The 1989 Leaf Baseball card set was released during the late 1980s baseball card boom. While not as highly sought after or valuable as some other brands of the era such as Topps and Donruss, the 1989 Leaf set still contained noteworthy rookie cards and interesting variations that continue to attract collectors today.
The set consists of 405 total cards with players, managers, and team cards included. Some key rookie cards in the ’89 Leaf set include Hall of Famers such as the Philadelphia Phillies’ Mickey Morandini, Detroit Tigers’ Travis Fryman, and St. Louis Cardinals’ Todd Zeile. Morandini and Zeile would go on to have solid MLB careers while Fryman became a power-hitting third baseman known for his defense and leadership. The set also featured rookie cards of pitchers like Andy Benes, Doug Drabek, and John Wetteland who all enjoyed productive major league careers as starters or closers.
The Frontier Heroes subset highlighted retired stars of days gone by such as Walter Johnson, Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, and more. The Traded sets cards spotlighted major trades from 1988 such as Dave Parker going from the Athletics to the Reds. Leaf was also known for including variations in their sets, and the ’89 release contained several insert cards that added to the intrigue for collectors. One was the League Leaders subset highlighting the top performers in various statistical categories from the 1988 season. A rarer variation was the Black Border Manager cards depicting Skipper cards without borders for Managers Dick Howser, Whitey Herzog, and Tommy Lasorda.
The design theme for the ’89 Leaf set combined colorful team logo borders on a white background with gray-toned action player photos. Manager and team cards depicted the same borders and photos atop a solid team color field. The cards measured 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches, standard size for the period. On the front was the player’s name, team, and uniform number within a team logo border while the back provided career stats and a brief bio.
When initially released in 1989, Leaf baseball cards retailed for around $.25 per pack with 12 cards inside plastic wrapper packs. With mass production during the boom years, the standard Leaf issues remain somewhat common in the current collector market. The star rookie cards and scarcer variations have begun to climb in secondary market value as enthusiasts and investors continue appreciating the diverse players and compositions within the late 80s Leaf releases.
For example, a PSA 10 Gem Mint graded Mickey Morandini rookie fetches over $100 nowadays. The Travis Fryman RC in top condition exceeds $50. Nice conditioned examples of the Black Border Manager variations can reach $25-50 depending on the individual depicted. The League Leaders subset cards have also gained collector interest with examples grading near mint selling in the $15-30 range online.
While not the flashiest or highest valued of its era, the 1989 Leaf baseball card set holds enduring appeal due its memorable rookie class and inserts that added collecting intrigue beyond the base issues. The bright, colorful designs have aged well and remain a nostalgic connection to the peak of the speculator boom years. For enthusiasts of the players, teams and variations included, 1989 Leaf remains a fun and affordable vintage card brand to seek out to enhance collections or portfolios. As interest in 1980s and 90s cards persists, the star rookie cards and inserts within this Leaf set seem poised to maintain or potentially increase further in secondary market worth in the years ahead.
While the era of mass produced sports cards may have peaked, the legacy of sets like the 1989 Leaf baseball cards endures through nostalgia and the careers of the players featured within. Even after 30+ years, Leaf’s final major release of the 1980s provides enjoyment and investment potential reflecting the unique time in baseball card history when creativity and sport intersected.
