The 1989 Topps Big Baseball card set is one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the late 1980s. With 553 total cards issued, the 1989 Topps Big set showcased larger 3.5” x 5” versions of players’ main Topps card for that year at a time when baseball cards were immensely popular. Several factors contribute to certain 1989 Topps Big cards ascending to the top of the hobby in terms of value, condition and scarcity.
One of the most valuable and coveted cards from the 1989 Topps Big set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey’s impressive career and status as a fan favorite has made his rookie cards highly sought after by collectors. The Griffey rookie in the standard 1989 Topps set already demands big money, but his mammoth 1989 Topps Big rookie in pristine mint condition has sold for over $20,000 at auction. This is largely due to Griffey’s flashy style of play, incredible stats over 22 MLB seasons and 13 All-Star appearances that affirm him as one of the greatest outfielders of all time. Obtaining his rookie in a near-gem mint or better state is a true prize.
Another widely desired 1989 Topps Big card is the Frank Thomas rookie, which can reach over $1500 priced graded and centered beautifully. Thomas carved out a Hall of Fame career marked by consistent power production and two MVP awards. Like Griffey, Thomas’ impressive on-field accomplishments and rarity on the collector market, especially in top condition, make his rookie a blue chip investment piece for advanced collectors. The 1989 Topps Big set marked Thomas’ first card issued after getting called up late in the 1990 season with the Chicago White Sox.
The Nolan Ryan record breaker subset from 1989 Topps Big is also a major ticket item for enthusiasts. This special 12-card retrospective insert commemorated Ryan surpassing Walter Johnson for the most career strikeouts on September 25, 1983 with his 3,509th K. High-grade versions of Ryan’s record breaker card have sold for $600 to $800 at auction. Any card involving a hallowed baseball record by one of the game’s most famous pitchers is sure to attract serious bidding.
Other legendary players with valuable 1989 Topps Big rookie cards include Dwight Gooden, Gregg Jefferies, Kevin Maas and the ultra-rare Ben McDonald, who logged just 15 MLB games that year due to injuries but whose cardboard enjoys strong demand. The raw McDonald rookie in a PSA 10 sold for $500 in 2003, a steep price 20 years ago for an ungraded base rookie of a below average career player. Condition and timing were everything.
Beyond individual standouts, completing team sets from the 1989 Topps Big release can cost a small fortune as well. While common player cards may go for around $1-3, scarce team heroes and stars multiply that price substantially. Obtaining the Dodgers or Mets full team sets intact has sold for over $1000 before. Their valuable cards are headlined by Orel Hershiser, Darryl Strawberry and others leading their respective clubs. Teams with sizable followings command higher values overall.
Perhaps the single priciest 1989 Topps Big card overall remains the Ryne Sandberg error card, showing the Cubs second baseman with a reverse-image photograph. Only about 10 of these peculiar misprints are known to exist according to the PSA population report. One copy in pristine condition recently sold at public auction for a staggering $9,375. The extreme scarcity of this confusing error along with Sandberg’s popularity keep it at the pinnacle of the set in terms of current market value. It represents one of the rarest mistakes ever released by Topps.
The 1989 Topps Big set features a blend of all-time great players, iconic rookies and quirky oddball variants that have all contributed to heightened demand and appreciation over time. Much like other years from the height of the baseball card boom in the late 1980s and early 1990s, condition is paramount. Highly-graded examples of key cards regularly earn four-figure sums and beyond from avid vintage collectors. The combination of stars, history and scarcity inherent to 1989 Topps Big ensure its status among the most valuable and endlessly appealing vintage releases.
