The 1989 Topps baseball card set is one of the most iconic and valuable unopened sets from the late 1980s. Issued during Barry Bonds’ rookie season and Nolan Ryan’s record-breaking 5,000th strikeout, the 1989 Topps set contains meticulously produced cards that take collectors back to a peak era of the game. For those who have never opened a full factory sealed box straight from the Topps printing plant in Ohio, owning an unopened 1989 Topps baseball cards full set can be a dream come true for any vintage card collector.
The 1989 Topps set contains 792 total cards including 660 base cards, 81 traded cards, 31 sticker cards, 16 team cards and 4 manager cards. The iconic green-colored wax packaging enclosing each factory sealed box prominently displays “TOPPS BASEBALL” in bold, vintage style fonts. Upon opening the uncreased flaps, collectors are greeted by the smooth sheen of 100 pristine wax packs tightly nested inside. Each wax packfront portrays a different 1989 Topps card against a solid emerald backdrop.
Perfectly centered with crisp color reprints, the photograph-driven 1989 Topps cardboard paid homage to baseball’s biggest stars of the era. Ken Griffey Jr., Rickey Henderson, Kirby Puckett and Nolan Ryan’s compelling action shots jumped off the cards. Rookie promotions shined the spotlight on players just starting their MLB journey like Barry Bonds, Gregg Olson and Jerome Walton. Even journeyman veterans like Mike Heath and Milt Cuyler received dignified cardboard tributes in the set.
A slight manufacturing flaw sometimes occurred with the 1989 Topps cards that gives the set even more nostalgic appeal for collectors today. A small percentage of boxes came with “print dots” or faint colored speckles scattered across some of the cards. While an imperfections, print dots became a badge of authenticity for the true wax pack experience. They serve as visual proof that a specific card emerged brand new from the same printing sheet as others found inside an unbroken factory seal.
Outside of the noteworthy rookie cards, key highlight cards in the 1989 Topps set that instantly spike interest include the Nolan Ryan 5,000th Strikeout card (#177), Orel Hershiser 59 consecutive scoreless innings card (#245), and Joe Carter MVP card (#660). Iconic team cards like the Oakland A’s 3-peat champions (#16) and Toronto Blue Jays back-to-back pennant winners (#31) command attention. Variations on select checklist cards can exponentially increase value when found as well.
In pristine gem mint condition packed inside the original unopened wax box, a full 1989 Topps baseball card set in its original state of preservation has sold at auction for upwards of $20,000. Even partial sets still in the shrink have exceeded $10,000. While the monetary worth is enticing, the historical and nostalgic value exceeds any dollar amount. Owning an untouched piece of the past straight from the Topps printing line provides a direct link to the hallowed hobby’s rich tradition.
For serious card collectors, finding and owning an intact 1989 Topps wax box sealed for over 30 years represents the pinnacle. They covet the opportunity to live the thrill of discovering what customized cardboard treasures may rest inside waiting to be discovered. The smooth sliding of each wax pack from its wrapper coupled with the anticipation of unknown rookies, stars or variations about to be unveiled recreates the true excitement and experience fans felt as youngsters first ripping packs as the players and seasons unfolded.
While the majority of 1989 Topps cards produced were eagerly ripped from packs across the country during baseball’s summer, a lucky sliver of pristine wax boxes avoided such a fate by remaining sealed away in attics, basements or storage units. They survived through the rises and falls of player careers and franchises featured within. Occasionally, one of these time capsules emerges on the collecting market offering a portal back to a storied year in baseball cardboard history. For the discerning vintage set builder or investor, little compares to acquiring and holding an impeccable full 1989 Topps factory sealed wax box straight from the printer’s first production run.
