The 1989 Upper Deck baseball card set was the company’s first release and contained 792 cards. It broke new ground in the hobby by featuring higher quality photos and thicker cardboard stock compared to Topps and Donruss cards at the time. The 1989 Upper Deck set gained notoriety for including Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card which is one of the iconic rookie cards in the hobby. Due to the significance and popularity of the ’89 Upper Deck set, pricing for individual cards can vary greatly depending on condition, serial number, and player featured. Here is an in-depth look at pricing trends for notable 1989 Upper Deck baseball cards:
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#1): Widely considered the crown jewel of the ’89 Upper Deck set, Jr.’s rookie is the most valuable card in the set. In pristine Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) 7-9 condition, Griffey Jr. rookies usually sell for $2,000-$5,000. For a true gem mint (10 grade), expect to pay upwards of $10,000 or more. Many consider this the best and most iconic baseball card rookie of all time.
Barry Bonds Rookie Card (#490): Bonds’ rookie is one of the more sought after cards outside of Griffey Jr. NM-MT 7-9 copies sell in the $400-$800 range on average. True gem mint (10) grades have recently sold for over $2,000 and are highly coveted by collectors.
Bryce Harper SP Variation (#177): As one of the more scarce serially-numbered parallel variations in the set, the Harper SP holds immense value. In NM-MT condition, these low-numbered versions usually sell between $600-$1,200.
Frank Thomas Rookie Card (#410): “The Big Hurt” delivered big offensively in his career and his rookie maintains solid value. NM-MT 7-9 examples typically sell for $150-$300 depending on the sub-grade. Higher graded gems have sold upwards of $500.
Roberto Alomar Rookie Card (#256): Alomar had a long, productive career and his rookie remains a popular target for collectors, especially Orioles fans. NM-MT versions change hands for $80-$150 on the open market today.
Ken Griffey Sr. (#675 and #676): Griffey Sr.’s father-son bookends hold value due to scarcity and pair nicely alongside Jr.’s rookie. NM-MT pairings generally sell between $300-$500 combined. Individually, each card fetches $100-$200.
Greg Maddux Rookie Card (#684): Maddux went on to have a Hall of Fame caliber career and his rookie is always in demand. But, as a later release, there are many available which keeps the price down relative to others in the set. Expect to pay $40-$80 for NM-MT condition.
Rickey Henderson (#1 and #792): Henderson’s card numbers bookend the set alongside Griffey Jr. in a fun parallel. Together in top grades, the pair usually sells for $250-$500 depending on condition. Individually around $100 each.
Ben McDonald Draft Pick Card (#1): As the #1 overall pick in the 1989 draft, McDonald’s rookie parallel holds value. Near complete sets with McDonald’s Draft Pick parallel can sell for $400-$800 total depending on condition of cards included.
In addition to the highlights, there are several other $20-$50 range cards such as Nolan Ryan (#49), Wade Boggs (#92), Ozzie Smith (#94), and Tony Gwynn (#120) if in top NM-MT condition. Rarer serial number parallel cards like the Retail parallel Derek Jeter (#636) also possess premium appeal to diehard collectors.
The 1989 Upper Deck set launched the brand into the hobby and contains many iconic rookies and cards that remain highly collectible and valuable decades later. Condition is everything when evaluating accurate pricing so be sure cards are professionally graded if really high end. For complete ungraded sets in average circulated condition, ranges are $500-$1,000 but can reach $2,000+ for pristine comprehensive collections. Singles and small lots vary greatly based on player, scarcity, and grade so this 1989 Upper Deck price guide aims to provide benchmarks but always verify against recent sales data.
