The 1980s and 1990s were a golden era for collecting sports cards, especially baseball cards. During this time, rookie cards of future Hall of Fame players like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr., and Tom Glavine were released in packs of gum and candy. While common at the time, many of these rookie cards have since skyrocketed in value as the players’ careers flourished.

The spike in interest and demand has led to hobby’s most sought-after cards from the ’80s and ’90s routinely fetching huge prices at auction. Here’s a look at some of the costliest and most desirable baseball cards issued between 1980-1999:

1988 Topps Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card – Often hailed as the most valuable modern-era baseball card, Griffey’s iconic rookie remains one of the crown jewels of any collection. In pristine mint condition, examples have sold for as much as $350,000. Even well-worn near-mint copies can still pull in over $10,000 due to Griffey’s status as a singularly talented player who was also enormously popular with fans.

1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card – Whereas most ’80s and ’90s rookies were produced by Topps or Donruss, Upper Deck released the tallboy version of the Griffey rookie in 1989. Only 1.5 million were printed, making it rarer than the Topps issue. High-grade examples routinely top $100,000 at auction.

1991 Stadium Club Barry Bonds Rookie Card – The future home run king’s rookie is tremendously valuable in its own right. Bonds exploded onto the scene in Pittsburgh and his iconic pose and image on this card is hugely desirable. Near-mint copies have sold for over $25,000, but absolutely flawless specimens have been known to crack six figures.

1992 Bowman’s Best Albert Belle Rookie Card – One of the most fearsome sluggers of the ’90s, Belle blasted his way to stardom during his Cleveland Indians tenure in the early 1990s. This scarce bright red refractor parallel version of Belle’s rookie is one of the true great rarities from the junk wax era. A PSA 10 realised $37,800 back in 2015.

1997 Fleer MetalUniverse Tom Glavine Refractor – Glavine is one of just two players along with Greg Maddux to accumulate 300 career wins. This ultra-short printed refractor parallel of just 25 copies made showcases the left-hander with a prismatic multi-color foil treatment. An absolute gem mint PSA 10 brought in an incredible $67,650 at auction.

1992 Bowman Draft Picks Derek Jeter Autograph Card #1 – Perhaps no other name resonates with the Yankee dynasty of the late 90s than Jeter. Numbered to only 100 copies and carrying the captain’s true autograph, high grades of this seminal piece from Bowman change hands for $50,000 and up. It’s one of the truest holy grails from the decade.

1997 Bowman’s Best Refractor Chipper Jones #151 – Still considered among the most aesthetically pleasing modern baseball cards, condition sensitive examples of Chipper’s inaugural refractors have reached $20,000+. The rainbow swirl effect, serial number positioning and historic player make it an icon.

1994 Select Derek Jeter Autograph Card – Jeter’s autos remain in high demand to this day. This scarce early credential in pristine condition fetches upwards of $25,000 today. Finds are few, cementing its status as a true whale.

1997 Upper Deck SP Authentic Tom Seaver Bat Card #7 – The former ace’s game-used wood swatch paired with a sharp image and the attraction of the Short Prints subset combine to form one of the most valuable non-rookie cards from the era. Graded gems bring over $15,000.

1998 Topps Chrome Refractor Sammy Sosa – Arguably the single most visually striking Sosa card ever released due to its eye-popping 3D refractor technology. High grades command $5,000+ due to the player’s prodigious home run feats and the scarcity of true gem mint examples surviving intact after two decades.

1995 Pinnacle Inside Stan Musial Autograph – Less than 300 were produced bearing the Hall of Famer’s looping signature. Highly conditioned copies ring up $6,000 today given his legendary status, rarity, and as one of the first mainstream autographed baseball card releases.

1996 Fleer Metal Cool Cuts Chipper Jones – A true technological marvel from Fleer showing off prismatic colors and sharp definition. Graded mint specimens command over $2,500, reinforced by Chipper’s HOF career and iconic image wearing the old Braves script hat.

1991 Upper Deck Barry Bonds – The Bonds boom started early as collectors recognized his immense potential. High quality copies still sell for $1,500-2,000 for this pioneering Upper Deck issue showing the young Pirates star.

While values have cooled from the peak of the speculative boom, cards like these chronicling the careers of sports’ all-time greats from Griffey and Jeter to Glavine, Bonds and beyond will likely retain their blue-chip status for serious collectors. With scarcity, condition, and historic subjects in their favor, the ceiling remains high for grading mint examples of the most premium 1980s and 1990s cardboard. For investors and fans alike, they represent tangible connections to baseball’s golden age.