The 1991 Leaf Studio Major League Baseball card set was unique in that it featured high quality photo variations printed on glossy photo stock paper instead of the traditional cardboard found in most baseball card sets from that era. While not one of the larger flagship releases of 1991, the 120 card Leaf Studio set contained several short prints and error variants that have made certain cards incredibly valuable to collectors today. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable and sought after 1991 Leaf Studio baseball cards.
Perhaps the most iconic and valuable card from the 1991 Leaf Studio set is the Ken Griffey Jr. short print variation. Only 24 copies of the short printed Griffey card were produced, making it incredibly rare. In near mint condition, ungraded examples of the Griffey Jr. SP have sold at auction for over $20,000. What makes this card so scarce is that it features a unique close-up headshot photo of Griffey that was only used on a small run of packs early in the production process before Leaf switched to the more common full body shot for the majority of the print run. Finding one of these elusive short prints in a high grade is the holy grail for collectors of this particular set.
Another extremely valuable and difficult to find card is the error variant of Oakland A’s slugger Mark McGwire. On a small number of McGwire cards, the photo is offset significantly to the left side of the card. This subtle error was only caught on a handful of prints and makes the off-center McGwire one of the toughest chase cards from 1991 Leaf Studio. High grade examples have sold for over $10,000 at auction. Adding to its rarity, the offset photo error is sometimes hard to spot unless the card is examined closely under magnification.
Rounding out the top three most valuable 1991 Leaf Studio cards is the Frank Thomas short print variation. Like the Griffey SP, only a small run of the Frank Thomas card featured an alternate headshot photo instead of the standard full body pose. Graded gems of the Frank Thomas SP in a PSA 10 slab have recently sold for upwards of $8,000. With a print run estimated to be around the same 24 card quantity as the Griffey SP, finding one of these illusive Frank Thomas short prints today would be an incredible addition for any serious vintage baseball card collection.
Another scarce card that often trades hands for over $1,000 is the Nolan Ryan variation that features a close-up headshot instead of the standard full body portrait. Only inserted very lightly throughout the initial print run, the Nolan Ryan headshot variation is considered one of the tougher regular variants to track down from 1991 Leaf Studio.
Rounding out the most valuable cards from the set are high grade examples of the rookie cards for future Hall of Famers Chipper Jones ($800+) and Ivan Rodriguez ($600+). Finding these young star prospects in pristine PSA/BGS slabbed grades is an exciting way to add a key piece of baseball history to any collection.
While perhaps not the most visually striking design compared to the flashy Chrome and Finest sets that followed later in the 1990s, 1991 Leaf Studio holds a unique place in the hobby for its sought after production errors, scarce short prints, and star rookie cards. For the astute collector willing to hunt down high grades of these elusive variants, the financial rewards can be tremendous. Even in lower end conditions, 1990s-era Leaf Studio cards still evoke a sense of nostalgia for the photography-based designs that helped evolve the emerging sports card industry during baseball’s golden era of the late 80s and early 90s. Whether a profitable investment or enjoyable trip down memory lane, 1991 Leaf Studio remains a highly collectible release nearly 30 years later.
