The 1989 Donruss baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic of the late 1980s/early 1990s era. The design featured team logo borders around each player photograph and basic stats/career highlights on the back. For Houston Astros second baseman Craig Biggio, his rookie card from this set holds a special place in the history of the hobby.
Craig Biggio was drafted by the Astros in the 7th round of the 1988 MLB June Amateur Draft out of Seton Hall University. A slick fielding middle infielder with a good batting eye, Biggio made his MLB debut on June 28, 1988 at just 20 years old. While he didn’t post huge numbers that season, batting .236 in 49 games, Biggio showed flashes of his potential. This made his rookie card from the 1989 Donruss set one of the more sought after rookie cards from that year.
The Biggio card features a clean photo of the youngster in an Astros uniform with the team’s rainbow star logo border. On the back is standard info including his birthday, height/weight, 1988 stats and a brief career blurb. Nothing too flashy, but it captured Biggio at the beginning of what became a Hall of Fame worthy career spent entirely as an Astro. Over the next two decades, Biggio would establish himself as one of the franchise’s greatest and most beloved players.
In 1989, Biggio’s sophomore season, he became Houston’s everyday second baseman. He batted .274 with 48 RBI and 21 stolen bases, showcasing his ability with both the bat and on the bases. This breakout season helped raise interest in his rookie card among collectors. While not overly valuable at the time, the Biggio ’89 Donruss was one collectors often sought out to complete their Astros or rookie collections.
As Biggio’s career progressed, so too did the value of his rookie card. He made his first All-Star team in 1991 and posted career highs in home runs (15), RBI (81) and batting average (.295) in 1992. Biggio was also developing a reputation for durability, playing in 150+ games each season. This consistency year-to-year added to his growing fanbase and the cache of his rookie card among collectors. By the mid-1990s, the Biggio ’89 Donruss had increased in secondary market value to around $10-15 in near mint condition.
The late 1990s saw Biggio reach new heights. He was named Astros team captain in 1994 and posted consecutive .300 average seasons in 1997-98. In 1998, Biggio also collected his 2000th career hit, cementing his status as a true franchise icon. With each new career milestone, more collectors sought out his rookie card to commemorate his achievements. Near the turn of the century, mint condition examples could fetch $25-35, with low print run, high grade copies selling for over $100. Biggio had become one of the faces of the league and his rookie card followed suit in value.
Entering the new millennium, Biggio was still going strong as the Astros longtime veteran leader. He joined the 3000 hit club in 2007 at age 42, the oldest player to ever reach that milestone. Along the way, Biggio racked up career totals of 3,060 hits, 1,828 runs, 291 home runs and 1,175 RBI. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2015, his first year of eligibility. By this point, the value of Biggio’s rookie card had skyrocketed. PSA/BGS 10 examples changed hands for $500-1000 regularly, a true testament to his career achievements and the iconic status of the ’89 Donruss design.
Today, a mint Biggio rookie remains a prized piece of memorabilia for any baseball card or Astros collector. Having spent his entire 20 year career in Houston, he came to represent the franchise like few others. While production numbers have dwindled in recent years, the card still trades hands periodically. Near-gem copies can be found in the $200-400 range, with true mint examples commanding well over $1000. For those who collected or followed Biggio throughout his career, the ’89 Donruss #561 holds a special nostalgia. It captured the arrival of one of baseball’s most durable and respected players at the doorstep of greatness.
In summarization, the 1989 Donruss Craig Biggio rookie card #561 serves as a tangible reminder of an incredible career and journey to the Hall of Fame. As one of the most prolific and popular Astros of all-time, Biggio’s rookie card grew in value and collectibility over 30 years to become a true icon of the hobby. For Houston fans and collectors alike, it will always bring back fond memories of watching #7 man second base at the Astrodome for decades to come.
