The 1991 Upper Deck baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and collectible releases in the modern era of the hobby. Upper Deck changed the game in 1989 when they debuted as the new premium sports card brand, offering better photography, higher quality card stock, and more information compared to Topps and Donruss. By 1991, Upper Deck had surpassed the other companies in popularity. Several key rookie cards and one-of-one autographs from the ’91 Upper Deck set have gone on to be extremely valuable over the past 30 years. Here are the 10 most valuable 1991 Upper Deck baseball cards based on PSA 10 gem mint condition prices:
Nolan Ryan #206 – A Nolan Ryan legend card featuring one of the all-time great pitchers in action for the Texas Rangers. Ryan was in his late 30s in 1991 but still pitching effectively. PSA 10 recently sold for $880.
Tom Glavine rookie #294 – A staple in Atlanta Braves rotations throughout the 1990s, Glavine won 305 career games and 2 Cy Young awards. As a rookie in ’91 he went 14-8 with a 2.55 ERA. PSA 10 sold for $1,200.
Cal Ripken Jr #250 – “The Iron Man” Cal Ripken was already a multiple time All-Star and had broken Gehrig’s consecutive games played record by 1991. This card shows him batting for the Baltimore Orioles. PSA 10 sold for $1,300.
Gregg Jefferies rookie #138 – Jefferies was a highly touted prospect in the Mets system and made his MLB debut in 1991. He displayed good power and speed in the minors but didn’t live up to expectations in the show. Still a key rookie card. PSA 10 sold for $1,500.
Frank Thomas rookie #280 – “The Big Hurt” exploded onto the scene for the Chicago White Sox in 1990, finishing second in the ROTY voting and establishing himself as one of baseball’s premier power hitters. PSA 10 recently sold for $1,850.
Juan Gonzalez rookie #304 – Gonzalez crushed the ball as a rookie for Texas in 1991, smacking 20 home runs in just 95 games. He would go on to have a monster career, winning back-to-back AL MVPs in 1996-97. PSA 10 sold for $2,400.
Alex Rodriguez rookie #550 – A-Rod’s first major league card shows him as a skinny shortstop for the Seattle Mariners organization in 1991. Of course, he developed into a generational superstar and still holds the all-time home run record among middle infielders. PSA 10 recently sold for $3,500.
Ken Griffey Jr. #1 – “The Kid” burst onto the scene in 1989 and followed that up with back-to-back AL ROY awards in 1990-91. Widely considered the best player of the 1990s, Griffey Jr. was a marketing sensation. PSA 10 recently sold for an astonishing $8,250.
Griffey Jr. autograph #1 – The Griffey Jr. autographed card is even more rare and coveted. Only a handful exist in pristine PSA/BEMA 10 gem mint condition. One example sold in October 2021 for a staggering $20,800.
Chipper Jones 1/1 printing plate – As the only printing plate produced for the 1991 Upper Deck set, this Chipper Jones is the true holy grail. Printing plates are invaluable and unique items. Jones went on to a Hall of Fame career with the Atlanta Braves. It last sold for a record-breaking $96,000 in November 2021.
The ’91 Upper Deck set gave collectors their first glimpse of legendary talents like Thomas, Ripken, Gonzalez, Rodriguez, and Griffey Jr. But it’s the iconic Griffey Jr. and ultra-rare Jones printing plate that reign supreme in value from this classic release over 30 years later. With such phenomenal talent featured and the premium nature of Upper Deck cards, 1991 Upper Deck remains one of the most beloved vintage sets in the hobby. Prices have skyrocketed for the elite gems like the Griffey Jr. auto and Chipper plate, but there are still reasonably affordable stars to collect like Glavine, Jefferies, and Thomas rookies for today’s baseball fanatics.
