The 1991 Donruss baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable sets from the late 1980s and early 1990s. The design features sharp photography and a clean layout that still holds up today. While it may not contain the star rookies or hall of famers of some other years, the 1991 Donruss set provides collectors with affordable vintage cards of stars from that era that can still appreciate in value.
Released in 1991 at the height of the baseball card boom, Donruss printed the set in massive numbers with production runs estimated to be over 1 billion cards. While this high print run means common cards are still easy to find, the sheer number of collectors opening packs in the early 90s also leads to more wear and tear on the cards over the decades. Near mint to mint condition examples of even common players can still hold nice value.
The base card design is clean and straightforward, with a solid color background, team logo at top, and black and white photo taking up most of the front of the card. Statistics are listed on the back along with the standard Donruss design elements. The photo quality and crispness varies depending on the individual photographer, but overall the images have aged very well. Rarity is determined by serial number, with parallel subsets like “Diamond Kings” adding complexity.
Let’s take a look at some of the top valuable cards and players from the 1991 Donruss baseball set that still attract interest from collectors today:
Ken Griffey Jr – The rookie card of “The Kid” is one of the key chase cards from the set. In PSA 10 gem mint condition, examples have sold for over $1000. Even well-centered near mint copies can fetch $100-200. Griffey was already one of the game’s brightest young stars in 1991.
Cal Ripken Jr – Ripken was in the midst of his incredible consecutive games played streak. His ’91 Donruss card remains one of his most iconic and is highly sought after by Ripken PC collectors. PSA 10’s have sold for $500-600 range.
Roberto Alomar – Alomar’s smooth defensive skills and hitting prowess made him a fan favorite. His rookie card carries a BV of around $50-75 in top grades.
Tom Glavine – The ace lefty’s rookie is one of the key Braves cards from the era. PSA 10’s have reached $150-200.
David Justice – As an Atlanta star, Justice’s rookie remains popular. Near mint copies can sell for $30-50.
Dennis Eckersley – Eck was already an established closer but his card is popular with A’s and Red Sox collectors. PSA 10’s have sold for $150-200.
Bobby Bonilla – The smooth-swinging Bonilla was a prolific hitter for many years. His card holds a BV of $15-30 in top condition.
Darren Daulton – “Dutch” was a gritty leader of those early 90’s Phils teams. His card has a BV around $10-20.
Jeff Bagwell – Bagwell’s early success foretold a hall of fame career. His rookie has sold for $50-75 in top grades.
David Cone – As a staff ace, Cone’s card remains popular with Yankees collectors. PSA 10’s have reached $75-100.
Andres Galarraga – “The Big Cat” was one of the game’s most feared sluggers. His card holds a $10-15 value.
While stars like Griffey Jr. and Ripken Jr. lead the way, there are also plenty of affordable vintage cards throughout the set of other talent from that era. For example, PSA 9 copies of the above players often sell in the $10-30 range. The 1991 Donruss set captured a great time for the sport and provides an affordable entry point for collectors looking to build their vintage collections. For those who enjoyed the players, teams and designs from that year, it remains one of the most iconic and collectible sets from the junk wax era. Graded examples in top condition of stars from that time will likely continue their steady appreciation over the long term. The clean and classic photography based design has ensured the 1991 Donruss set remains a set collectors enjoy to this day.
