The 1991 Donruss baseball set was released at the beginning of what was an exciting year in Major League Baseball. Fans were eager to see which players would emerge as the stars on new flashy rookie cards or showcase amazing performances that could make for highly coveted cards. While not the most famous design year for Donruss cards, 1991 had its share of memorable and valuable cards among the 762 in the base set.
One of the best and most iconic rookie cards from the 1991 Donruss set was Griffey Jr. Ken Griffey Jr. was already establishing himself as a superstar outfielder in his early years with the Seattle Mariners. He would go on to have an incredible Hall of Fame career. His rookie card showed just how talented and exciting of a new player he was. With its sharp photo of Griffey in his Mariners uniform and classic Donruss design, this rookie card has always been a highly sought after piece for any baseball card collection. Even in lower grades, it holds value due to Griffey’s enduring popularity and status as one of the most memorable players of the 1990s. In top Near Mint or Mint condition, a 1991 Donruss Griffey Jr. rookie card can sell for thousands of dollars now. It is undoubtedly one of the top cards from the whole set.
Another excellent rookie card in 1991 Donruss was Jim Thome for the Cleveland Indians. While not as flashy as Griffey, Thome quietly had a Hall of Fame career hitting over 600 home runs primarily with the Indians and Phillies. As a young power-hitting first baseman, his rookie card showed the promise of what was to come. Like Griffey’s, it has gained value and recognition over the decades as Thome’s plaques now resides in Cooperstown. Not as valuable as Griffey but still highly regarded, a sharp 1991 Donruss Thome rookie in top condition could sell for $100-300 depending on demand. Despite not being a true “star” rookie at the time, it proved to be an outstanding investment card for collectors.
One of the biggest stars of 1991 was Terry Pendleton of the Atlanta Braves. Coming off winning the NL MVP award the previous year, Pendleton’s shiny Braves card featured him in the midst of an all-star caliber season. As the Braves rose to dominance, Pendleton was a vital veteran presence at third base for many excellent teams. His card really pops from the 1991 Donruss design and photography. While common in the set, the Pendleton has gained status as one of the best representative cards of the resurgent Braves franchise in the early 1990s. In high grade it can sell for $20-40 based on the player featured and Atlanta fan collecting demand.
Moving from rookies and stars, the 1991 Donruss set also included several high quality refractors or parallel cards that added extra scarcity and appeal. While these were not overly prominent insert types in those early 90s sets, Donruss had a “Gem Refractor” parallel where players had an additional card with a colorful refractor-like coating. Top players like Barry Bonds, Cal Ripken Jr, Kirby Puckett and others had these scarce parallel cards. In pristine condition, especially for the bigger names, they have sold for hundreds or even over $1000 due to their rarity within the set numbering. These are major chase cards for advanced 1991 Donruss collectors.
Another top parallel was the “All-Star Sticker” subset. Featuring additional photography and an All-Star logo sticker on the front, cards like Frank Thomas, Roberto Alomar, Dennis Eckersley gained extra prestige. Like the refractors, the scarcity of locating these specific parallels in high grade makes them very valuable additions to a complete 1991 Donruss rainbow collection. Selling in the $50-100 range depending on the level of condition and demand for that particular player.
While 1991 may not be known as one of Donruss’ most iconically designed annual sets like 1988 or 1989, it still contained numerous cards that hold up extremely well due to the quality of photography, emerging young talent, and parallel scarcity additions. Over 30 years later, the Griffey Jr. and Thome rookies, stars like Pendleton, and special refractors remain prized pieces for collectors. For building a single year collection with numerous high-end, valuable cards, 1991 Donruss succeeded in delivering memorable cardboard for the next generation of fans and investors. The combination of rookies, stars, and parallel cards make it one of the better overall Donruss releases during the exciting early 1990s MLB era.
