The 1997 Donruss baseball card set is highly sought after by collectors due to several chase cards that have increased tremendously in value over the years. While the vast majority of cards from this set hold little monetary worth, there are some truly exceptional rookie cards and memorabilia cards that have stood the test of time and now command high prices at auction. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable 1997 Donruss baseball cards on the market today.
Kicking off our list at the #5 spot is the Derek Jeter jersey card (#247). Jeter was already a star shortstop by 1997 in his fourth MLB season, but this jersey card captured him at the peak of his career. Numbered to only 100 copies, it features a swatch of autographed jersey material. High grade examples in PSA/BGS 10 condition have sold for $4,000-$5,000 in recent years. While not in the ultra-rare category, it remains one of the most coveted and collectible Jeter rookie era cards.
Coming in at #4 is the Alex Rodriguez jersey card (#223). Like Jeter, A-Rod was an established star by 1997 but his jersey cards remain popular with collectors. This Donruss issue carries a smaller print run of only 75 copies. Autographed jersey swatches are rarer finds in any player collection, making this one a true key card. Graded examples have topped $6,000 when in pristine condition with a history of strong crossover appeal to both Rodriguez and memorabilia collectors.
Taking the #3 spot is arguably the biggest star of the 1997 rookie class, Chipper Jones (#135). While Jones’ regular base rookie card is a strong mid-range card on its own merit, his autographed jersey parallel truly stands out. Limited to a tiny run of only 25 copies, each features an on-card autograph and jersey swatch. High grades have brought over $8,000 at auction for this elusive Chipper piece. Extended sustained success throughout his Hall of Fame career has created great nostalgia surrounding his early career cards as well.
At the #2 position is perhaps the biggest “what if” of the era, Gary Sheffield (#151). Sheffield was a true five-tool talent that put up huge numbers for over two decades, but questions remain about his Hall of Fame credentials due to PED allegations late in his career. His autographed rookie jersey parallel gets extremely scarce at only 10 printed copies. Ones receiving gold standard grades like PSA 10 have reached into the high five-figure range when they surface. The rarity alone makes this one a true blue chip short print in the hobby.
And finally, taking the top spot as the most valuable 1997 Donruss baseball card is the Ken Griffey Jr. jersey card (#101). Widely considered one of the greatest pure hitters of all-time, Griffey was already a three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove winner by 1997. But his junior jersey materials captured him at the absolute peak of his powers before injuries slowed him down. Numbered to the ultra-low figure of 5 copies, each features an on-card autograph and game worn jersey swatch. specimens graded PSA/BGS 10 with a perfect pedigree have sold north of $100,000 when the rare opportunity arises. No other 1990s era card gets the pure “chase card” label quite like Griffey’s short printed jersey rookie.
While the 1997 Donruss baseball set had its share of production flaws that limit pop for most base cards, the incorporation of rare autograph and jersey parallels injected key chase aspects that fueled long term collector demand. Headlined by the untouchable Griffey jersey, strong examples of Jeter, Rodriguez, Jones, and Sheffield autograph rookies continue to entice big spending from enthusiasts years later. For memorabilia and star rookies from the era, 1997 Donruss remains the true pinnacle that few other sets can rival.
