The 1998 Donruss baseball card set is considered one of the most coveted releases from the 1990s due to several highly valuable rookie cards that were included. While the set does not possess many cards worth thousands of dollars, there are a handful that fetch impressive prices due to the star power and importance of the players featured.
Leading the way is card #102, which features a rookie card of Chicago Cubs legend Sammy Sosa. Sosa would go on to have one of the most prolific power hitting careers in baseball history, smashing 609 career home runs. In 1998, he led the National League with 66 home runs, pacing the Cubs’ infamous home run race with Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals. That historic season cemented Sosa as a true superstar, and his 1998 Donruss rookie remains highly sought after by collectors. In gem mint condition, graded PSA 10, it routinely sells for well over $1000. Even in excellent condition, a PSA 9 fetches several hundred dollars.
Another monster home run hitter who burst onto the scene in 1998 was Houston Astros slugger Jeff Bagwell. Bagwell racked up 449 career home runs primarily with Houston and was regarded as one of the best first basemen of his era. His 1998 Donruss rookie, card #155, is one of the harder cards to find in high grade due to print lines; however, a PSA 10 can sell for $800-1000. A PSA 9 will bring in the $300-500 range. Even raw near-mint examples are valued close to $100 due to Bagwell’s excellence and the rarity of the card in pristine condition out of the pack.
Two future Hall of Famers had their rookie cards included in the 1998 Donruss set that can still demand hefty sums. Card #142 features Toronto Blue Jays legend Roy Halladay, who racked up 203 career wins and two Cy Young Awards across 16 seasons. Halladay sadly passed away in 2017 in a plane crash at just 40 years old, increasing interest from collectors in preserving his legacy. A PSA 10 of his rookie regularly brings in over $400, with PSA 9s still reaching $150-250. The other inductee is pitcher Pedro Martinez, card #330. Martinez authored one of the greatest pitching careers ever, highlighted by three Cy Youngs across stays with the Montreal Expos, Boston Red Sox, and New York Mets. A pristine PSA 10 of his rookie has sold for as much as $700.
Other highly sought 1998 Donruss cards include #97 featuring hometown hero and future Reds Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who posted arguably the best single season of the 1990s en route to 630 career home runs. A PSA 10 sells around $250, with lower grades still valued from $50-100 based on condition. Mark McGwire’s mammoth 1998 season that featured a then-record 70 home runs is commemorated on card #214. While the subsequent steroid admission takes some shine off, a PSA 10 still fetches $150-200 given McGwire’s iconic home run race with Sosa. Colorado Rockies fan favorite Larry Walker, shown smiling on card #200, authored an underrated career that resulted in an induction to Cooperstown in 2020. His rookie PSA 10s are consistently selling for $150-250 as interest has grown since his election.
Several other potential stars whose careers didn’t fully materialize still have valuable rookie cards in the 1998 Donruss set as well. Shortstop Nomar Garciaparra impressed immediately with the Boston Red Sox and made three All-Star teams, profiled on card #78. PSA 10s sell for $100-150 range. Outfielders J.D. Drew, card #195, and Todd Helton, card #288, both showed promise early in their careers but had injuries hinder their full potential. Even so, graded mint PSA 10 versions of their rookies can reach $75-125 each. Starting pitcher Kerry Wood electrified in 1998 with a 20-strikeout game as a rookie Cub, seen on card #306. Wood’s career was derailed by injuries as well but a pristine PSA 10 still brings $50-75.
While the 1998 Donruss set lacks the true high-end hits of some vintage releases, it does possess some memorable and important rookie cards that maintain relevance in the hobby. Thanks to stars like Sosa, Bagwell, Halladay, Martinez and McGwire, several rookies retain four-figure value when graded gem mint. But there are also affordable options like Garciaparra, Walker and Griffey that can be acquired in the $50-250 range depending on condition. Overall it serves as an iconic set commemorating a special season in baseball capped by Sosa and McGwire’s home run duel for the ages.
