The 1990 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the “junk wax” era of the late 1980s and early 1990s. While some view sets from this time as relatively common and low in value due to massive production runs, there are still quite a few rare and valuable gems to be found in the 1990 Topps set for savvy collectors. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key scarce and high-value cards collectors seek out from the 1990 offering.
One of the true unicorns of the 1990 Topps set is the Frank Thomas rookie card. Fewer than 10 PSA 10 Gem Mint examples are known to exist, making this one of the most coveted and expensive modern rookie cards on the hobby. In top grades, examples have sold for well over $100,000. Even low-grade copies in PSA 5-6 condition fetch thousands. What makes this card so rare is that Topps greatly underprinted the rookie class in 1990. Few packs contained any rookies, let alone one of the true superstars like Thomas.
Another hugely valuable rookie is the Ken Griffey Jr. Griffey mania was only beginning in 1990 but collectors recognized his future star power. Like Thomas, PSA 10 Griffey rookies are essentially unobtained status symbols selling north of $100K. But even lower grades still demand impressive five-figure sums. The rarity here is that Topps didn’t use a photo of Griffey in his Mariners uniform on the card – it’s a shot from his rookie season with the Reds before being traded. This made the card less identifiable and packs weren’t picked through as intensely for this under-the-radar rookie.
The Nolan Ryan record breaker card is also a true blockbuster, though finding one graded at the PSA 10 level will cost a collector well over $50,000. This card depicts Ryan breaking Sandy Koufax’s record for strikeouts. It’s widely considered one of the most iconic baseball photos of all time. But production problems led to it being one of the rarest main set cards in the entire 1990 Topps run. Even in a PSA 8 grade, examples have topped $7,500, showing there is big money through the spectrum for this work of sports history captured on a tiny slice of cardboard.
Continuing with superstar short prints, cards like the Darryl Strawberry and Rickey Henderson offerings are also hugely valuable at the higher certification levels. Both commands sums well into five figures for a PSA 10 due to their rarity alongside these players’ status. There are plenty more attainable short prints and parallels in the set that still offer collectors a lucrative modern rare card for a fraction of the above cards’ prices. Cards like Tom Candiotti, Rod Beck, Charlie Hough, and Bob Milacki are just some of the many short prints in the set with PSA 10s still selling for over $1,000 despite larger populations.
Also highly sought are the complete set checklist cards featuring statistical and bio info for each player included in the issue. Often the highest numbered cards in the base set, the checklist cards from 1990 are true short prints that frequently come up for auction at price points over $500 in top grades. Another esoteric subset is the inaugural year collector cards featuring info about the history of Topps and stats about sets from prior years. These nostalgic inclusions are short printed relics of baseball card history and can sell for well over $200 in pristine condition.
When it comes to parallels and inserts, the 1990 Topps Traded set cards are very lucrative finds. Featuring players who were traded towards the end of the 1989 season and leading up to the 1990 issue, these parallels can fetch multiple thousands of dollars in top grades. The Mark McGwire Traded RC parallels Topps’ main set issue as one of the most valuable modern rookie cards in the hobby. PSA 10s have eclipsed $50,000 at auction. Even star rookie parallels of Gary Sheffield, Chuck Knoblauch, and Dennis Eckersley still net four figures in pristine condition.
Outside of the Traded set, the ultra-short printed Gold Medallion parallel subset provides some of the most challenging modern rainbow cards to complete. With populations of single digits or less for stars like Thomas, Griffey, Strawberry and more – these precious metal parallels have no price ceiling. One of the rarest inserts ever produced by Topps, the Emmy award insert pictured the trophy with descriptions of winning shows. Fewer than a handful are known, making its elusiveness on a collector’s want list part of its extreme allure and value.
While packs from the 1990 Topps baseball card set remain abundant and affordable, savvy collectors know to keep a keen eye out for the true keys and short prints within. Even at the lower certification levels, individual cards like the Frank Thomas and Ken Griffey Jr. rookies retain incredible secondary market prices. For those chasing the white whales of the set in pristine PSA 10 condition, be prepared to enter six-figure territory or spend years scouring to find them. The 1990 issue offers a fun vintage cardboard experience alongside the potential to uncover buried treasure worth thousands for the right sharp-eyed enthusiast.
