The 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings baseball card set was unique in that it featured glossy photos on a diamond-patterned cardstock background. The set paid homage to some of the game’s best players by giving them ultra-premium “Diamond King” treatment on these distinctive cards. While the set lacked the true rarity or nostalgia of older vintage sets from the pre-1980s, many of the 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings cards have grown in value and demand over the decades.
The 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings set contained only 50 cards and was limited to one per box of the regular 350-card Donruss flagship set. This scarcity automatically gave the Diamond Kings subset appeal as a chase subset. Many of the players profiled were some of the biggest stars in baseball at the time like Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Barry Bonds, and Nolan Ryan. Having these superstar players on luxury style cards embedded demand.
Card collectors and investors began to take notice of the 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings cards in the early 2000s. By this point, the cards had escaped the junk wax era of the late 1980s and early 1990s when production skyrocketed on many sets, including Donruss. With time providing a clean break from the overproduction, the prestige of “Diamond King” status began to resonate more. Aging Millennial collectors who remembered the set from their youth began entering the collecting market with more disposable income. This combination of nostalgia and increased financial participation juiced prices.
Gem Mint PSA 10 graded examples of the most desireable 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings cards started breaking the $100 price point in the mid-2000s. All-time greats like Clemens, Bonds, and Ryan led the way. By the late 2000s, PSA 10 examples of the most coveted Diamond Kings were bringing $300-500. Due to the limited number of pristine mint copies in existence, finds at this lofty level remained scarce. Most raw near-mint to mint copies if officially graded would likely return PSA 8s and 9s which traded in the $50-150 range depending on player, condition, and everyday fluctuations.
In the 2010s, values grew exponentially across the board for the 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings set. Competition intensified from collectors both old and new looking to add these glittering veteran cards to their collections or portfolios. Social media increased awareness and eBay made comparisons and transactions easier than ever. By 2015, common PSA 10s jumped to $500-1000 while the best of the best approached $2000. PSA 9s reached the $300-600 threshold. Meanwhile, desirable raw copies climbed above the $100-300 plateau depending on centering, corners and edges. This momentum continued throughout the rest of the decade.
The upswing continued unabated into early 2020 before the pandemic slowed sales activity across the collectibles space. Long-term demand drivers remained intact. Today in 2022, the going rates for 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings cards are:
Common PSA 10s such as Wade Boggs, Nolan Ryan, Joe Carter approx. $1000-1500
Superstar/Hall of Famer PSA 10s such as Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Mike Schmidt $2000-4000
Gem Mint 9s ranging from $600-1000 for most w/ top tier names at $1000-1500
Very nicely centered Raw NM-MT copies $200-500 depending on eye appeal and name
For the true Blue Chip RCs like Ken Griffey Jr. or Jerry Rice whose cards have exploded in multiple sports, prices can multiply higher still if graded PSA 10. The 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings Barry Bonds rookie, which may be the most visually stunning RC ever printed, now changes hands at levels approaching five figures for pristine specimens.
The 1989 Donruss Diamond Kings baseball card set experienced enduring value growth over 30+ years due to its small print run with superstar subjects, aesthetically pleasing design, and strong nostalgia factor among collectors who remembered ripping packs as kids. While the junk wax era stalled collectibles for a period, long-term holders have been richly rewarded. As familiar names from the late 80s/early 90s continue to fade from baseball memory, demand seems secure to persist. Only sharp dips during major market downturns halt the decades-long upward momentum for this premium but not quite vintage issue.
