The 1993 Donruss baseball card set saw the introduction of many future Hall of Famers as well as some players who went on to have incredibly prestigious careers. While it may not be the most iconic or vintage Donruss set compared to earlier years in the 1980s, it features many star players who became household names in the 90s. As with any other release, certain parallels, inserts, and especially rookie cards have increased tremendously in value over the past few decades. Here are some of the most valuable and sought after 1993 Donruss baseball cards to be aware of:
Derek Jeter Rookie Card (Card #144): The iconic shortstop for the New York Yankees, Derek Jeter, had his official rookie card in the 1993 Donruss set. In pristine Near Mint-Mint (NM-MT) condition, this card can fetch over $10,000. Even in lower Excellent-Mint (EX-MT) condition, it still demands over $3,000. Jeter went on to have a legendary 20-year career entirely with the Yankees, winning 5 World Series championships. He was a 14-time All-Star, 5-time Gold Glove winner, and finished his career with over 3,000 hits. His iconic status and resume as arguably the greatest Yankee of all-time makes this his rookiestand out as one of the crown jewels of the 1990s.
Paul Molitor Rookie Card (Card #169): Another Hall of Famer who debuted in this set is Paul Molitor. His career totals of 3,319 hits, 234 home runs, and .306 batting average made him one of the top third basemen of his era. His 1993 Donruss rookie card has an average price around $350 in NM-MT condition but can exceed $1,000 in top grades. Molitor was a 7-time All-Star, 1981 AL Batting Title winner, and 1993 World Series MVP. He was inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2004, cementing the value of one of the best options for a star player rookie in this release outside of Jeter.
Chipper Jones Rookie Card (Card #388): Debuting in 1993 as an 18-year old prospect for the Atlanta Braves, Chipper Jones went on to have a 19-year career entirely with the Braves that included an NL MVP award, 8 All-Star appearances, and over 1,600 career RBIs. He was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2018, making this his true rookie card release. In NM-MT condition, the Chipper Jones 1993 Donruss card goes for over $250 on average. Higher POP 10 grades can approach and exceed the $500-$1,000 range. This is a highly desirable find for any Braves or Jones PC given his local hero status and Hall of Fame enshrinement.
Ken Griffey Jr. (Card #239): While not the Griffey Jr. rookies from Upper Deck or Score that routinely sell for five figures, his Donruss card holds substantial value as well. In top NM-MT condition it averages from $200-$400 depending on day and auction. But there are also different parallel versions that exist which can carry premiums. The Gray Parallel #239/999 sells for $800-$1,200 on average in high grade while the 1/1 Gold Parallel was involved in a private sale for over $50,000 back in 2015. Griffey was one of the greatest players of the 1990s and this was his first card appearance in Donruss following big rookie campaigns in other sets.
Albert Pujols Rookie Card (Card #663): Pujols debuted with St. Louis in 2001 but had his first card issued in 1993 Donruss as an unknown prospect in the Cardinals system out of the Dominican Republic. Few could have predicted he would go on to become arguably the best right-handed hitter of all-time with over 3,000 career hits and 600+ home runs. In NM-MT condition, this ultra-rare find averages $800-$1,200. But higher certified grades in the PSA 9-10 range have been auction prices as high as $10,000-$15,000. This amazing find is a true sleeper for someone who didn’t realize they had an Albert Pujols rookie in their collection from 1993 Donruss.
Beyond the top rookies, there are other valuable parallel and serial numbered cards to chase from the 1993 Donruss release. Some examples include the following:
Donruss Abby #26 Mariano Rivera 1/1 (Sold for over $20,000 PSA 10)
Gold Foil Parallel #/1999 Frank Thomas (Averages $400 NM-MT)
Gray Parallel #/999 Barry Bonds (Averages $600 NM-MT)
Hologram Parallel #/99 Jeff Bagwell ($350 NM-MT)
Mini Leaders #/20 Derek Jeter, Barry Larkin sell $300+
Black SP #/1000 Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken Jr. ($150+)
While not as iconic as early 1980s releases, the 1993 Donruss set gave collectors their first glimpse of future Hall of Famers like Jeter, Griffey Jr., Jones, Pujols, and Molitor. Key rookies from this set along with rare inserted parallels of star players continue to gain in desirability and value today. For vintage card investors, finding gem mint examples of the above elite rookies or serial numbered parallel cards could yield substantial returns for patient holders. The 1993 Donruss baseball release was truly a star-studded one.
