rookie card sat near the top of the new-card mountain and still pulls decent collector interest today. The price for a piece of Americas pastime keeps going up. This PSA 7.5 NM+ card is currently selling for $5,500 on eBay, so that gives you an idea as to just how expensive these babies can be. . 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. After a slow start to his minor league career, he put together a breakout season at High-A in 1991, hitting .277/.344/.540 with 27 doubles, 29 home runs and 80 RBI in 117 games. Also Check: National League Standings For Baseball. 30 Best Baseball Cards from Late 1980s, Early 1990s, Ranked List, Guide That 5000th strikeout that Ryan recorded in 1989 did wonders for his hobby profile, beginning right at the front of the 1990 Topps set. 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. Crisp and clean, there cant be many collectors out there that would turn down a 1996 Leaf Jeter. Prices for 1990 Classic Baseball Cards - SportsCardsPro $39.20. That means the card needs to be basically flawless. 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.. Right, but where were his *Detroit* cards? The record for this card was set at a Goldin auction for $26,400. launch monetization_on $4.99 08/28/2022. The Investment Case for the 1989-1990 Hoops Michael Jordan #200 Basketball Card. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Its hard to find in good condition, which is why high. 1989 Star Jerome Walton Autographed Card #1 Signed Auto 1990 Donruss RC Error! 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. We use cookies to improve your experience. Like every other Topps Traded set in the 1980s and early 1990s, this one was a special treat to collectors one last shot of new baseball cards for the year as we headed into winter. The initial production run containing the error becomes scarce, driving up its value. Check prices on: Bo Jackson was an incredibly popular athlete during the late 80s and early 90s. Thanks , Your email address will not be published. Similar to the Andruw Jones cards in the same set, high-grade versions of the Bowman's Best card command a premium price. And, by default, its O-Pee-Chee cousin is also an incredibly desirable baseball card though it is much more difficult to find in top condition. 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. How Much Should You Invest Annually In Sports Card. Has there ever been a bigger revelation in the course of one baseball season than what Cecil Fielder wrought in 1990? 1991 CHIPPER JONES UPPER DECK TOP PROSPECT ROOKIE BASEBALL CARD MLB BRAVES. However, if you want to get real serious with Frank Thomas cards, it really doesnt get any better than this rare piece. Baseball cards are among the most popular collectibles in the sports memorabilia market. These cards often sell for $50 to $75, depending on the popularity of the player. What seemed to start out as a sort of cheap attempted knockoff of the classic 1975 Topps set actually has some character of its own. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 833 items 0% Track your collection for free. And, even after the gridiron injury that wrecked his promising future on both fields, Bo still generates plenty of hobby intrigue today. The following season, though, Thomas broke out in a big way as he finished third in MVP voting and picked up his first of four career Silver Sluggers. Gwynn won a batting title in 1989, giving him four heading into his 30s and a new decade. If its something else, it would be interesting to see whats up. 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. 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, the 1990 Fleer Soaring Stars #6 card in near-mint condition may sell for closer to $50. 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. 1993 Derek Jeter Classic Best Gold Greensboro Hornets #115 Gem Mint 10 Rookie. Surprisingly, there are valuable cards from almost every year to look out for, including before, during, and after the junk wax era. Some of these foil cards are so delicate they may have been damaged when they were first bought and taken out of the packaging. And, after a brief September call-up, there was at least a chance Juan Gonzalez would be doing his mashing in the bigs in 1990. 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. Its hard to find in good condition, which is why high PSA grades are so expensive. I do have Chipper Jones, Ken Griffey, Joe Montana, Jerry Rice, Barry Sanders, Barry Bonds. Members of the millennial generation will remember the 90s with fondness and as a decade of massive cultural importance. Much of the attention is due to the fact that Jordans basketball RC is extremely valuable, while prices of all MJ cards have increased rapidly following the release of The Last Dance. Entering 1990, Barry Bonds was still mostly potential, flashing consistent tools across the board but never completely wowing in any one area of the game. Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card issupposedto look like when his full name appears at the bottom of the card. 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. Neon Deion Sanders was a hobby phenom right from the start thanks to his electric talent in both football and baseball. By the time this card was issued, Cal Ripken was starting to draw heavy flak for his slipping performance at the plate. But, because of Bonds popularity and legacy, it still holds decent value in top grade. This card and others like it are what make it seem like the whole blackless or NNOF phenomenon might just be a printing problem and not an actual design/release error . I especially remember that monstrous 1997 season he had with 49 home runs, 143 runs scored, 130 RBI and a .363 batting average. Read our methodology. 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. While most of the team struggled at the plate in the World Series that year, Henderson was one of the lone bright spots as he batted .333 (5-15) with an OBP of .444, an OPS of 1.111, two runs scored, and three stolen bases. After going 40-40 and winning an MVP award in 1988, Jose Canseco found himself injured more often than not in 1989, appearing in just 65 games. Although back problems hampered him during the 1990 season, Jose Canseco still managed to blast home runs at one of the highest rates of his career as he would belt 37 in just 481 at-bats. The record for the most expensive baseball card has changed twice in the last month. Of course, before that could come to pass the Red Sox had to ship him to St. Louis, which they did during that summer of 1990. How much are YOUR cards worth? 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. 1990 Score Baseball Cards: Which Are Most Valuable? 1990: The 20 Most Valuable Ken Griffey Jr Baseball Cards! Bush money, but its still a decent payout for a 90s baseball card! A few important parameters for our list before we get started: The No. Ungraded & graded values for all '90 Topps Baseball Cards. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The normal 1991 Topps is worth a fraction of the price, and youll be able to tell the difference by looking for a see-through gold emblem under the 1st Draft Pick logo on the front of the card. Only three other players hit more home runs than Albert Belles 351 dingers during the 1990s: Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, and Ken Griffey Jr. We know that two of those guys had a lot of help from PEDs. That performance was just the beginning, of course, and also the start of a climb for his cards in the hobby. 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. Unfortunately, injuries really bogged him down in the 2000s but he still managed to put up monster career numbers. Sandberg reached 30 home runs (exactly) for the first time in 1989 as he helped the Cubs win their second division title, and first since 1984. After the initial production run, someone may detect the error and pull the card from the line. Read our methodology . 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. The most expensive baseball card in history just sold for $12.6 million. Most Expensive [1990 Fleer Canadian] Baseball Cards Read Also: Nike Youth Baseball Pants With Piping. 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. And, in case youre wondering, Rickey wasnt quite done by the time he retired, he had 81 leadoff dingers, way in front of runners-up Alfonso Soriano (54) and Craig Biggio (53). 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. It was futuristic for the time, but Jeters SP RC is a clear cut above the others found on this list. Cal Ripken 9 Vintage Kartenlot, 1987 -1992, Topps, Punktzahl All Star Mike Piazza is one of the most iconic catchers in the game. #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. Chipper Jones won a World Series and made eight All-Star appearances for the Atlanta Braves in a storied career. I've always liked the look of these cards, and as a kid, I loved ripping packs in search of rookies and star players. The T210 Old Mill deck is one of the most varied. He led the Bulls to three more NBA titles after his stint with the White Sox, dominating the league with wins in 1996, 1997 and 1998. In 2020 a PSA 10 edition of this card sold for an astonishing $180,000. 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. This card was produced in a limited edition of only 24 examples, with this one being #14/24. Take a day off now and then, critics said, and the Orioles will be all the better for it. Those wild borders, for example, arent just colorful they have print dots. He also set a personal best for stolen bases (52) while leading the league in slugging percentage (.565) and OPS (.970). Many thought there were no limits to where his first cards might go. Everyone wanted Don Mattingly cards when I was a kid. Now, if that last sentence up there and that Donruss rookie card look a bit. 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. The only Rodriguez card to make the list, his 1994 SP is one of the flimsiest modern-era rookies in the hobby and is ridiculously hard to find in mint condition, just like the other SP Foil listed above. Right!? That was good enough to win the NL Rookie of the Year award and leave us all wondering where his Topps rookie card was. Of the six Kevin Maas Rookies, its the 1990 Upper Deck that resonates most. But, Belle wasnt exactly known for playing cleanly either, although he was more known for using corked bats instead of PEDs. His is the last of the key rookie cards in this set. Frank Thomas is no John Littlefield, after all. Check prices on: Amazon. To that point, only 59 of 16,753 that have been graded by PSA have come back with a PSA 10 grade. Alex Rodriguez is a 14-time All-Star, and one of the greatest of all time when youre looking at stats alone. Seen as a parallel to the main collection, each card has a print run of 100 only and can be identified by the holographic foil found at the top of the card. Surely Upper Deck has a way to account for this, right? 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. And it goes back to 1990. 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. In this case, its just a couple hunks of the black links surrounding the name box and not the name itself that are missing. But as his career progressed and the home runs kept piling up, he turned into one of the most popular players in the league. The checklist also contains rookie cards of Jeff Kent and Tim Wakefield. 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. While many cards from the 90s are effectively worthless, there are a number of solid options that have increased in value rapidly over the past decade. By the end of the season, Justice had smashed 28 home runs, driven in 78 runs, scored 76 of his own, and hit a solid .282. 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. Guide to Valuable 1990's Sports Cards - The Cardboard Connection 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. The combination of the two greats and a dual autograph is enough to drive interest, which is why it makes the list. 10 Most Valuable Basketball Cards of the 1990s - Antique Mall Naturally, his rookie cards were hot tamales. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Then, at age 29, a blown rotator cuff ended his career. It took awhile for fans, and especially collectors, to warm up to Larry Walker and his talents. The second, however, showed its value by nearly doubling the price of the former record holder. Collectors were more eager than ever to own a piece of Bos cardboard, making his 1990 Topps issue an exciting pull. 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. An additional 420+ MLB taters followed, along with a couple of MVP awards and plenty of other accolades. 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. This card is so odd because Lindros never even actually played professional baseballnot even in the Minors. 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. 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. Still, collectors were excited enough by Joses upside to keep his cards on the hot list (and the Cold List, for veteran Beckett readers). But rather than the couple of frames a Sportflics card gives. A PSA 10 gem mint condition version of his 1997 Fleer Ultra Platinum card sold at auction for $4,238. Thats a testament to how good he really was. 20 Most Valuable 1990 Donruss Baseball Cards It includes a lot of minor players that you may not have heard the name of before. 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. 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. 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. 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. A rundown of the most expensive 1990 Fleer Baseball cards sold on eBay in February 2023.See the most recent eBay top sellers of 1990 Fleer Baseball cards her. 100 Most Valuable Baseball Cards: The All-Time Dream List The blue and yellow borders on this card matched up perfectly with the Mariners uniforms back then. He went on to rack up 541 home runs, 1,769 RBI and three World Series rings on his way to first-ballot Hall of Famer status. 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. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The Fleer Brilliants 24k Gold Ken Griffey Jr. card received a grade of EX 5 by the PSA, making it only one of two examples of this card to get that high. Besides being the best Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card, it helped usher in a new era in the hobby that included glossy card stock and premium production values. 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. The company's chairman, Arthur Shorin, even presented some of them in a binder to the former president in 1989. He also loves to write about the hobby and has written for Beckett, Topps, SABR and of course, this website. 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 most valuable cards include rookie cards and cards from Sandbergs year in the Minor League. But, while Ripken enjoyed a hobby resurgence in 1991 on the back of maybe his greatest season ever, this particular card lands on our list because its an error . 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). 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. Designed by Elegant Themes | Powered by WordPress, 1987 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide, 1990 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide. The action shot features a young Jeter primed to make a catch, with the player superimposed over the holofoil. Bernie Williams was an extremely productive player during the mid to late 1990's. Added to that, there are presidential artifact collectors who also drive up the price for it. Its perhaps one of the most valuable cards of the 90s and definitely, one to be kept as its value is likely to continue to soar. 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. Superstars dont come much more unassuming and steady than Bernie Williams especially Yankees superstars! Trae Young is currently in 2021 leading the 2018 class with most career points at 3,549, right above Luka Doncic and Colin Sexton. Only two have achieved a BGS 9.5 grade, and it thoroughly deserves a place among the most valuable '90s options. We all know of his association with the PED controversy. This is one such example of one of the decades rarer cards. For many in the hobby, we have a shorthand when a young player starts hitting home runs at a rapid rate. He primarily played for the Dodgers and Mets and was an All-Star 12 times between 1993 and 2005. Michael Jordan Cards: The Most Expensive of All Time. 20 Most Valuable 1990 Topps Baseball Cards - Old Sports Cards Ryno took his power game to a whole new level in 1990, though, leading the NL with 40 homers and cementing cards like his base Topps issue as pack-winners that summer. A-Rod won the World Series with the Yankees in 2009. Most likely, it was a report discrepancy (or a deliberate misstatement to make him seem like a better prospect). Cards number 2-5 tell the story of Nolan Ryan's career with the Mets, Angels, Astros and Rangers up to that point in time. The "Topps All-Star Rookie" trophy symbol made this one stand out a bit more from other cards in this set, too. With a well-rounded offense led by the heavy-hitting Bash Brothers Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco, the As had no problem putting runs on the board all season long. Your email address will not be published. One of the most popular players of his era, Vladimir Guerrero was the No. He would extend that 0-fer to three years in 1990 before getting off the snide and reigniting his cards in 1991. 1994 ALEX RODRIGUEZ ROOKIE CARD GRADED MINT 10 FLEER WAVE OF THE FUTURE 2. Top 25 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 1990's - YouTube Despite being a first-round pick in '95, he did not appear on his first MLB licensed card until 1997 when he was included in the Bowman, Bowman Chrome and Bowman's Best sets. That was old for a prospect, and he hadnt exactly torn up the minors, either. Maddux turned in his second big season for the Cubs in 1989, with his 19-12, 2.95 ERA helping the northsiders to a division title. His reputation as a two-sport superstar earned him a place in . Baseball in the 1990s was dominated by two teams. Griffeys rookie card from 1988 is worth an estimated $2 million, according to Sports Illustrated. Don Mattingly's career was almost a tale of two decades. 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.