The 1990 Upper Deck baseball card set is one of the most iconic and valuable sets ever produced. By bringing innovative design elements and exclusive photographic technology to cards, Upper Deck revolutionized the industry starting in 1989. Their 1990 offering took this to another level with a focus on superstar players in action shots. For collectors, it is the low card numbers that make certain 1990 Upper Deck cards truly stand out.

Upper Deck used a unique numbering system for their cards starting at #1 instead of the standard #1-700 that was common at the time. This low number concept captured collector interest right away as it implied rarity and prestige similar to a low serial number on a collectible. The hunt was on to find cards #1-10, boosting their allure.

A key difference with Upper Deck was that they only produced cards to match actual demand rather than predetermining print runs. This created much lower print runs on the bigger stars compared to rivals like Donruss and Fleer who would overproduce stars. For example, Ken Griffey Jr’s Fleer card that year was issued over 1 million times but his Upper Deck is among the rarest from the set.

Some of the most coveted 1990 Upper Deck cards because of their incredibly low printed numbers include:

Ken Griffey Jr #1 – Considered the crown jewel of the set. Only around 100 of this card are believed to exist in collectors’ hands today. Its rarity and being the #1 card make it worth over $100,000 in Near Mint condition.

Andre Dawson #4 – Another extremely scarce card given Dawson’s Hall of Fame popularity. Its raw white borders make it stand out. Estimates are only 50-75 of these were produced.

Nolan Ryan #5 – Featuring the legendary flamethrower winding up, this card is famous for its extreme rarity on par with the Griffey. Career milestones like his 5,000th strikeout immortalized Ryan at the time.

Ozzie Smith #7 – As a 13 time Gold Glove winner, “The Wizard” was a fan favorite. His action pose and scarce print run of probably 100-150 copies keep this one of the 1990 set’s costliest short prints.

Mark McGwire #8 – Before the home run record chase, McGwire was already one of baseball’s emerging stars. His short swing and only an estimated 60-90 copies made only increase this card’s value over $10,000 graded gem mint.

Cal Ripken Jr. #9 – Although not quite as rare as the top 5 cards, Ripken’s Iron Man streak was well underway. His smooth fielding position makes this about a $5,000 PSA 10 quality card given only roughly 200 were printed.

Kirby Puckett #10 – Closing out the ultra high-value short prints is Puckett, fresh off winning the World Series MVP in 1991. Considered one of the set’s most iconic designs, its numbers may approach 175 copies, still extremely limited.

Beyond the true short prints which had printed runs probably 100 copies or less, other 1990 Upper Deck cards that qualify as true “low numbers” because of their scarcity include:

Don Mattingly #17 – Multiple batting titles made him extremely popular. Only about 300 of these were made.

Wade Boggs #24 – A batting champion every year in the 1980s cemented his legend status. Around 325 copies are believed.

Roger Clemens #33 – Arguably the best pitcher of the 1980s. His swing and powerful delivery stood out. Estimates are 400 printed.

Dennis Eckersley #48 – Coming off his first saves title and Cy Young win. Roughly 450 copies of his windup exist.

Will Clark #71 – One of the premier young sluggers of the late 1980s. About 550 printed of “The Thrill.”

Robin Yount #83 – A back-to-back MVP was a Wisconsin favorite. His swing shot is relatively scarce at roughly 625 copies.

Dave Stewart #98 – Won 20 games 3 years in a row for Oakland. Considered one of the harder 1990 UD cards to find with approximately 750 printed.

So while not in the true short print realm, cards between #10-100 from the 1990 Upper Deck set with 600 copies or less are still extremely valuable today because of their relatively miniscule print runs when compared to the main run of the set which extended to #800. Several high quality graded examples from this range can still command $1,000-$3,000 today because they were disproportionately scarce for elite players.

The 1990 Upper Deck baseball card set broke new ground in the industry through innovative holograms, amazing photography and most of all, ultra-low print runs on its most popular stars. This created a fascinating short print phenomenon where the lowest numbered parallels like Griffey Jr #1 became the stuff of card collecting lore and fetch top dollar to this day. While harder to obtain than true short prints, cards between #10-100 also deserve recognition as valuable “low number” relics from the set that revolutionized the hobby.