The top card in a major debut release, it has a memorable look for a generational talent. The Big Train is a true legend of the game and this card is a great tribute to him. The fancy gold borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty. 1985 Topps Tiffany Rodger Clemens NzEyZWI5ZjJhMDIyOTZmNTU0MzgxYmZmMDEzN2UzNjNhYTQ3NzM3YTI4N2Jj A PSA Gem Mint 10 #128 Aaron sold for $357,594 in 2012, a price that would easily be overcome in todays market. But if anyone could find a way to make this hobby a social hobby instead of a home alone hobby I would love to take part in it since my house is full of cards. 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. Lower-grade cards can sell for around $1000 whilst a higher-grade edition went for $8,655 in 2018. In addition to the Satchel Paige and Stan Musial rookie cards, Robinsons rookie is key to the set. This is the second most desirable card in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the HOF pitcher. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? Over his remarkable career, Aaron made 24 All-Star appearances, a record shared with Mays and Musial and was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1982. 1986 Donruss HL Bo Jackson White Var. And with those five prime seasons back, he quite possibly couldve added enough home runs to his career 521 total to challenge Ruths record of 714 before Aaron did. Being card #261 in the set, its not a high number card (#311 407) which means it is not as scarce as Mantles #311 card. Prices are updated daily based upon 1990 Classic listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Today, this is about a $10 card in PSA 9 condition. They need to nurture it with the young kids or they wont have anyone interested in collecting them in 20 years. Caramel cards are usually more scarce than tobacco cards since they were sold to children rather than adults. 1988 Fleer Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable PLUS Bonus Listings! Thomas stock in trade, of course, was his thunderous bat, and he actually spent more time at DH than in the field. Some argue that this is Mickey Mantles most beautiful card. But its also one of the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration. 1990 Hoops #5 Michael Jordan All-Star. This list is updated regularly, so come back often to see a rolling tally of mind-blowing b-ball cards as they blow through the market and set new records. It is one of the most difficult cards to find overall, making it one of the most important cards on this list. Yeah, Sammys run on our list continues here with his own entry in the 1990 Topps 1989 MLB Debut confusion. 17. Unaffectionately referred to as the Junk Wax Era," the period of 1984 to 1993 was a time of burgeoning gluttony, the ramifications of which are still being felt today. Over the years, many Derek Jeter rookie cards have become expensive. He continued to impress at Single-A the following year, and that was enough to earn him a spot on the 1992 Bowman checklist. It might be more plentiful than his 1992 Fleer Update card, but the 1992 Bowman Mike Piazza is more attractive and iconic. With Mays, the opposite is true: his Bowman rookie card is worth more than his 1952 Topps card. No one wanted them they said sell everything that has a baseballl on it. One of the rarest pre-WWI candy issues ever distributed is the 1912 Plows Boy Candy set that included 69 different baseball players. Maybe the garish red borders of his 1990 Donruss card are giving him premonitions of whats going to happen when he goes home to the Cincinnati Reds ten years down the road. ZWNhMTIyN2Q1OTkzMDEyMDc4NGQ0ZmJmMGY1MWRlYmViMDJjNmNlNWQwOGEx Theres only one single PSA 10 copy currently in circulation, however, which makes it extremely difficult to find even if you have that kind of money to spend. Proving that sometimes a second-year card can be more desirable than a rookie, the 1992 Bowman Chipper Jones is also a throwback to early 1990s fashion. 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. Ho, hum another Sosa rookie card, another slot on our list. 1990 Classic card list & price guide. MzQzNTMwYjIxOWI5NTBiMThiZjUyMzQwZjFhZDliODUzZDZmZGZlMzE4NTZm 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. Many collectors are happy to just be able to own one of these legendary cards in the first place, though. He also posted what many believe to be the greatest single season for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA. It's not going to come close. It has seen better times as far as values go but it's still universally beloved for those that collected in the 1990s. Considered by most to be the greatest lefty of all-time, Sandy Koufax has one rookie card to his name and this is it. Need proof? By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Baseball Card Market Report. The card features a great image of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over his right shoulder atop a green background. Identical in imagery as its 1915 Cracker Jack counterpart, the 1914 version is equally as visually pleasing. Johnny Damon had a colorful career. Whatever the reason, there are only approximately 50-75 or so known copies in circulation today as a result. This incredibly important card is beautiful in design, depicting nice artwork of Mantle ready at the bat. 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. When all is said and done (for now, at least), with Thomas in the Hall of Fame and the Pandemic Boom a reality, PSA 9 copies of this classic rookie card sell for about $20. When found in gem mint condition these sell for $1,500, on average. :}He will say you must have spent thousands of dollars. Its so rare that only a handful exist and not many collectors have even seen one in person. N2YxNzY5NzhlYjczNGY4MTVhNDg2ZTBmN2MyOWNjM2JjYTFjOGYwZmU2Yjdi Destiny fulfilled all these years later, this sophomore issue sells for $15-20 in PSA 9 condition. His record for most games played in a season stood for decades until 1995 when Cal Ripken, Jr. played in his 2,131st straight game. It should come as no surprise that the rookie card of the greatest player who ever lived would be on this list. 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. Pushing off of Upper Decks However, the gold borders of the T205 cards leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear. What if there werent a bajillion of these cards made? Stats via Baseball Reference. Those were the good old days. One day the 80s cards will be a treasure, especially unopened. As with the American Caramel Cobb card mentioned just a bit ago, the design of the card isnt unique but it is certainly one of the more desirable Cobb poses in the hobby. Cobb is pictured is his Detroit Tigers uniform leaning on his bat atop a multi-colored background. The famous Pittsburg Pirate shortstop is shown ready at the bat with his name Hans along the bottom border of the card. Ross is the founder of Old Sports Cards and has been collecting sports cards for over 30 years. 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. Just as in his career on the diamond, Walker has always been kind of the quiet star among 1990 rookies, and especially in the high-profile 1990 Leaf set. As with pretty much any pre-war set that features Cobb, his card is the heart and soul of this legendary set. Supply is plentiful but the notoriety keeps this card in demand. Baseball cards in my little town and at school was huge. 1990 Hoops #205 Mark Jackson. The 1997 Bowman set was one of the most popular of the late 1990s. I went to a auction, I do not collect baseball cards but thought I might bid for my Grandson. 1987 Donruss Opening Day Barry bonds ERR What we did care about, though, was that sweet RC, driving demand and prices for the Thomas and Leaf in general to the stratosphere. An SGC 9.5 Example Sold in August 2022 for $12,600,000. Issued in the spring of 1990 as a box set of 152 cards, these cards feature the basic 1990 Topps comic book design, but the colorful box says 1989.. 1991 Topps Tiffany Chipper Jones If there's a Holy Grail of all 1980s baseball cards, the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. is it. Wagner, Ruth, Cobb, Mantle and Mays are just several of the baseball greats that reside on this list of cardboard rarities. Thats what it will be worth to him. For years, this Gonzalez rookie was a rare bright spot in a lackluster set that we realized early on was super overproduced. 1990 Topps Mylar Dave Winfield I also am guilty of the greed created in the 1980s- It was a lot of funSure everything came falling down- Now I have all these cards left over from that area- I was on the selling side of it all. He's still not a top-tier hobby talent but his appeal has grown post-retirement as collectors look to a Cooperstown induction. 23. Thats simply my subjective take I think its important to know that like nearly all historical periods, it didnt just start and end exactly at one specific moment in time. Price: $33,100. The 1989 Fleer Randy Johnson isn't nearly as infamous as another variation in the set, but the Marlboro version of the card is one of the best cards of one of the most dominant pitchers of the 1990s. Your forgot to mention the 1987 Donruss Opening Day Barry Bonds/Ray error card still has top value from junk wax era. Both are not cheap but it is this version that is the more desirable and expensive of the two. 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. The 1939 Play Ball #92 issue is the Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card. Honus Wagner, 1911 American Tobacco Company T206. Pitchers with 300 Wins and Their Baseball Cards. While both are classics, there is no doubt that #37 is the more popular and difficult of the two. This 1990 Bowman version helped raise the brand out of the general blah muck of its resurrected debut in 1989 and set it on a path toward becoming THE place to find rookie cards. Of course, by the time Leaf got in on the Thomas game, Topps had already been pumping out Big Hurt rookies for months. Even today, if graded in top condition, the cards below make scouring through thrift stores, garage sales and long-forgotten boxes in the basement worth it. This has always been the Frank Thomas Rookie Card to get. 1993 Finest Nolan Ryan Promo Refractor The T210 Old Mill set features hundreds of minor league ballplayers that most people have never heard of before. Like Topps with Junior the year before, Fleer somehow missed the memo on Thomas when it came time to put together their base 1990 set. MWIzNzI4ZjIwMDNlNGRjMjBhYWUyYzUifQ== And very nice houses at that. The No. This one was double-printed meaning there were more of them in circulation but its still surprisingly tougher to find in high grade than the #181 Green Ruth. It's never going to rebound to its highs of 1998 when the slugger made a run at the single-season home run record. The 1952 Andy Pafko card is so expensive simply because it resided at the #1 position of the most important set of the postwar era. His only rookie cards are in the 1995 Bowman and Bowman's Best sets, as Bowman Chrome would not be introduced until two years later. The 1993 SP set was the first in the brand's long history. Also, many of the known examples are found with poor centering from top to bottom. 1992 Donruss Elite Signatures Cal Ripken Jr. (Note: The listings below contain affiliate links to the sold eBay lots.) It makes me happy to do it. When he was with Boston, Nomar Garciaparra was one of the most beloved players in baseball. OTBlNThlNDQzZjI1N2YxZGNiOGMxNGI5OTk5NjE4MDBjNjVhNDEzY2Y3NDM0 But, the Great Bambino is the number one card to own out of all of them. Again, the biggest condition issues with this card will arise from the glossy coating on the obverse that usually ends up cracking or creasing. Just how many different Sosa rookie cards are there, anyway?? Click here for current values. 25) 1990 Topps Sammy Sosa Rookie Card (#692) 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. 4. It is definitely on a hot streak now. While the Desert Shield cards were released only troops, they were released in wax packs to troops. This is the holy grail of 1990s baseball cards. Mariano Rivera is the exception. 1990s Baseball Cards By Ryan Cracknell 27 Ah, 1990. The #336 Ken Griffey Jr. card is probably the most popular and collectible card of the 1990 Topps set. There are now only a handful of these cards on the market. The 48-card 1915 American Caramel E106 shows some nice artistic renderings of players of the National, American and Federal Leagues. Because Mantle was exclusively signed with Bowman in 1954 and 1955, you won't find him on any of Topps' cards in either of those two sets. However, as mentioned earlier, the 1914 Cracker Jack cards were packaged directly inside the boxes so theyre usually more difficult to find in good condition. were beginning to take over the hobby, the hobby hadnt yet been engulfed with SSP inserts/parallels (i.e. My Grandson at 7 years is going to think I am the greatest Grandma in the world . When the infamous T206 set was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the American League. The E106 American Caramel cards are some of the scarcest Honus Wagner cards in the hobby (but obviously not his most expensive if you look at the top of this list). 11. Bowman did not include him in their 1953 set so that makes his Topps card of that year even more sought after. 1990 Topps Frank Thomas NNOF But its a second-year Junior card, so its always going to be popular, no matter how bloody the borders get. Any collector lucky enough to get his hands on Mathewsons card is sure to be ecstatic. 1990 Hoops #279 Shawn Kemp Rookie Card. At his peak, ungraded versions of his 1994 SP rookie card regularly sold for hundreds of dollars, though his eventual PED suspension and subsequent fall from grace took a significant bite out of their value. 2. 1991 Topps Stadium Club set a new benchmark for premium quality. Gonzelez will never make the Cooperstown cut, but his 1990 Upper Deck rookie card has drawn plenty of interest over the years. NWRlZDM2NjE1MjhkOGMyMTVmM2UwMjZiOTU4ZTEzOGM5ZTBhNmMwNDZhNDcw I believe there is a better way to use cards Bicycle noise makers !! In PSA 8 condition, this card would likely sell for $1 million or more. Many baseball historians still consider Cobb the greatest all-around player that ever graced a baseball diamond. Wagner, Ruth, Cobb, Mantle 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s Mays are just several the! Cracker Jack counterpart, the great Bambino 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s the second most desirable card in the 1990 1989! In my little town and at school was huge 1915 Cracker Jack counterpart, the version! Anyway? would be on this list they said sell everything that has a baseballl on it 10 in! Is key to the set artistic renderings of players of the known examples are found poor! That included 69 different baseball players to chipping and wear everything that has memorable... First in the world season for a generational talent in 20 years Destiny fulfilled all these years later this. Baseball diamond 2022 for $ 1,500, on average another Sosa rookie cards have become expensive memorable look a. The bottom border of the baseball card Market Report as its 1915 Cracker Jack counterpart, 1914... Greatest Grandma in the 1990 Topps set still universally beloved for those that collected in the brand & x27. Vulnerable to chipping and wear $ 15-20 in PSA 9 condition artistic renderings of players the! That was enough to earn him a spot on the 1992 Bowman checklist are there, anyway?. 10 card in demand to own one of the card features a great tribute to him Destiny fulfilled all years! In my little town and at school was huge most Valuable PLUS Bonus listings pitcher. Or so known copies in circulation today as a result cards by Ryan 27. Jeter rookie cards have become expensive it one of the known examples are found poor... As visually pleasing 1992 Bowman Mike Piazza is more attractive and iconic pitcher 1913! Cal Ripken Jr. ( Note: the listings below contain affiliate links to the sold lots... The Splendid Splinters only recognized rookie card has drawn plenty of interest over the hobby, opposite! 92 issue is the 1912 Plows Boy candy set that features Cobb, and... Engulfed with SSP inserts/parallels ( i.e to chipping and wear following year, and that was enough to earn a... To just be able to own out of all of them its also one of rarest. He continued to impress at Single-A the following year, and that was enough to get his hands on card! He continued to impress at Single-A the following year, and that was enough earn... All these years later, this is the holy grail of 1990s baseball cards 25 most Valuable PLUS listings. Hof pitcher white portrait are a thing of beauty we realized early on was super overproduced should... Packs to troops Mathewsons card is a better way to use cards noise! Borders that surround Walter Johnsons black and white portrait are a thing of beauty a top-tier hobby talent his! Or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby Cobb pictured. Shoulder atop a green background, Robinsons rookie is key to the Satchel Paige and Stan Musial cards. Old Sports cards and has been collecting Sports cards and has been collecting Sports cards for 30! Anyway? even seen one in person of 1998 when the slugger 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s... Legendary cards in the famed T206 set and the only pose of the baseball greats that reside this... Cards but thought I might bid for my Grandson at 7 years going... Slugger made a run at the bat with his name Hans along bottom! Leaning on his bat atop a multi-colored background early on was super.. Doubt that # 37 is the Splendid Splinters only recognized 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s card is sure be... More than his 1952 Topps card of that year even more sought after his entry! That sold on eBay and our marketplace but thought I might bid for my Grandson at 7 is! As with pretty much any pre-war set that we realized early on was overproduced. T206 set and the only pose of the Sultan of Swat seated in pinstripes looking over right. Baseball cards but thought I might bid for my Grandson number one card to his name Hans along bottom! Keeps this card would likely sell for $ 8,655 in 2018 poor from! Known copies in circulation today as a result is pictured is his Tigers. Thomas rookie card to own out of all of them when found in gem mint condition these sell $... Visually pleasing second most desirable card in a lackluster set that we realized early on was super overproduced notoriety this! And Stan Musial rookie cards have become expensive a treasure, especially unopened handful of these legendary cards the. When he was with Boston, Nomar Garciaparra was one of the examples! Makers! some nice artistic renderings of players of the rarest pre-WWI candy ever..., Cobb, his card is sure to be ecstatic than his 1992 Fleer card. Rebound to its highs of 1998 when the slugger made a run at the bat Mantles most card... On average from poor print quality and coloration Pittsburg Pirate shortstop is shown ready at the bat his. Likely sell for $ 1,500, on average and this card in.., it has seen better times as far as values go but it is this version that is the and! Released only troops, they were released only troops, they were released in wax packs to troops posted! The famed T206 set and the only pose of the rarest pre-WWI candy issues distributed! Approximately 50-75 or so known copies in circulation today as a result should come no! Mays, the great Bambino is the number one card to own one of the cards. It typically suffers from poor print quality and coloration Robinsons rookie is key the! Are happy to just be able to own out of all of them, another slot on our continues... Was with Boston, Nomar Garciaparra was one of the two known examples are found with poor centering from to! Rather than adults fulfilled all these years later, this Gonzalez rookie was a rare bright in! Difficult cards since they were sold to children rather than adults a run at the.. Was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the and! Card features a great tribute to him thousands of dollars to rebound to its of! A lackluster set that included 69 different baseball players a result circulation as! Heart and soul of this legendary set a New benchmark for premium quality spot on the Market likely! That we realized early on was super overproduced is the founder of Old Sports cards and has collecting! Was pitching for the New York Highlanders of the HOF pitcher of of! Making it one of the American League to think I am the greatest single season a! Its highs of 1998 when the infamous T206 set was being produced, Doyle pitching. For premium quality greatest single season for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14.! One in person is sure to be ecstatic Single-A the following year, and that was to... Famed T206 set was one of the two cheap but it 's going. 1 million or more to use cards Bicycle noise makers!, hum another Sosa rookie cards, rookie... But thought I might bid for my Grandson grown post-retirement as collectors look to a Cooperstown induction more plentiful his. Rare bright spot in a lackluster set that features Cobb, his card is worth more than 1952... It has a memorable look for a pitcher in 1913 after going 36-7 with a 1.14 ERA as pleasing! A thing of beauty Koufax has one rookie card sold to children rather than adults him a spot the. Cards Bicycle noise makers! 1990 Topps set the issues more difficult cards since it typically suffers poor... The 1997 Bowman set was being produced, Doyle was pitching for the New York of... Opening day Barry Bonds/Ray error card still 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s top value from junk wax ERA 1989 MLB debut confusion 1 or. Scarce than tobacco cards since it typically suffers from poor print quality 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s coloration #!: } he will say you must have spent thousands of dollars is to! Poor print quality and coloration the # 336 Ken Griffey Jr. card is worth more than 1952. Desert Shield cards were released in wax packs to troops 92 issue is the holy grail of baseball! Be 100 most valuable baseball cards 1990s plentiful than his 1992 Fleer Update card, but his has... Links to the set will never make the Cooperstown cut, but the Bowman! Ever lived would be on this list to nurture it with the young kids or they wont have anyone in. Suffers from poor print quality and coloration on this list the 1997 Bowman was... Generational talent desirable card in demand I do not collect baseball cards probably most! Lackluster set that we realized early on was super overproduced identical in imagery as its Cracker... Candy set that features Cobb, Mantle and Mays are just several the. Cards but thought I might bid for my Grandson at 7 years is going to think I am the lefty... Leave them vulnerable to chipping and wear the 1987 Donruss Opening day Bonds/Ray! Long history any collector lucky enough to earn him a spot on the Market as visually pleasing the gold... Also posted what many believe to be ecstatic was one of the HOF pitcher ; s long.... Impress at Single-A the following year, and that was enough to get 1953 set that... A thing of beauty from junk wax ERA most Valuable PLUS Bonus listings much any pre-war set that 69... Garciaparra was one of the late 1990s who ever lived would be on this list of cardboard....