The year 1989 marked a pivotal time for the baseball card industry. Major League Baseball was enjoying high popularity coming off a memorable 1988 season that featured one of the greatest home run races of all time between Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco. At the same time, the baseball card boom of the late 1980s was starting to fade. However, 1989 produced some truly iconic rookie cards and memorable moments that are still highly sought after by collectors today.
One of the most famous rookie cards from 1989 is Ken Griffey Jr. with the Seattle Mariners. Widely considered one of the best players of his generation, Griffey was a can’t-miss prospect coming up through the Mariners system. His rookie card shows him in the iconic Mariners teal uniform with his picture taking up nearly the entire front of the card. Griffey would go on to have a Hall of Fame career hitting over 600 home runs. In pristine mint condition, his 1989 rookie card can fetch thousands of dollars today. Another Griffey card from ’89, done by Score, is also highly valuable showing him batting from the left side.
While Griffey may have been the biggest rookie star, he wasn’t the only one. Barry Bonds had a stellar rookie campaign with the Pittsburgh Pirates in 1989. His rookie card shows him batting left-handed with the Pirates logo prominently displayed. Bonds would go on to have one of the greatest careers in MLB history and break the all-time home run record. In high grade, the Bonds rookie card can sell for well over $1000. Greg Maddux also had his rookie year with the Chicago Cubs in ’89. Known for his pinpoint control and dominance on the mound, Maddux’s rookie card isn’t as valuable as Griffey or Bonds but still holds value as one of the game’s all-time great pitchers.
Two of the biggest stars of the late 80s and early 90s also had memorable cards in 1989. In his first season after breaking into the league the previous year, Jose Canseco had established himself as one of baseball’s premier power hitters with the Oakland A’s. His ’89 Fleer card shows his muscular build and readiness to mash home runs. Canseco and Mark McGwire would lead the A’s offense for years. McGwire’s ’89 score card is also highly sought after by collectors. In the midst of his epic home run duel with Canseco, Big Mac blasted 49 dingers in 1988 and his popularity was at an all-time high. Both Canseco and McGwire cards hold value, especially in mint condition.
Rookies weren’t the only story in 1989 baseball cards. Veterans like Don Mattingly, Wade Boggs, and Ozzie Smith had some of their best and most iconic cards released that year. Mattingly’s ’89 Topps Traded card, showing him batting left-handed in a mid-swing pose, is one of the most visually striking cards of the era. Wade Boggs, known for his consistency and batting titles, had a classic card in ’89 Fleer. And Ozzie Smith, the best defensive shortstop of all time, had memorable cards across multiple sets in ’89 highlighting his wizardry in the field. All three veterans remain highly collectible today.
The 1989 baseball season itself provided some unforgettable moments immortalized on cards as well. Loma Prieta earthquake interrupted the World Series between the A’s and Giants. Topps captured the dramatic Series pause with an earthquake-themed card showing the two teams’ logos shaking. In May, Nolan Ryan notched his 5000th career strikeout against Rickey Henderson – Topps commemorated it with a special card. And Orel Hershiser’s record-setting 59 consecutive scoreless innings for the Dodgers in 1988 earned him the Cy Young and was recognized on many ’89 cards as one of the single season pitching achievements.
While the junk wax era was beginning, 1989 produced some true gem cards that hold up extremely well today for collectors. Rookies of future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Bonds, and Maddux lead the way alongside iconic veterans and special season highlights. For finding investment-worthy gems or completing a full ’89 set, the cards of this pivotal year remain a highly sought after target for collectors three decades later.
