The 1989 Donruss baseball card set is considered one of the classic late 1980s/early 1990s issues that can still hold value for collectors today. While it may not contain star rookies on the level of Griffey Jr. or Frank Thomas rookie cards from 1989 Topps, there are still several stars and key rookie cards from the ’89 Donruss set that can be worth serious money in the right grade. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the top 1989 Donruss cards that fetch the highest prices in the hobby.
One of the headlining rookie cards from the 1989 Donruss set is Oakland A’s slugger Mark McGwire. Big Mac’s rookie is a fan favorite and holds nostalgic appeal for collectors of the era. In pristine near-mint to mint condition (graded PSA/BGS 9-10), McGwire’s rookie trades hands for $200-300. That price point jumps up considerably for lower-pop, gem mint examples — a PSA 10 McGwire can bring $1500-2500 at auction.
Another star rookie to chase is Toronto Blue Jays phenom Roberto Alomar. Alomar went on to a Hall of Fame career and his ’89 Donruss RC remains a staple for Jays PC collectors. Like McGwire, a solid near-mint Alomar rookie in the $150-250 range. But you’ll pay upwards of $600-800 for a pristine PSA 10 version of this card.
Ken Griffey Jr. didn’t have an official rookie card in the 1989 Donruss set since he debuted in mid-1989. His second year card from the set shows him in a Mariners uniform and holds value as one of his earliest baseball cards issued. A BVG/PSA 9 Griffey sells between $75-150, while a PSA 10 can go for $350-500.
Past star rookies, there are some huge name vets from the late 1980s that command four-figure prices in gem mint condition. A PSA 10 Kirby Puckett base card will set you back $1000-1500. Ditto for an Eddie Murray PSA 10, which often trades at over $1000. Other star cards like a PSA 10 Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, or Nolan Ryan can hit $500-800 depending on recent eBay sales comps.
Condition is everything when determining value, and low-print parallel cards from 1989 Donruss offer another layer of rarity to chase. The gold parallel #/250 varieties of stars like Rickey Henderson, Barry Bonds, or Roger Clemens tend to carry a $50-100 premium over their base counterparts in similar grade. Other short-print variations like the “Circle Change” subset featuring changeup pitchers or the Team Leader subset also bring surcharges relative to the base cards.
Autograph and memorabilia cards inserted as chase cards in 1989 Donruss wax packs further multiply values. Any autographed card of Hall of Famers like Tom Seaver, Dave Winfield, or Dennis Eckersley in top grades can hit $300-600. Prime autographs of young stars like Robin Yount, Wade Boggs, or Ozzie Smith tend be $100-250 range. Meanwhile, rare dual/triple autograph or memorabilia cards featuring multiple stars can escalate values exponentially — especially if tracking down unopened wax pack pulls.
When considering condition, the earlier print runs of 1989 Donruss seem to produce higher ratios of pristine mint grades versus later production runs. The photo-focus printing process was still being refined by Fleer and produced superior centering and sharper images in early Donruss packs versus later issues. This variance adds another layer of nuance when assessing pop reports and comping recent sales histories.
While the 1989 Donruss set may lack the true rookie card fireworks of 1989 Topps Griffey or Thomas RCs, there remains nostalgia and value embedded in the vintage cardboard. Star rookies like McGwire and Alomar hold steady collector demand. Hall of Famer vets like Puckett and Murray command four-figures in gem mint. Autograph and short-print parallels multiply values significantly. For collectors two decades on, selecting condition sensitive 1989 Donruss cards at the pinnacle of the grading scale still allows chasing nostalgia while building portfolio value.
