The 1995 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice Baseball Card set was the fifth Collector’s Choice series released by the popular trading card company Upper Deck. Collector’s Choice sets were different from the main flagship Upper Deck sets in that they did not distribute for packs but instead came sealed in plastic cases with uncut sheets of cards inside. This allowed for collector’s to enjoy crisp, unfaded cards right out of the sealed case versus cards found in packs that could potentially be damaged during distribution.
The 1995 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice set was comprised of 132 total cards featuring current major league players from that season. Some of the top rookies and stars featured that year included Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jim Thome, Chipper Jones, Jeff Bagwell, Ken Griffey Jr., Greg Maddux, Tom Glavine and John Smoltz among many others. What made this set particularly unique and desirable for collectors was that each card came from an uncut sheet still attached to others. This allowed collectors a scarce glimpse into how the cards were originally printed and cut for distribution.
In terms of condition, these Collector’s Choice cards maintained their quality better long term versus traditional pack pulled cards since they were never subjected to potentially damaging environments during manufacturing, shipping and retail. The sealed plastic case also protected them from common problems like creases, bends or fading that can plague older cardboard over time. This makes high grade specimens of 1995 Collector’s Choice cards quite attainable for collectors to this day if properly stored and maintained in their protective plastic case.
When it comes to population reports, PSA has graded over 1,700 total cards from the 1995 Collector’s Choice set as of 2023. Mint 9 and gem mint 10 specimens remain relatively scarce. For the highest valued rookie and star cards from that year, PSA 9’s regularly trade in the $50-100 range while PSA 10’s typically command $150-300 or more depending on the player. Top grades of major stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Jeff Bagwell or Chipper Jones can approach $500-1000+ for true pristine PSA 10 examples.
Let’s explore some specific 1995 Collector’s Choice card values based around recent sales data and population reports:
Derek Jeter RC #66 PSA 9: $125-150. PSA 10: $300-350. Jeter remains one of the most desirable and valuable rookie cards in the hobby. His Collector’s Choice RC maintains strong collector demand.
Mariano Rivera #76 PSA 9: $75-100. PSA 10: $150-250. Rivera’s dominant career as arguably the greatest closer of all time fuels interest in his early flagship cards like this Collector’s Choice issue.
Ken Griffey Jr. #4 PSA 9: $150-200. PSA 10: $350-450. “The Kid” was already a superstar by 1995 and any Griffey RC/early card holds value given his iconic status in the game.
Jeff Bagwell #51 PSA 9: $100-125. PSA 10: $250-300. Bagwell was coming off a stellar 1994 NL MVP season for Houston making this one of his most significant early flagship issue cards.
Chipper Jones #132 PSA 9: $75-100. PSA 10: $175-250. As a rookie starting for the Braves dynasty in 1995, Chipper’s cards remain popular with Atlanta collectors and fans of the era.
Greg Maddux #20 PSA 9: $50-75. PSA 10: $125-175. Considered one of the greatest pitchers ever, early Maddux cards hold value due to his dominant peak years in the 90s for Atlanta.
Jim Thome #117 PSA 9: $50-75. PSA 10: $125-150. Thome smashed 40+ home runs in 1995 launching his monster power hitter career and legendary home run pursuit that makes his early 1990s/1995 cards collected.
John Smoltz #121 PSA 9: $50-75. PSA 10: $100-150. Atlanta Braves fan favorite and future Hall of Famer, Smoltz’s earlier Braves run make his mid-90s cards like this Collector’s Choice a draw.
The 1995 Upper Deck Collector’s Choice Baseball Card set remains a highly collectible vintage release due to the brand name, star talent featured, and quality of the sealed uncut sheet cards within their protective plastic cases. While tougher to grade pristine versus pack pulled sets, specimens in PSA 9-10 condition routinely provide collector value backed by key stars, rookies and performers from that exciting 1995 MLB season. Over 25 years later, this set retains strong collector interest among both investors and fans of the players and era it captures in sharp, well-preserved form.
