Introduction
The 1990 Fleer baseball card set was the final installment in a run of sets from the late 1980s that brought Fleer back into competition with Topps as a major baseball card producer. Following struggles in the 1970s and 1980s, Fleer returned to the baseball card market in 1986 and began regularly issuing new sets again. Their 1990 offering would continue building on the momentum they had gained in the late 80s before the baseball card market began to decline. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the top rookies, stars, and other notables from the 1990 Fleer set and what their cards may be worth today.
Top Rookies of 1990
One of the biggest rookie classes in baseball card history came in 1990, headlined by future Hall of Famers Griffey Jr. and Bagwell. Their rookie cards remain highly sought after by collectors decades later.
Ken Griffey Jr. (Fleer RC #330): Widely considered one of if not the single most valuable baseball card of the 1990s, Griffey’s card is iconic. In top gem mint 10 condition, it can fetch over $10,000. Even in a PSA 8-9 graded state it commands $500-1000. ‘The Kid’ went on to have one of the great careers in history.
Jeff Bagwell (Fleer RC #99): As a star first baseman for the Astros, Bagwell oozed with talent from the start. His rookie is nearly as coveted as Griffey’s, with a PSA 10 bringing $5000-8000. Common to find raw for $100-200.
Frank Thomas (Fleer RC #268): ‘The Big Hurt’ slammed his way to multiple MVPs starting in 1990. His rookie card doesn’t have the allure of Griffey or Bagwell but is still one of the top hits from the set at $200-500 graded.
Dennis Martinez (Fleer RC #355): The soon to be 300-game winner’s card doesn’t go for huge money but is a notable as one of the last true ‘vintage’ rookie cards issued in the 1980s/early 90s before the spike in players reaching the majors as rookies in the 90s.
Other Stars of Note
Nolan Ryan (Fleer #329): One of the most dominant pitchers ever still cranking them up in 1990 at age 43. His final season issue cards remain popular for collector appeal. Approx. $20-50.
Ryne Sandberg (Fleer #12): Perennial All-Star and 1984 NL MVP saw his best years already behind him but remained a respected veteran. Common $3-10 card.
Juan Gonzalez (Fleer #134): Just starting to break out, Gonzalez would go on to win back-to-back AL MVPs later in the decade. $5-15 depending on condition.
Tom Glavine (Fleer #309): On the cusp of stardom, Glavine established himself as an ace in 1991 and helped lead the Braves dynasty of the 90s. $10-30.
Roberto Alomar (Fleer #123): One of the greatest second basemen ever was entering his peak. $10-25.
Ken Hill (Fleer #283): What could have been for the talented Texan pitcher whose career was derailed by injuries. Near rookie $5-15.
Errors, Variations, and Inserts
Fleer’s quality control issues in the early 1990s led to some notable errors that have value today. This includes:# A Brite Futures (insert set): These had wildly inconsistent borders but stars like Frank Thomas are $20-50# An error Tom Glavine card without statistics: Rarer print errors like this can fetch $100+, raw or graded.# An error Ken Griffey Jr. card: His name is misspelled “Griffy”. Even heavily played this is $50-100 as a true error.# A Roger Clemens card printed sideways: Another off-center rarity worth a decent premium.
Summary
While the baseball card market may never return to the insane heights of the 1990s, sets like the 1990 Fleer nicely bridge the gap between the “junk wax” era and golden age rookie cards of the 1980s. Loaded with all-time great talent and notorious print errors, it remains a highly collectible issue for fans of the era. Key rookie cards like Griffey Jr. and Bagwell top the value list but there are several other affordable stars and variations that can still be unearthed.
