The 1998 Pinnacle brand baseball card set is one that collectors still talk about today due to the unique “cards in a can” packaging concept and the star rookie cards it featured. While the set had its detractors at the time due to condition issues caused by the packaging, it has developed a strong cult following in the years since. Let’s take a deeper look at the 1998 Pinnacle baseball cards in a can set and explore what kind of value its cards hold today.

Pinnacle was one of the top baseball card manufacturers in the 1990s alongside brands like Upper Deck, Topps, and Fleer. For 1998, they wanted to do something different to stand out from the competition. The concept they came up with was packaging cards inside sealed metal cans rather than the traditional wax packs or boxes. Each can contained a random assortment of 30 cards from the base set and insert subsets. On the surface, this seemed like a fun, novel way for kids to collect cards. It created some unforeseen issues related to the condition of the enclosed cards.

Inside the sealed metal can environment with no room for air circulation, the cardboard stock of the cards quickly became warped and curled. Most cans contained a mix of mint to heavily warped cards right out of the package. This understandably upset many collectors who had just paid $2.99 per can at retail stores like Walmart and Target hoping for pristine near-mint cards. The condition issues led to a widespread backlash against Pinnacle in the late 90s collector community. While some saw it as a failed gimmick, others argued Pinnacle was just ahead of its time with innovative packaging ideas.

Despite the condition controversy, the 1998 Pinnacle set is still highly sought after today due to the star rookie cards it featured. Leading the way is Sammy Sosa’s rookie card, which has grown in value and popularity over the years parallel to Sosa’s Hall of Fame worthy career stats. In a PSA 10 gem mint grade, his rookie now sells for $500-1000. Other top rookies like Nomar Garciaparra, Jason Giambi, and Ben Grieve also command three figure prices for their 1998 Pinnacle cards in high grades.

The insert subsets from 1998 Pinnacle have also developed strong followings. The “Diamond Kings” parallels featuring refractors and on-card autographs of stars are key chases. Derek Jeter’s Diamond Kings auto in particular has sold for over $10,000. The “Diamond Anniversary” parallels celebrating 30 years of Topps are another popular insert. And the “Diamond Icons” paying tribute to legends of the game like Babe Ruth and Willie Mays remain fan favorites.

So while the condition issues give 1998 Pinnacle baseball cards in a can a black eye in collector lore, strong rookie class and coveted inserts have given the set lasting appeal and value over time. For today’s collectors who didn’t experience the disappointment of warped cards straight out of the can as kids, the 1998 Pinnacle release is regarded more favorably as an innovative experiment ahead of its time with cards that can still deliver big hits. Graded examples of key rookies and inserts continue to rise in secondary market prices each year. As one of the more unique releases in baseball card history, 1998 Pinnacle is assured a spot in the memories of collectors for years to come.

While the 1998 Pinnacle baseball cards in a can received harsh criticism upon release due to condition problems, the star rookie cards and inserts it featured have developed a strong cult following over the past two decades which has increased demand and prices for its key cards. Even cards in lower grades can still hold value due to collector interest in set completion and nostalgia for this unique release. As one of the more innovative concepts in the history of the hobby, 1998 Pinnacle is cemented as an important release regardless of the packaging issues and will likely remain a set that collectors debate the pros and cons of for years to come.