The 1990 Leaf baseball card set is notoriously underrated and contains several key rookie cards and stars of the era that are worth a good amount of money today for collectors. While not as popular as sets from Topps, Donruss, or Fleer during that time period, 1990 Leaf features iconic players and have steadily increased in value in recent years as the 1990s collecting boom continues.
One of the most valuable cards from the set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was already emerging as a superstar for the Seattle Mariners during his rookie campaign of 1989 and his potent combination of power and speed made him a fan favorite. The Griffey rookie is arguably one of the most iconic baseball cards ever issued and it remains highly sought after by collectors decades later. Near mint to mint condition examples regularly sell for $400-600 while extremely well-centered gems in pristine mint condition can bring over $1,000.
Another highly desired rookie card is Darren Daulton of the Philadelphia Phillies. As the starting catcher for the 1993 NL Champion Phillies, Daulton developed a cult following in Philly for his leadership and gritty play. His rookie card didn’t gain much steam until years later but has experienced explosive growth the last few years. Near mint Daulton rookies sell in the $150-250 range while gems can fetch over $500.
Iconic players like Nolan Ryan, Ozzie Smith, and Rickey Henderson are well represented in the set with serial numbered parallel issues that command premium prices. Ryan’s “Stars of Baseball” parallel is one of his more scarce serial numbered issues and has sold for over $1,000 in high grades. Meanwhile, “Greats of the Game” parallels of Smith and Henderson in pristine condition can sell for $400-600 each.
High grade rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Tom Glavine, John Smoltz, and Greg Maddux are also prizes for Atlanta Braves collectors. Excellent condition copies of their rookie cards sell in the $75-150 range each depending on the demand at the time of sale. Randy Johnson also has an electric rookie card showing his massive left arm wingspan that sells in the $50-100 range for high quality copies.
There are also numerous star and serial numbered inserts that provide added value in the 1990 Leaf set. Players like Barry Bonds, Cal Ripken Jr., Roger Clemens, Kirby Puckett, and Frank Thomas can all be found in various parallel formats that are much scarcer than their base cards. Mint condition “Prime Cuts” parallels of Bonds, Ripken, and Clemens have sold in excess of $500 before.
Condition is key when evaluating the value of any 1990 Leaf card. The cardboard stock was prone to chipping and wear so locating high quality examples in near mint to mint condition is paramount. Cards graded gem mint 10 by top grading services like PSA and BGS can often demand 50% or more in added value compared to raw near mint copies. Even well-loved near mint cards of stars still hold value starting at $25-50 based on the player and parallel format.
With vivid color photos and a classic design scheme featuring player headshots and statistics, 1990 Leaf is amongst the best looking sets from the era. Prices have increased dramatically as millennials rediscover the brands they collected as kids in the early 90s boom. Savvy buyers can still find values by purchasing raw lots on auction sites or through dealers if willing to do the work of sorting. The long term potential also remains high as the 1990s player pool ages into retirement and is immortalized in Cooperstown. Overall the 1990 Leaf baseball card set holds considerable hidden gems worth excavating for savvy collectors.
