The 1990 Score baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable card sets from the “junk wax” era of the late 80s and early 90s. While sets from this time period are largely seen as mass produced and not particularly rare, there are still some standout cards that have maintained or grown in value over the decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 1990 Score baseball cards based on their current market prices.
One of the true blue chip cards from 1990 Score is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was already a budding superstar by 1990 in just his second major league season, and his rookie card became one of the most highly sought after in the hobby. In top graded gem mint condition of PSA 10, Griffey’s 1990 Score rookie will fetch prices well over $1,000 today. Even in grades as low as PSA 8, it still retains value in the $200-300 range. The card saw a surge in demand after Griffey was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2016, cementing its status as one of the vintage rookie cards.
Another highly valuable rookie card is Frank Thomas’ 1990 Score issue. Thomas exploded onto the scene in 1990 by winning the American League Rookie of the Year and finishing fourth in the MVP voting. Like Griffey, Thomas went on to have a Hall of Fame career. In PSA 10 condition, his rookie card can sell for $600-900. Even well-centered PSA 9 copies hold value at $200-400. It’s rare to find the Thomas or Griffey rookies in pristine PSA 10 today, making them some of the most coveted vintage pickups for collectors.
While rookie cards usually garner the most attention, sometimes the truly iconic veteran stars can have the highest valued 1990 Score cards. A perfect example is Nolan Ryan’s card from that year. Even though he was already in his late 30s, Ryan was still one of baseball’s most legendary flamethrowers and had just struck out his 5,000th batter in 1989. The card pictures Ryan in mid-windup and is widely considered one of the set’s best designs. In PSA 10 condition, it can sell for well over $1,000. Even in PSA 9 it still trades hands for $400-600 depending on demand. Ryan’s dominance and cultural impact continued to drive interest in this classic card long after the release year.
Roger Clemens also has an extremely valuable 1990 Score issue due to his Hall of Fame talent and career accomplishments. The card depicts “Rocket” Roger in a Boston Red Sox uniform, firing a pitch. Graded PSA 10 examples regularly sell in the $600-800 range, while PSA 9s still go for $250-400. Clemens was already a two-time Cy Young winner by 1990 and went on to have one of the greatest pitching careers ever. Both he and fellow elite hurler Nolan Ryan maintained strong collector interest decades into the future.
Another 1990 Score card that maintains high values due to the fame of its subject is the Ryne Sandberg issue. The smooth-fielding second baseman was a perennial All-Star and Gold Glove winner for the Chicago Cubs in the late 80s. His classic backhanded stop photo makes for an iconic visual on the card. PSA 10 Sandberg rookies have sold for over $500, with PSA 9s bringing around $200-300 depending on the auction. His excellence and longevity as arguably the best all-around second baseman of the 80s-early 90s kept collectors searching high for top condition versions long after release.
While the headliner stars tend to drive costs the highest, three 1990 Score cards have attained ultra-rare status due to extremely low population counts in pristine PSA 10 condition. Perhaps the true holy grail of the set is the Ken Caminiti rookie card. Caminiti had a late breakout that saw him win NL MVP in 1996, but his rookie remains exceedingly difficult to find in a PSA 10 grade. The population is reported at just 2 copies, making it arguably the most elusive card from the entire decade. Rumored auction prices have sailed well over $10,000 just for the chance to own one of the two documented PSA 10 Caminitis.
In a similar ultra-rare class are the PSA 10 versions of the Ruben Sierra and Darrin Jackson rookies. Sierra went on to have a lengthy effective career, while Jackson was a solid role player. Their rookie cards are only backed by PSA populations of 3 and 4 respectively in the coveted black label grade. When one of these elusive gems surfaces, they routinely eclipse the $5,000 price point due to their very limited availability to collectors. While they flew under the radar at the time, the Caminiti, Sierra, and Jackson rookies have become true collector’s items in demand from the most discerning vintage card investors and enthusiasts.
While produced in extremely high numbers, the 1990 Score baseball card set still shelters some truly valuable gems. Stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Nolan Ryan, and Roger Clemens continue to maintain strong collector appeal in high grades due to their Hall of Fame careers and iconic visuals on their cards. Meanwhile, the rookie issues of Ken Caminiti, Ruben Sierra, and Darrin Jackson have achieved ultra-rare status with PSA Populations reported in the single digits. For dedicated collectors, hunting down high grade versions of these elite cards serves as the enduring challenge and reward from the junk wax era.
