The 1989 Donruss baseball card set was released at the tail end of the junk wax era during the late 1980s baseball card boom. While not as valuable as sets from the 1950s-1970s, the ’89 Donruss cards provide a snapshot of the game during an interesting transitional period and include rookie cards of future Hall of Famers. Let’s take a closer look at the set and what various cards from it sell for today.
The 1989 Donruss set includes 792 total cards issued in wax packs, rack packs, and factory sets. The design features a white or gray border around each photo with the team name and player stats below. On the back, stats from the previous season are listed along with a short bio. Some of the bigger stars received “traded” update cards showing them with their new teams. The set is managed by The Topps Company as they had taken over production of Donruss cards in 1987.
The most valuable rookie card in the set is Ken Griffey Jr’s. Debuting with the Seattle Mariners at just 19 years old, Griffey immediately started generating buzz as a potential superstar. His rookie card in the ’89 Donruss set sells for around $150-$200 in Near Mint-Mint condition. In pristine Gem Mint 10 grade, it has sold at auction for over $500. Griffey went on to have a Hall of Fame career hitting over 600 home runs.
Another rookie card that holds value is Gregg Olson’s. As the Baltimore Orioles closer, Olson led the American League with 46 saves in 1989 and won Rookie of the Year honors. His Donruss rookie card typically sells for $15-30. Fellow closer Dennis Eckersley, who was traded from the Red Sox to the A’s before the 1989 season, has a “traded” update card that fetches $10-15.
Two other rookie cards that can find buyers, albeit at lower prices, are Dante Bichette of the Reds ($5-10) and Jeff Bagwell of the Red Sox ($8-12). Both Bichette and Bagwell went on to have multiple All-Star careers. Bagwell’s rookie is slightly more valuable since he was ultimately the better player and won an MVP with the Astros in 1994.
Moving beyond rookies, the most expensive regular card in the ’89 Donruss set is Nolan Ryan’s. As arguably the greatest power pitcher of all time, anything featuring “The Ryan Express” commands attention from collectors. His base card in near mint condition sells in the $15-25 range. The four “Traded” cards showing Ryan with the Astros, Angels, Mets and Rangers after switches in 1989 are each valued around $10-15 as well.
Other star cards that typically sell for $5-10 include Kirby Puckett, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, Roger Clemens, and Dwight Gooden. For Hall of Fame caliber players in their primes, those prices are fairly reasonable considering the sheer number of their cards printed during the late 80s/early 90s.
The design, production values and photography in ’89 Donruss are not particularly memorable or innovative compared to some vintage sets. It does provide a look at many all-time great players at a interesting point when the industry was booming. For collectors, values are held in rookie and star player cards while most common cards can be acquired for under $1. As with most 1980s/90s wax, condition is key – higher grades bring significantly more money. The 1989 Donruss baseball card set remains an affordable way to add pieces of baseball history to a collection.
While not the most valuable set, the 1989 Donruss cards offer collectors and investors opportunities to obtain rookie cards and photos of Hall of Fame players at reasonable prices relative to what they sell for in pristine condition grades. Key cards like Griffey Jr, Bagwell, and Ryan continue to hold substantial value decades after their release. For those interested in the late 80s/early 90s era of the game, it serves as an economical snapshot of that period in baseball history.
