The 1989 O-Pee-Chee baseball card set is one of the more sought after issues from the late 1980s. While it didn’t feature any true rookie cards of future Hall of Famers, it did include stars at the height of their careers and included variations that have become highly valuable for collectors.
One of the most notable inclusions was Ken Griffey Jr., who was starting to emerge as one of the game’s brightest young stars with the Seattle Mariners in his third MLB season. While not a true rookie card, Griffey’s card from the 1989 O-Pee-Chee set has held strong value given his popularity and iconic status he would eventually achieve as arguably the best player of the 1990s. PSA 10 Gem Mint copies of Griffey’s ’89 O-Pee-Chee card in near-perfect condition have sold for over $800 in recent years. With Griffey’s legendary career and his cards in such high demand, even well-cent things in lower grades still trade for $50-plus depending on condition.
Another key star who appears in the set is Rickey Henderson, arguably the greatest leadoff hitter and baserunner in MLB history. By 1989, Henderson was already a six-time All-Star and three-time stolen base leader with the Oakland A’s franchise. His speed and athleticism made him must-see TV during his playing days. In PSA 10 condition, Henderson’s ’89 O-Pee-Chee has sold for around $500. It’s considered one of his more valuable vintage cards outside of his true rookie issues.
Two variations make the 1989 O-Pee-Chee set stand out – a Barry Bonds photo variation and “Coming Attractions” subset. Bonds was just starting to break out as an MVP-caliber player in 1989, his third season with the Pittsburgh Pirates. But a small percentage of his main base card used an alternate photo showing him in a more closed batting stance. This photo variation is extremely rare and prized by collectors. High-grade PSA 10 versions have sold for $2,500 or more. Even well-worn lower graded examples still trade hands for $100-200.
The “Coming Attractions” subset is also highly coveted, featuring 16 future Hall of Famers as rookies or early in their careers including Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, Frank Thomas, and David Justice. Each has an illustration alongside a descriptive blurb. Finding these scarce parallel cards in pristine condition is the holy grail. A PSA 10 Greg Maddux “Coming Attractions” just sold at auction for a staggering $11,000. PSA 9 copies often trade for $3,000-5,000 range still. Other top sellers in the subset include a PSA 10 Frank Thomas at $7,500, and Tom Glavine around $5,000. Even the more “affordable” entries like Justice have changed hands for $1,200 in PSA 10.
Staying with variations, there was also an ultra-rare error card printed featuring Kent Hrbek on the back instead of the intended Tim Raines card on the front. Only a handful are known to exist. In 2017, a PSA 8.5 copy sold for nearly $12,000, a true trophy piece for any serious vintage card collector. Raines himself also holds value from the ’89 set as one of the game’s best leadoff hitters and base thieves at the time. PSA 10s have sold around $250 price range.
Filling out the rest of the valuable cards from the set, Nolan Ryan continued starring for the Texas Rangers at an advanced age but was still impacting games with his heat. A PSA 10 of Nanny’s card reached $375. Future Hall of Famer Wade Boggs also provides value options whether on the Boston Red Sox or joining the New York Yankees the next year. Mid-grade examples often trade between $50-100 depending on player and team mentioned.
While it may not have had the true blockbuster rookie cards of sets prior, the 1989 O-Pee-Chee is still considered an important release during the peak era of the company’s hockey and baseball issues. Featuring the careers of established veterans mixed with emerging young talent and scarce parallel variations, it provides plenty of intriguing options for both causal collectors and serious investors decades later. Condition is critical, but condition sensitive vintage sports cards from the late 80s in general have shown incredible resilience and appreciation over the long haul. The 1989 O-Pee-Chee release serves as another solid case study of what captures imagination both at the card shop checkout and auction block decades later.
