The 1989 Topps All-Star Baseball card set is one of the most iconic and recognizable baseball card issues of all time. Issued before the baseball season to memorialize players’ performances from the previous year, the 1989 Topps set features future Hall of Famers and some of the biggest stars in the game at the time. The set consists of 792 total trading cards issued in wax packs, boxes, and factory sets.
Overall design and aesthetic of the 1989 Topps cards stayed true to Topps’ classic look from the 1980s. Each standard size (2.5” x 3.5”) card featured a full color action photo of the player on the front with team name/logo in the bottom left corner and player stats/position on the bottom right. The back of each card contained the player’s career statistics and biographical information. Unlike modern sets, borders were thin and contained basic player identifiers but no inserts, parallels, or on-card technology enhancements common today.
Top stars featured prominently include Roger Clemens of the Boston Red Sox on card #1, Orel Hershiser of the Los Angeles Dodgers on card #2 after winning the 1988 World Series MVP and Cy Young Award, and Kirk Gibson of the Dodgers on card #3 after his legendary game-winning home run in Game 1 of the 1988 World Series. Other Hall of Famers showcased in the set include Nolan Ryan (#52), Wade Boggs (#89), George Brett (#92), Tom Seaver (#119), Cal Ripken Jr. (#137), Steve Carlton (#304) and Rickey Henderson (#342) among many others.
Some of the more unique and valuable cards in the 1989 Topps All-Star Baseball set include the Alex Rodriguez rookie card (#366), which has ascended to seven figures for high grade copies in recent years. Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card (#560) is also highly sought after by collectors. The cards for star pitchers Greg Maddux (#233) and Randy Johnson (#470) also stand out. Utility player Jeff Reboulet’s card (#741) features a rare error photo and is highly sought by error collectors.
Condition and centering quality plays a huge factor in the value of 1989 Topps cards today. Maintaining a “mint” or “near-mint” grade is difficult considering the fragile cardboard stock used at the time. Top prospects like Mark McGwire and Ken Griffey Jr. were not yet superstars in 1989, so their rookie cards trade for less than similar cards from other years after stardom was achieved. Pristine graded examples still command thousands due to their historic significance.
Beyond the standard cards, the 1989 Topps set also included special “Topps Traded” parallel issues featuring players whose teams they were traded to after the previous season. These include Hershiser in a Dodgers uniform on one card and in an Oakland A’s uniform on the “Traded” parallel. Factory sets and team sets broken out the full 792 card issue into easier to collect subsets divided by league and division for enthusiasts.
Wax packs from 1989 Topps sold for $1 per pack and contained 7 cards each, including one traded or star card per pack on average. With sales of over 10 million packs that year, the issue was a massive success and is amongst the most collected vintage issues. As the flagship baseball card set for over 50 years, Topps ensured the 1989 release commemorated the continued success and popularity of America’s pastime at the end of a historic 1980s decade for baseball. Today, complete
The 1989 Topps All-Star Baseball cards are considered a true landmark set that captured iconic players and memorable moments at the tail end baseball’s “Golden Era”. Combining classic nostalgic design elements with immediately recognizable stars and Hall of Famers, the issue remains a crucial part of history for both the sport and collecting community. Three decades later, it retains an important place in the hierarchy of notable vintage releases.
