most valuable baseball cards 1990s

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. Today, his early-career issues, like this one, remain popular, even if they lag behind what youd expect for the guy who broke Hank Aarons all-time home run record. By the time this card was issued, Cal Ripken was starting to draw heavy flak for his slipping performance at the plate. Happy investing! The impressive home run and RBI tallies would fade, causing Mattingly to be overlooked for any All-Star selections in the 1990s. 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. Big Mac batted just .214 with zero home runs and zero RBI, while fellow Bash Brother Jose Canseco didnt fare much better. However, there are a few rare gems from this period that are exceptions to the rule. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 1996 Sport Illustrated For Kids Tiger Woods II #536 ($250) Anything Topps Tiffany! Lebrons career and status in the sport is more established, whereas Zion is newer to the NBA and it has yet to be seen where is career is really going to go. Pitchers with 300 Wins and Their Baseball Cards. 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. With Walter Johnson years in his rearview, Nolan Ryan sailed past 5000 strikeouts in 1989, on his way to baseball immortality. In any case, they help to make the 1990 Topps set what it is, and they deserve some of our cardboard love, too. 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. Unfortunately, injuries really bogged him down in the 2000s but he still managed to put up monster career numbers. Frank Thomas was a first-round pick in 1989, but the average collector might have been forgiven for thinking that Topps had their sports mixed up when this card started popping out of packs in 1990. 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! Check out my other Baseball Card Videos here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLrmolUXjojPMbnGNd9g9-DtE4gqbTGPTHHow to submit to PSA: https://youtu.be/. Card #137 in the Skybox Premium Star Rubies Set is this 1999 Ken Griffey Jr. card. Believe it or not, 1990 Topps baseball cards may be better than you think. In this guide, we take a look at the 20 most valuable 1990 Topps baseball cards. 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. 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. 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. I have a jose Uribe 87 donruss,I googled his birthday and it was 1959, but my card says 1960,. The card is key for three main reasons: For all that, Grissom falls short of Cooperstown standards, but his RC is still nothing to sneeze at. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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? 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. 1992 Bowman #302 Mariano Rivera Buy on eBay #9. The 1997 Skybox E-X2000 Essential Credentials was ahead of its time in many respects, with a small serial number, an iconic image selection, and a luxurious border design. Despite such controversy, the 90s produced some fantastic highs and quality players which would affect the baseball card market in the long term. Like wow like comic books have (something I first realized while reading a post from Night Owl Cards). 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. And then there are some pretty interesting subjects, from draft picks to error cards to scads of Nolan Ryans. 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. Its an error in the sense that it does not list his correct birthday, but there were several cards that listed that date. 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. Only two have achieved a BGS 9.5 grade, and it thoroughly deserves a place among the most valuable '90s options. So, while this 1990 Score card is not a . You May Like: Baseball Knicker Pants With Piping. 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. But rather than the couple of frames a Sportflics card gives. He made his MLB debut the following year after continuing to rake in the upper levels of the minors and then took the league by storm with one of the best rookie seasons of all time in 1993. The combination of the two greats and a dual autograph is enough to drive interest, which is why it makes the list. 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. Coming in the number 1 spot for the most Valuable 1990s basketball cards is the Kobe Bryant Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems card. Rickey led the AL in four major statistical categories beginning with runs scored (119), stolen bases (65), OPS (1.016), and OBP (.439). Watch more top videos, highlights, and B/R original content, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Has there ever been a bigger revelation in the course of one baseball season than what Cecil Fielder wrought in 1990? This has to be one of the most significant baseball cards of the 1990s, if not all time. You might also enjoy our Ultimate Guide treatment of 1990 Topps baseball cards, right here. His other rookie cards are in the 1997 Bowman and 1997 Bowman's Best sets, while his first Topps card was in the 1998 flagship set where he's pictured alongside fellow third base prospect Aaron Boone. Another rare card with two of the best players to grace the field, this 1994. I remember searching for this card left and right. The 1997 Bowman set was one of the most popular of the late 1990s. 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 set was a monster and contained a 792 card checklist in total. This card is so odd because Lindros never even actually played professional baseballnot even in the Minors. Its condition sensitivity has made high-grade versions very scarce and very valuable. 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). This card was produced in a limited edition of only 24 examples, with this one being #14/24. If there are any issue please contact me through the contact page located on this site and I can have the images removed if needed. Post contains affiliate links. Its hard to find in good condition, which is why high. 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. Unfortunately, it didnt quite work out and it wasnt long before he was back crushing the NBA. A vast improvement over previous Bowman releases, the set has held its value better than most of its contemporaries thanks largely to the fact that it was printed to dealer order, meaning a much lower print run than the rest of the market that year. $59.95. The higher the grade, the more valuable a card will be, so were typically looking at PSA 9s and 10s only. One of the most important cards of the post-WWII era, ushering in a new, premium brand into the baseball card aisles and leading off that ground-breaking set with the Rookie Card of. You should do your own due dilligence before spending your money on anything including baseball cards. The most expensive Ken Griffey Jr. card is the Mickey Mantle and Ken Griffey Jr. Dual Signed Upper Deck UDA Card. 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. Their rarity, combined with their quality (PSA 9+) gives them their value. 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. Need help buying or selling cards or have a general question about the hobby? (Okay, we said that you wont find any of these cards hidden down the back of the couch, but this is the exception!) Everyone wanted Don Mattingly cards when I was a kid. 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. 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. Even if it's not in pristine shape, it can still be worth thousands of dollars. As it turned out, 1989 would be the last summer when hed top 20 dingers (23), but fans and collectors still held out hope. Mike Trout is a generational talent, and his . To that point, only 59 of 16,753 that have been graded by PSA have come back with a PSA 10 grade. 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. . A-Rod won the World Series with the Yankees in 2009. It was made in a limited set of 50 and this card that sold at a Goldin auction was #50/50. 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. Griffey Jr. can be found on hundreds of different cards, but few can match his 97 Skybox price-wise. Manage Settings 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. 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. After belting 38 home runs and driving in 108 RBI during the regular season, McGwires power stroke was silent when it mattered most. And he nearly won the batting title with his .325 average, narrowly losing out to George Brett (.329) on the final day of the season. 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. Prices are updated daily based upon 1990 Fleer Canadian listings that sold on eBay and our marketplace. Rookie cards were typically harder to find compared to cards issued later in a players career, which makes them more valuable. Shortcuts: Most Expensive, Cheapest, List by Card # You own: 0 / 687 items 0% Track your collection for free. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Dont Miss: Baseball Cross Necklace For Men. Willie Mays Rookie Card. The impressive home run and RBI tallies would fade, causing Mattingly to be overlooked for any All-Star selections in the 1990s. 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. 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. Similar to the Andruw Jones cards in the same set, high-grade versions of the Bowman's Best card command a premium price. Hed never get a World Series ring but during the mid to late 80s, he was one of the sports best players and his cards were on fire in the hobby as a result. We purchase sports cards as an alternative investment to stocks, bonds, and real estate. The back of the card references his hitting ability that he displayed in high school but also makes reference to him being though of as the next Mario Lemieux. The action shot features a young Jeter primed to make a catch, with the player superimposed over the holofoil. Well, Japan and the Blue Jays. 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. Michael Jordan Cards: The Most Expensive of All Time. The card features Kobe in a yellow Lakers jersey passing the ball with one hand. The card has a large photo of a rookie A-Rod with a bat clasped in both hands, smiling towards the camera. Alright, lets play ball, 1990 Topps style! 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. Griffey was one of the most popular players of the era and his cards were always in high demand. GoldCardAuctions is a high-end investment-caliber trading card company and is the definitive source of sports card investing news and analysis. The record for this card was set at a Goldin auction for $26,400. 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. 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. This card sold for $1,910 in 1966. The 90s isnt a bad era for baseball cards, and you can even pick up many complete sets for next to no financial outlay. 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. That means the card needs to be basically flawless. 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. The on-card autograph is located at the base and was filled out using black ink. 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. What would be the value of a Topps Ripken card with Frank THomas name on it by mistake? Robb Report. This company was founded in 1988 with headquarters in the US. Hyped as a generational talent and future superstar from the moment he was taken No. 23,119. And, voila! Like the Griffey card on this list, this may not be the most exciting card in the world. After the initial production run, someone may detect the error and pull the card from the line. How Much Should You Invest Annually In Sports Card. On the football field, Jackson was one of the game's best backs with a devastating combination of speed and power. 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. It took him just 133 at bats to reach #15. The action shot shows Griffey Jr. after a successful swing, and the card immediately catches the eye thanks to the shiny border. It was futuristic for the time, but Jeters SP RC is a clear cut above the others found on this list. What follows, then, are the most valuable 1990 Topps baseball cards plus the most valuable 1990 Topps Traded baseball cards PLUS a few surprises, as judged by actual selling prices for copies graded PSA 9. The next couple seasons were lean, though, as Sammy struggled for playing time, especially after a 1992 trade to the Cubs. Edges are a major issue when it comes to grading, and better versions show off every curve of Mantles ear. If its something else, it would be interesting to see whats up. So, just how costly are the most sought-after baseball cards? 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. Its difficult to find a more important autographed duo card in the history of baseball, featuring two players who tore up the record books during their respective careers. 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable Plus Bonus Listings! And, while Sanders never quite excited collectors like fellow crossover artist Bo Jackson did, his cards continue to draw solid interest from fans of both sports. 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. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC, Now, this is what Thomas's rookie card is. There is also more demand for rookie cards due to the perceived value. In fact, while fellow White Sox rookies Robin Ventura and Scott Radinsky picked up some votes for Rookie of the Year honors in 1990, Thomas didn't receive any at all. Much of the attention is due to the fact that Jordans, RC is extremely valuable, while prices of all MJ cards have increased rapidly following the release of. Ungraded & graded values for all '90 Topps Baseball Cards. 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. Estimated PSA 10 Value: $50. A dynamic power-speed threat early in his career, he eventually settled in as more of a middle-of-the-order run producer. 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. The first of those historic sales was for what many believe is the most iconic trading card in all of sports. The internet was still in its infancy and not as widely used or trusted as it is today. Within the set were also several different subsets, including: It really is a pretty decent set overall. Usually, collectors will have a strong opinion one way or the other about 1990 Topps baseball cards: Either they love them or they hate them And it has everything to do with the multi-colored design. Hes widely regarded as one of the best baseball players to come from the Dominican Republic and was a great all-round athlete who had a long-spanning career. Only two have achieved a BGS 9.5 grade, and it thoroughly deserves a place among the most valuable 90s options. 1996 Finest Gold Refractor Kobe Bryant #269 PSA 10 $500,000. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. With 10,886 PSA 9 and 3,857 PSA 10 in circulation, it's not hard to find a high-grade version, but they still sell for a premium as an iconic card of one of the decade's biggest stars. The 1990s were a strange time to be a baseball card collector. Prices for 1990 Fleer Baseball Cards 1990 Fleer card list & price guide. Only 373 of the 3,125 submitted to PSA have come back with a PSA 10 grade. Even though Griffey finished just third in 1989 American League Rookie of the Year balloting, those 16 home runs and 16 stolen bases he put up, along with stellar defense in center, had us all believing that something special was about to happen in Seattle. Choosing between this card or number 3 on the list, the Lebron James refractor, I would choose the Lebron card over the Zion. Add to that the fact that the 20-card "Premiere Prospects" subset that Jeter is included in has a foil design that shows any and all imperfections, and it's virtually impossible to find a gem mint version of the card. He was playing against the Cleveland Naps after the Philadelphia Athletics made an exchange in 1910. 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. That was Walkers last year with the team. 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. Don Mattinglys career was almost a tale of two decades. Unlike many of the others on this list, its somewhat underpriced considering the above and could make for a good investment piece. Well, no, actually. Unfortunately, the back issues kicked in at the wrong time as he struggled with back spasms throughout the entire postseason. 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. 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. Cards 258. However, cards from Sandbergs first run with the Chicago Cubs are also quite. Those who remember the mass hysteria surrounding the Y2K bug saga at the end of 1999 will know what Im talking about. 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. So there you have it, the ten most valuable 1990 Topps cards. His first Topps card didn't come until the 1998 flagship set. Check prices on: Bo Jackson was an incredibly popular athlete during the late 80s and early 90s. Though he may not have been MLB's hottest rookie in 1990, he certainly turned into one of the biggest superstars of his era. 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. 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. Both players are shown side by side, wearing caps that help to denote the team they play for. Mostly, though, it was just a steady climb to 2200+ career hits, pulling his rookie card along with him. And also like Grissom, DeShields managed to put together a fine career that left him short of the Hall of Fame but still popular enough among old-time collectors to keep his rookie card out of the commons bin. Things started to look up the next summer, though, as 24-year-old Sosa connected on 33 long balls, the first of 11 straight full seasons (he cracked 25 in strike-shortened 1994) when he hit 30 or more.