The 1991 Leaf Baseball card set is considered one of the more iconic sets from the early 1990s. While it did not have the mass production of Topps or Donruss sets at the time, Leaf cards possessed a unique aesthetic and packaging that drew collectors to the product. Now over 30 years later, certain 1991 Leaf baseball cards have increased exponentially in value, while others remain fairly affordable. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the key cards from this release and what they may be worth today.
The biggest star and most valuable card from the 1991 Leaf set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best player cards of the modern era, Griffey’s rookie possessed stunning photography that still holds up today. With Griffey becoming a true baseball icon and member of the Hall of Fame, his 1991 Leaf RC has increased tremendously in value over the decades. In PSA 10 Gem Mint condition, this card now commands prices regularly above $10,000. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8 or 9 still trade in the thousands. It’s truly one of the elite rookie cards in the hobby.
Another extremely valuable 1991 Leaf card is the Frank Thomas rookie. Like Griffey, “The Big Hurt” went on to have a sensational career and is now in Cooperstown. His Leaf rookie often exceeds $1,000 even in lower grades. The highest quality PSA 10s have cracked $5,000 plus. It’s a very desirable rookie for collectors chasing one of the game’s greatest hitters from the 1990s. The other big rookie card is Pat Listach, who had a decent career at shortstop but didn’t sustain superstar status. Still, his Leaf RC holds value and a PSA 10 could reach $500-1000.
In addition to rookie cards, several key veteran and star player cards make the 1991 Leaf set highly collectible. The Nolan Ryan card usually sells for $50-150 across all grades due to his legend status. The Cal Ripken Jr. card also tends to command $50-100 as he was approaching consecutive games played record at the time. The Ken Griffey Sr. card has increased value now that his famous son has raised interest in his career – $30-80 range. Ozzie Smith’s defensive wizardry made his card $30-70. And the Don Mattingly card settles around $20-50 despite injuries hindering his dominance.
There are also several 1991 Leaf cards that remain very affordable alternatives even in top grades. For example, theskunk Darren Daulton rookie card can be acquired in PSA 10 for under $20. His career overlapped with the rise of popularity in Phillies baseball. The Bret Saberhagen card, featuring the 2x Cy Young winner isn’t above $15 PSA 10. And despite a 20-year career full of accolades, the Jeff Bagwell rookie only fetches around $10 in top condition. These are great 90s vintage pickups for collectors on a budget.
For team and parallel collectors, the 1991 Leaf set offers fun chase cards without breaking the bank. The Eddie Murray Dodgers card in PSA 10 sells for around $40 since he won the World Series with LA that year. The Multi-Parallel Rainbow Foil parallel cards that were one per pack add a cool retro factor for $5-15 a piece. And subsets like the Turn Back The Clock veteran cards starring Don Drysdale and others are just $3-10.
While the 1991 Leaf baseball set lacks the production volume of giants like Topps and Donruss, it has aged very well for collectors in the decades since. Key rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Griffey and Thomas make it one of the most important modern vintage releases. But it’s also full of affordable vintage 90s cards across all levels to enjoy. For those willing to invest in top grades, several cards now rival the values of the giants from the same year. The iconic photography and designs help make 1991 Leaf a standout among vintage sets.
