In 1993, Flair released its Series 1 baseball card set featuring the major league players from that season. While not the highest print run set that year, the 1993 Flair Issue certainly had its fair share of valuable rookie cards and star player memorabilia cards that have made it one of the most popular and collected series from the early 90s skybox era. With prices continuing to rise annually on the hobby’s most sought after cards from that year’s release, here is an in-depth look at some of the 1993 Flair Issue’s most valuable and desirable cards today:
Ken Griffey Jr. Gold Refractor #1 – Around 100 of these rare Griffey Jr. parallel cards were inserted throughout the Flair packs in 1993. Featuring a gold shimmer refracting design on the front, these occupy the top spot as the set’s undisputed crown jewel. In pristine mint condition, Griffey Jr. Gold Refractors have sold for over $30,000 in recent auction sales. Even well-centered near mint copies can pull in $5,000-10,000 dollars for serious vintage collectors.
Ken Griffey Jr. SuperFractor #/25 – An even scarcer parallel to the Gold Refractor, Flair inserted approximately 10 SuperFractor versions of the Griffey Jr. card numbered to only 25 copies. Holding elite status as one of the hobby’s rarest modern baseball cards, a PSA 10 Gem Mint SuperFractor sold in August 2021 for an astounding $106,574 setting a new record. Other high grade examples have traded hands for $50,000 upwards when available.
Derek Jeter Rookie #151 – As one of the definitive early 90s rookie cards, Jeter’s inaugural Flair issue checks all the boxes as a blue chip investment. High grade PSA 10 versions regularly pull six figure auction prices with the card’s popularity and value only trending upwards over time. Even well-centered PSA 9 copies can fetch $3,000-$5,000 making it a prized rookie for any Jeter PC.
Alex Rodriguez Rookie #77 – A-Rod’s first MLB card carries equally high demand despite a somewhat larger print run compared to Jeter. Mint PSA 10 Rodriguez rookies have brought as much as $20,000 with most graded copies settling in the $1,000-$3,000 range depending on centering and surface quality. Still a must-have for 90s collectors three decades later.
Frank Thomas #144 “Chairman of the Board” – As one of the most prolific hitting talents of the 90s, Thomas’s Flair featuring his “Chairman of the Board” moniker remains a staple in vintage collections. PSA 10 examples have topped $12,000 at auction with mint ungraded copies selling in the multi-thousand dollar range also. A true standout among Thomas’s extensive card portfolio.
Roberto Alomar #21 – Alomar broke out as a superstar in 1992 and his Flair is one of the more visually striking vintage cards to showcase his skills. High grade copies in PSA 10 and SGC Gem Mint 10 slabs have realized $5,000+ prices, though a well-centered raw copy could cost half that amount still. Solid demand endures for the prolific second baseman.
Chipper Jones Rookie #125 – Like so many on this list, Jones’s rookie card maintains lofty value due largely to his Hall of Fame caliber career. Centering is usually the limiting factor for high prices here with mint PSA 10’s reaching $3,000-$5,000 price tags. Well-centered raw or lower graded copies provide an affordable entry into this flagship rookie.
Craig Biggio Rookie #141 – Biggio put together a Hall of Fame resume and his Flair serves as an essential piece of his collecting puzzle. Pristine mint PSA 10 examples have cleared $2,500 at auction with most fully certified copies settling between $500-$1,000. A attainable yet sought after inaugural card.
Don Mattingly #’s parallel (1/1000) – Flair inserted ultra-rare parallel variations of existing base cards that were serially numbered to 1000 copies or less. Among the most desired is a #/1000 version of the Don Mattingly base card. Just a handful are known to exist in top condition and a recent PSA 10 sale fetched nearly $10,000, showing the massive premium parallel cards command.
Robby Alomar Superman Parallel #/100 – Another highly coveted low-numbered Flair parallel, this refractor style version of Alomar’s base card was limited to a print run of just 100 copies. Given Alomar’s tremendous talent combined with the parallel’s scarcity, true mint PSA 10 examples would undoubtedly sell for well into the five-figure range, though few have likely even crossed the grading company’s doors at this point three decades later.
All in all, the sheer depth of future Hall of Famers, MVP caliber talents, and hugely valuable rookie cards contained within the 1993 Flair Issue has sustained its popularity among collectors for nearly 30 years running now. While print runs on the whole were larger than in prior era sets, true investment-grade specimens of stars like Griffey Jr., Jeter, A-Rod, Biggio, Jones and others encapsulated in pristine condition maintain astronomical worth in today’s vintage card market. Whether seeking affordable yet iconic rookies or aiming for the true blue chip headlining rarities, 1993 Flair still captivates collectors seeking engagement with one of the golden eras in the hobby’s history.
