The 1990 Donruss baseball set was released at the tail end of the “Junk Wax” era in the early 1990s. While not considered the most desirable vintage by modern collectors due to incredibly high print runs during this time period, the 1990 Donruss set featured some iconic players and rookie cards that are still relevant today. At just 132 cards in the base set, it was a somewhat condensed effort from Donruss compared to sets just a few years prior. There were still many notable and valuable cards to be found within the 1990 checklist.
Perhaps the biggest key cards from the 1990 Donruss set revolve around all-time great players who were entering the twilight of their careers. One of the most iconic is card #1 – Nolan Ryan. As one of the most feared and dominant pitchers in baseball history, any Ryan card from his Express era continues to hold value. While not his first or most sought after card, the 1990 Donruss Ryan shows “The Ryan Express” in a Houston Astros uniform, modeling his classic high leg kick windup. With over 5,000 career strikeouts at that point and still an active starter, this card captured a true pitching legend. Graded examples in PSA/BGS 10 have sold for over $100 in recent years.
Another all-time great featured prominently in the 1990 Donruss set is card #20 – George Brett. Like Ryan, Brett was nearing the end of a Hall of Fame career by 1990 with the Kansas City Royals. He had amassed over 3,000 hits to that point in his career while establishing himself as one of the best pure hitters in baseball history. The photo on the 1990 Donruss Brett card catches him mid-swing and remains one of the more iconic images from his playing days. High graded copies in mint condition have reached upwards of $75-$100 based on the demand for a card capturing a true hitting legend’s late career.
While no rookie cards, the 1990 Donruss set also included early career images of future Hall of Famers like Barry Larkin on card #80 and Roberto Alomar on card #112. Both were all-stars by 1990 and well on their way to Cooperstown plaques. Key cards like these that doubled as some of the players’ earliest Topps/Donruss issues outside of their rookie year tend to trade quite well long term for avid team and star collectors. An example would be the 1990 Donruss Larkin, which has climbed to the $25-$35 range for a PSA/BGS 10 over the past decade.
Staying on the theme of future Hall of Famers, card #107 deserves a mention as well – Wade Boggs on the Boston Red Sox. By 1990, Boggs had put together an underrated but phenomenal career batting .357 lifetime to that point while winning 5 batting titles. He would go on to hit over .300 in each of his next 5 seasons as well. The 1990 Donruss Boggs showed him in the middle of his prime and recognition of his hitting prowess has only grown since. Higher graded versions easily top $50 today.
While not a rookie card, one of the true keys and most iconic cards from the 1990 Donruss baseball set came in the form of card #124 – Ken Griffey Jr. on the Seattle Mariners. This was Junior’s second Topps/Donruss issued card after breaking into the majors in 1989 with huge expectations. The photo depicts Griffey exhibiting his elite athleticism and throwing form already as a 20-year old. Of course, he would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and this early Donruss issue remains one of his most epic images. Pristine PSA/BGS 10 copies have changed hands for well over $500 in recent years based on Griffey’s lasting popularity and legend status in the game today.
The biggest draw and value cards from the 1990 Donruss baseball set undoubtedly revolve around the impressive rookie class that year – headlined by none other than Frank Thomas on card #49 as the cover boy. “The Big Hurt” immediately announced his arrival by hitting .271 with 21 home runs as American League Rookie of the Year – a precursor to a Hall of Fame Career. His iconic rookie card image of him crushing a baseball remains among the most hyped and valuable from the entire Junk Wax era. High graded PSA/BGS 10 examples now trade in the $1,000+ range and only figure to increase with time.
A few other notable rookies and their 1990 Donruss rookie cards included Randy Johnson on card #94, who would become arguably the most dominant pitcher of the 1990s. Chipper Jones also had his rookie on card #111 after being drafted #1 overall – foreshadowing a 19 year MLB career and Hall of Fame induction as well. And Jeff Bagwell unleashed his power as card #113 in his rookie year before an all-star run with the Houston Astros. All 3 examples can potentially yield upwards of $100 each in top grades due to the iconic rookie card status and careers that followed.
While the overall 1990 Donruss baseball release doesn’t have quite the same cache as some earlier ’80s sets, it still managed to capture many all-time great players and hall of famers either entering their primes or winding down epic careers. The star power and longevity achieved by the premier rookies like Frank Thomas elevated certain cards to true investing gems for collectors even today. When combined with the fun, classic Donruss design elements and photography of the time, it’s easy to see why certain 1990 Donruss key cards like the Thomas rookie, Griffey, and others mentioned here continue to hold relevance and solid returns for savvy vintage collectors.
