The 1998 Pacific baseball card set featured various star players from around Major League Baseball. With the sport struggling a bit in popularity in the late 1990s, the overall print run for these cards was a bit lower compared to previous years. This makes certain cards from the 1998 Pacific set somewhat scarce and desirable for collectors today. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the top rookies and star players from the 1998 Pacific baseball card set and their potential value over 15 years later.
One of the biggest rookie cards in the 1998 Pacific set was Cardinals phenom Mark McGwire, who was chasing the single-season home run record at the time. McGwire would go on to break the longstanding record held by Roger Maris, hitting an incredible 70 home runs in 1998. Not surprisingly, McGwire’s rookie card has held strong value over the years. In near mint to mint condition, his 1998 Pacific card recently sold on eBay for around $65. For a card that is now over 15 years old, finding one in pristine condition makes it quite valuable to collectors following one of the game’s all-time great sluggers.
Another huge name and rookie card that year was Cubs shortstop Nomar Garciaparra. While Garciaparra never reached the legendary status of McGwire, he was an absolute star in the late 1990s and early 2000s, winning the American League batting title in 1997 with a .322 average as a rookie. Garciaparra’s 1998 Pacific baseball card has maintained good value as well. In mint condition, his rookie card recently sold on the popular auction site for around $30. Not quite on par with McGwire, but still a solid return considering the age of the card.
In addition to top rookies, the 1998 Pacific set featured many stars still in their prime, including Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., and Barry Bonds. Griffey was always extremely popular with collectors and his baseball cards hold value extremely well. His1998 Pacific card in near mint condition recently went for around $12, a very strong price for a player well past his rookie years. Ripken and Bonds, two future Hall of Famers, also saw their 1998 Pacific cards fetch around $10 in near mint to mint condition based on recent eBay sales.
The 1998 Pacific set totaled 762 cards and had several interesting parallel and insert sets beyond the base cards. One of the more valuable parallel sets was the “Artist’s Proof” variations, with backgrounds tinted various colors. Rookie cards and stars from this parallel subset have sold for two to three times the value of the base cards when in top condition. Another fun insert was the “Stars of the New Millennium” subset, which focused on top young players poised to shine in the 2000s like Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, and Derek Jeter. Mint condition copies of these inserts have brought $5-8 recently.
Of course, when discussing valuable cards from any older set, the true keys will always be finding high grade copies in as pristine condition as possible. While demand remains strong for cards of MLB’s biggest stars over 15 years later, condition is absolutely critical to maximizing value. For example, while a creased or damaged 1998 McGwire Pacific rookie would likely sell for under $10, a true mint copy could garner over $100 given his hallowed place in baseball history. Condition is just as important, if not more so, than the specific player when determining long-term appreciation potential.
While print runs were down industry-wide in the late 1990s compared to the bubble years of the early 90s, the 1998 Pacific baseball card set remains very collectible after more than a decade and a half. Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like McGwire and Garciaparra hold their value extremely well in top shape. Parallel subsets and star players from the base set can also bring solid returns, especially for pristine, well-cared for copies. With strong demand existing for cards featuring MLB’s all-time greats, key 1998 Pacific issues will continue appreciating over time so long as condition remains outstanding. For savvy collectors, this set remains an intriguing investment even after 15+ years on the hobby scene.
