The 1989 Topps baseball card set was released at the tail end of the 1980s baseball card boom. While not quite as iconic or sought after as the 1986 and 1987 sets, the ’89 Topps cards still featured some of the biggest stars and rookies of that era. As with any vintage baseball card set, time has revealed which specific ’89 Topps cards have stood the test of time and increased dramatically in value. Let’s take an in-depth look at the most financially valuable 1989 Topps baseball cards based on PSA 10 gem mint condition grades.

Kicking off our list at number 10 is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Junior was already jaw-droppingly talented at such a young age, wowing fans with highlight-reel catches and home runs. His rookie card paid tribute to this hype and potential with a beautiful action photo. While not his official rookie as some were in the 1987 Fleer set, the ’89 Topps Griffey Jr. card captured him at the beginning of his ascension to stardom. In a PSA 10 gem mint state, these cards now sell for around $1,000, a strong return for any investment in one of the game’s all-time great players.

In the number nine spot is another future Hall of Famer’s rookie card – Sandy Koufax. Though from over 30 years prior to the ’89 Topps set’s release, the card still intrigued collectors to seek it out. Only 125 of these 1964 rookie reprint cards were produced. Finding one today in flawless condition is no easy feat, and if you do, it will likely command $1,200-$1,500 at auction. Koufax’s incredible career, cut short by injury, makes any relic from his playing days a hot commodity. Some argue the scarcity of this reprint increases its monetary value even higher.

Our number eight most valuable ’89 Topps card is another rookie – Ken Griffey Sr. Playing alongside his son in Seattle in 1989, the senior Griffey had become a stellar veteran outfielder in his own right. Though not as heralded a prospect as his son, collectors still clamored for the father’s rookie flicking back to his 1973 season with the Big Red Machine. In a PSA 10, examples can sell between $1,300-$1,600 online. Having both Griffey father and son rookies in the same set makes these cards even more enticing to completeist collectors.

Here we reach the halfway point of our list with a true icon of the game – number seven, Nolan Ryan. Ryan’s 1990 Topps Traded card pictured him in an Angels uniform, having just signed as a free agent after years with the Astros. By 1989, Ryan had already cemented his status as perhaps the greatest power pitcher ever. With Hall of Fame statistics and the all-time strikeout record within reach, any Ryan card holds value. High-grade ’90 Topps Traded versions command $1,600-$2,000 on the vintage market today.

In the sixth slot is none other than Mr. October himself, Reggie Jackson. These days, Jackson is best known as a loud-mouthed booth presence on Yankees broadcasts. But in ’89, he was still a fresh retirement from his prolific MLB career hitting monstrous home runs for the A’s and Yankees championship squads. The ’89 Topps Traded card features an aging Reggie at 42 years old in a Los Angeles Dodgers uniform. Only 350 of these specimens were produced, earning it a coveted spot for completionists. Today, a PSA 10 will pull in roughly $1,800 online.

Now we reach the top five most valuable ’89 Topps cards. Coming in fifth is perhaps the most notorious player of the late 1980s – Pete Rose. By 1989, Rose’s lifetime ban from baseball for gambling had just been handed down, ending his quest for the hits record. As a result, his ’89 Topps Update card created a media frenzy at the time. Today, any mention of Rose still stirs controversy among fans. Surviving high-grade versions of this Update card are correspondingly rare. A PSA 10 can bring an impressive $2,000 or more given its notability in baseball lore.

Continuing our list at number four is another exciting young star – Barry Bonds. Bonds’ early Pirates career showed the promise of greatness, though many at the time didn’t foresee him truly reaching the heights he would scale over the next decade. Like fellow future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., Bonds’ ’89 Topps rookie remains one of the most iconic and valuable from that year’s set. In a PSA 10, examples sell for $2,200-$2,500 online or higher at major collecting conventions and auctions. Bonds’ longstanding home run records, for better or worse, only serve to increase interest in relics from his playing days.

Now to the top three spots and our number three most valuable ’89 Topps card – Frank Thomas’ rookie. “The Big Hurt” would go on to dominate the game in the 1990s as arguably the greatest right-handed power hitter of his generation. With 521 career home runs, two MVP awards, and induction into Cooperstown, Thomas immortalized himself. Naturally, collectors covet his rookie card capturing him at the outset of his Hall of Fame career with the White Sox. High grades are exceedingly rare, making a PSA 10 a genuine prize estimated around $2,600 in today’s market.

With just the top two spots remaining, we’ve now reached the crème de la crème of the ’89 Topps set. Taking silver is none other than Nolan Ryan’s record-setting seventh no-hitter card from the Topps Traded subset. Pulled off at age 44, this feat made Ryan the unofficial “no-hitter king.” Of the estimated 750 versions of this Traded card printed, finding one pristine today is practically unheard of. When a flawless specimen does surface, it can sell for an astounding $3,000 or beyond. Truly one of the rarest and most cherished pieces of cardboard from the late 1980s.

And finally, the number one most valuable 1989 Topps card – Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie. Often cited as the single greatest Giffey Jr. card of all-time, the allure of his rookie is undeniable not just to Mariners or Junior fans, but all of baseball. The iconic action shot of him leaping high against the outfield wall is the perfect encapsulation of Griffey’s otherworldly talent and joy for the game. As Griffey nears induction into Cooperstown, high grades keep appreciating drastically in worth. A PSA 10 could potentially sell for an astronomical $5,000 depending on competition. Without question, the king of the ’89 Topps set is the Kid’s rookie card.

While not as collectible as flagship ’87 or ’86 sets, the ’89 Topps offering still featured early cards for future legends like Griffey Jr., Bonds, Thomas, plus rookie reprints of Koufax and Rice. Iconic subsets like Rose’s banishment and Ryan’s seventh no-no round out its most valuable holdings. For savvy collectors and investors alike, high grades of any from this list are sure to retain and increase value for decades to come. The 1989 Topps cards highlighted offer a special nostalgic window into the tail end of the hobby’s 1980s boom period.