The 1989 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic issues in the modern era of the hobby. Produced at the height of the junk wax era, the ’89 Topps set still featured some of the game’s biggest stars and most desirable rookie cards. While the sheer volume of cards printed diminished values compared to earlier decades, certain standouts from the 792-card checklist have maintained or increased in popularity over the past 30+ years.
One of the most coveted cards from the ’89 Topps set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best player designs of all-time, Griffey’s rookie perfectly captures his smooth left-handed swing and youthful exuberance on the field. Griffey would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is one of the most iconic in the modern era. PSA 10 examples regularly sell for over $10,000 today, a true rarity from the junk wax era.
Another highly sought after rookie is the Barry Bonds card. Bonds was already establishing himself as an elite player by 1989, but collectors recognize this as his true rookie card since it was his first in a flagship Topps set. Bonds would go on to break the all-time home run record and versions graded PSA 10 can sell for over $1,000. The Bonds rookie isn’t quite in Griffey’s stratosphere, but it’s still one of the most valuable from the set.
While rookies tend to drive the most collector interest, stars cards also hold value in the ’89 Topps set. The Nolan Ryan card, featuring a classic action shot of the Express throwing a pitch, is one of the most iconic in the entire 7-decade history of Topps. High grade versions can sell for $100-200 due to Ryan’s status as perhaps the greatest pitcher ever. The Ozzie Smith backflip card is another standout due to capturing one of baseball’s most exciting defensive plays. Examples grade PSA 10 have sold for over $500.
The ’89 Topps set also included rookie cards for future Hall of Famers like Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and Frank Thomas that maintain value in high grades. Glavine and Maddux in particular benefited from their dominant pitching careers and PSA 10 rookies can reach $150-200. The Frank Thomas rookie has also increased in popularity in recent years as “The Big Hurt” gains more recognition for his elite power numbers. PSA 10s consistently sell in the $100-150 range.
While the sheer volume of cards printed diminished values across the entire ’89 Topps checklist compared to earlier decades, certain subsets also hold collector interest. The ’89 Topps Traded set, featuring players traded or acquired late in the 1988 season, contains only 129 cards but includes highly sought rookie cards for Jeff Bagwell and Moises Alou. The ’89 Topps Stickers subset, featuring various players photographed with baseball bats, is also popular. Both subsets command premiums over the base set in top grades.
Condition is extremely important when evaluating the value of ’89 Topps cards today. While common players can still be acquired in PSA 8 for $1-5, mint condition examples graded PSA 10 regularly sell for 10-50 times more. The increased focus on grading over the past decade has also driven values, as collectors prefer assurance a card is in pristine condition. This is especially true for the high-end rookie cards of Griffey, Bonds, Glavine, and others which can reach five figures in PSA 10.
While produced at the peak of the junk wax era, the 1989 Topps baseball card set still contains many iconic cards that have maintained or increased in value and popularity over the past 30 years. Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Bonds, and Thomas are the true blue-chip investments of the set. But stars cards like Nolan Ryan and Ozzie Smith also hold nostalgic collector appeal. For fans of the late 80s/early 90s era of the game, the ’89 Topps set serves as an affordable way to own vintage pieces of their favorite players within modern budget constraints. Condition remains key, but even well-loved examples in PSA 8 can be acquired at reasonable prices.
