The 1989 Topps Traded baseball card series was the sixth set released as part of Topps’ “Traded” series which highlighted players who were traded or acquired via free agency in the previous year. The set contained 84 total cards and showcased players who found themselves on new teams for the 1989 season after moving via trade or free agency in 1988. While not one of the most coveted Topps Traded sets compared to some others due to mainly featuring role players and middle relievers, there are still some valuable and desirable cards within the 1989 series worth discussing.
One of the most notable aspects of the 1989 Topps Traded set was that featured future Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who was arguably the biggest acquisition of the 1988-1989 offseason. Henderson was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the New York Mets and his card in the Traded set commemorating his move carries strong nostalgic value and demand due to Henderson’s legendary career. Henderson’s card in PSA 10 gem mint condition has sold for over $100 in recent years, showing there is strong collector interest in one of the biggest names and most exciting players featured in the set.
Another Hall of Famer with a card in the 1989 Topps Traded set is Ozzie Smith. Known as “The Wizard” for his peerless defensive skills at shortstop, Smith was traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the San Diego Padres in 1988. Smith’s Traded card is one many collectors seek out to highlight an all-time great’s change of scenery. High grade PSA 10 examples of Smith’s ’89 Traded card have sold in the $50 range in recent years. While not the most expensive in the set, Ozzie Smith collectors looking to commemorate his career will pay a premium for his Traded issue after leaving St. Louis.
Beyond Henderson and Smith, there are a few other notable rookie cards and stars present in the 1989 Topps Traded checklist that provide value opportunities for collectors. Kenny Lofton had his rookie card in this set after being acquired by the Cleveland Indians. Lofton went on to a six-time All-Star career and his rookie in PSA 9-10 grade has sold for over $100 due to his strong performance and Hall of Fame caliber career. Dennis Eckersley also had his card in the set after being part of the massive trade that saw Eck, Stan Javier, and Todd Burns head to the Oakland A’s from the Red Sox. Eckersley’s Traded RC in top grades hold value as he cemented his Hall of Fame resume following the trade.
While stars provide the headliners, there are also several short print cards and parallels that increase the values of some less heralded players’ cards in the 1989 Topps Traded set. The base issue cards are fairly common overall, but parallel and variations like “Traded Paper” inserts, and die-cut cards that omit a player’s team name from the front of the card are desirable for completionists. Players like Oddibe McDowell, Stan Javier, and Rudy Seanez have examples of these scarce parallels that have sold for $50-100 each depending on condition, far outpacing their base cards. For researchers of parallels and variations, there are opportunities in the set beyond the star players as well.
While not the most valuable or well-known of the Topps Traded releases overall, the 1989 version does contain keys cards that hold value for Hall of Fame talent like Rickey Henderson and Ozzie Smith. Rookie cards of impact players like Kenny Lofton also remain as solid long-term investments. Factor in short print variations and die-cuts, and set builders still chase overlooked components of the checklist. For both nostalgic fans of the players and traders featured as well as collectors seeking out obscure variations, the 1989 Topps Traded baseball card set endures as an intriguing release with hidden gems thirty years later.
