One of the most valuable baseball cards from 1989 is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey emerged as one of the biggest stars in baseball during his career, winning many awards and cementing his legacy as one of the greatest outfielders of all time. His rookie card has held strong value over the decades for several reasons – Griffey was hugely popular as he broke into the majors and was a transformational talent, his clean-cut appeal resonated with fans of all ages, and he enjoyed a long and extremely productive career. In a near-gem mint PSA 10 grade, Griffey’s 1989 Upper Deck rookie card can sell for over $10,000 today. Even well-worn copies still fetch a few hundred due to the player’s iconic status.
Another highly sought after 1989 rookie card is for Frank Thomas, known as “The Big Hurt” during his Hall of Fame career. Thomas was an enormously powerful slugger who won back-to-back American League MVP awards in 1993 and 1994. Like Griffey, Thomas proved to be a model of consistency and domination at the plate for many years. With his towering home runs and disciplined approach, Thomas connected tremendously well with baseball fans. His rookie card from1989 Fleer has topped $4,000 in a PSA 10 grade. Copies in lower grades still sell for several hundred. Both the Griffey and Thomas rookies are particularly valuable since they were produced during the height of the baseball card boom in the late 80s/early 90s.
Two of the best pitchers of the 1990s also have valuable 1989 rookie cards – Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine. Both of these hurlers went on to have careers defined by incredible control, longevity, and postseason success. Maddux is considered one of the greatest pitchers ever based on his pinpoint command and four Cy Young Awards. His stellar play translated to strong card values – a 1989 Bowman PSA 10 can bring nearly $3,000. For Tom Glavine, a 1989 Babe Ruth Card PSA 10 shifts hands for around $2,000 due to his outstanding career as well. He won two Cy Youngs of his own and was vital to the Atlanta Braves’ 1990s dynasty.
A pair of Hall of Fame shortstops also debuted in 1989 – Barry Larkin and Ozzie Smith. Larkin was a superb all-around player and captain of the 1995 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds. His slick defense and timely hitting make him a favorite of many fans and analysts. A 1989 Bowman PSA 10 approaches $2,000. Meanwhile “The Wizard” Ozzie Smith dazzled spectators for years with his glovework at short for the St. Louis Cardinals. He was awarded a record 13 Gold Gloves and helped lead St. Louis to a 1982 World Series title. High-grade versions of his 1989 Score rookie card can exceed $1,500. Both Larkin and Smith proved to have iconic careers and their rookie cards maintain strong collector demand.
While the prospects just discussed emerged as superstars, another pitcher on this list showed Hall of Fame potential that was derailed by injuries – Ben McDonald. As the top pick of the 1989 amateur draft by the Baltimore Orioles, McDonald possessed mid-90s heat and a nasty breaking ball. He won ROY honors in 1991 after flashing dominance. Shoulder issues would sideline him for stretches, preventing a long and prolific career. Still, his rookie card from 1989 Score holds onto value near $900 PSA 10 due to his early promise and status as a number one pick. It serves as a reminder of the potential he carried entering the majors.
The most valuable 1989 baseball cards generally feature the rookie campaigns of superstars who went on to have incredible careers, like Griffey, Thomas, Maddux and Glavine. Cards for future Hall of Famers Larkin and Ozzie Smith also remain quite collectible. Meanwhile, the Ben McDonald rookie card retains value due to his prospect pedigree, even if injuries disrupted his playing days. Authentic, high-graded versions of these star players are highly sought after bySet collectors decades later. With proven histories of performance, these names translate to sustainable demand in the collecting hobby.
