The 1991 Fleer Ultra baseball card set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the early 1990s baseball card boom. Fleer Ultra was known for its photo variations, refractor parallels, and unique technology. While it didn’t feature the biggest stars of the time like 1991 Upper Deck or Topps did, some of the rarest and most valuable cards from Ultra ’91 have stood the test of time.
One of the most coveted rookie cards from any ’91 set is the Ken Griffey Jr. Fleer Ultra. Widely considered one of the best all-around players of his generation, Griffey was already one of baseball’s brightest young stars in his early Mariners career. The Fleer Ultra Griffey rookie is remarkably scarce in high grades due to issues with the fragile Ultra stock. In pristine mint condition it has sold for over $10,000, making it one of the most valuable non-autograph/relic cards from the early ’90s boom.
Another star rookie to emerge in ’91 was Tony Gwynn. While he had several strong seasons prior, Gwynn truly broke out and put himself in the discussion among game’s best hitters that year. His Fleer Ultra rookie has the lowest print run of any modern Gwynn card and high grade specimens can sell for $3,000-5,000. Like Griffey, centering/condition are major obstacles to a true gem Gwynn Ultra rookie.
The fleeting nature of Frank Thomas’ rookie card status in 1991 makes his Fleer Ultra one of the marquee key rookie cards from the set as well. After tearing the cover off the ball in his AL ROY campaign the previous year, Thomas was a star in the making. Mint examples have sold for over $2,000 in recent years.
Outside of the big three rookies, some other star players have valuable Fleer Ultra cards too. A PSA 10 graded Barry Bonds rookie from Ultra ’91 would be the crown jewel of any collection, worth well into the five figures. While no true gems have ever been confirmed, raw copies still sell for $1,000-2,000.
Nolan Ryan’s final season took place in ’91 and his Fleer Ultra is the only modern card capturing him during his final year in the majors. Low mintage and demand from Ryan collectors push high grade versions up towards $1,000.
Pitching heroes from the era like Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and John Smoltz also have scarce and valuable rookie cards in Fleer Ultra. With strong early seasons cementing them as future Hall of Famers, near-perfect copies of their debut Fleer Ultras can reach $500-1,000 each.
Condition sensitive veteran stars like Don Mattingly, Cal Ripken Jr., and Wade Boggs also possess intrinsically collectible Ultras from ’91. With their careers and accomplishments well established by then, getting a true gem PSA 10 of any of these future Hall of Famers would be quite the crown jewel, worth $2,000-3,000 if one ever came to market.
Beyond the star players, the technology and photo variations that defined Fleer Ultra in ’91 make some less recognizable names quite valuable as well. Parallel and “refractor” photo insert parallels number amongst the scarcest and most sought after inserts ever produced.
An incredible Mike Stanley refractor parallel pulled randomly from a pack is considered the true “golden ticket” find, worth over $25,000 in pristine condition. Similarly, parallels featuring the likes of Dan Gladden, Ron Karkovice, and Dick Schofield have all sold for $1,000-5,000 graded mint.
The rare “platinum” parallel insert featuring Brewers starter Bill Wegman is so scarce there are rumors only a handful were ever pulled. A PSA 10 of this phantom card, if discovered, could bring six figures. The 1991 Fleer Ultra set lives on as one of the most iconic and valuable of the early ’90s era. While stars have come and gone, Ultra ’91 cards retain their mystique and collectibility for both vintage collectors and investors alike. With prices still rising after 30 years, the future only looks brighter for this historic release.
