The 1990 Topps Traded baseball card set showcased some of the biggest names and prospects in baseball at the time through trades and deals that had occurred since the regular Topps set was released earlier that year. While not quite as iconic or valuable as some other years, there are still several standout cards from the 1990 Topps Traded set that have gained value among collectors over the decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable cards from the 1990 Topps Traded baseball card release.
Perhaps the most well-known and valuable card from the 1990 Topps Traded set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was already establishing himself as a superstar outfielder in his first few seasons with the Seattle Mariners, and his Topps Traded rookie card showcased him in a Mariners uniform after he was included in a trade from the Cincinnati Reds earlier that year. In pristine mint condition, the Griffey Jr. rookie has sold for over $10,000 and is consistently one of the highest valued 1990 Topps Traded cards. Another star rookie featured is Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds. As the shortstop for the World Series champion Reds in 1990, high grade copies of Larkin’s rookie card also sell for thousands.
Another very valuable card is Nolan Ryan’s card from the 1990 set. As one of the most legendary pitchers of all time, Ryan’s cards from the 1970s through 1990s Topps sets are quite collectible. His card in the 1990 Topps Traded set, which has him pictured as a member of the Texas Rangers, has sold for over $500 in top condition. Hall of Fame pitcher Tom Glavine also has a valuable rookie card in the 1990 Topps Traded set showing him as a member of the Atlanta Braves. In pristine mint condition, elite copies of Glavine’s rookie have sold for several hundred dollars as well.
Two other fairly high valued cards include Gregg Jefferies’ rookie card as a member of the New York Mets and Juan Gonzalez’ rookie as a Ranger. Jefferies was a promising young prospect for the Mets and his card reaches about $100-150 for top graded examples. Gonzalez went on to have a stellar career and won back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1996-97. His rookie as sold in the $75-100 range. Ken Hill, who won the AL ERA title in 1994 for the Rangers, has a valuable rookie card around $50-75 as well.
Moving into the $25-50 range, there are several solid 1980s/90s veterans that have valuable cards in the 1990 Topps Traded set if in top condition like Ozzie Smith as a Padre, Rickey Henderson as an Athletic, and Steve Avery as a Brave. Former AL MVP runner-up Robin Yount’s card as a Brewer reaches about $35-45. Rookies like Alex Gonzalez of the Reds, Mark Grace of the Cubs, and Javy Lopez of the Braves have strong fan followings as well and their 1990 rookies sell in the $20-40 area depending on quality level.
Looking at $10-25 range cards, some other fan favorites and notable veterans included are Andre Dawson as an Expo, Ryne Sandberg as a Cub, Dennis Eckersley as an Athletic, and Terry Pendleton as a Brave who was the NL MVP that year. Player and team collectors look to acquire well-centered and sharp examples of these stars. On the prospect side, cards like Bret Saberhagen as a Royal, David Justice as a Brave, and John Kruk as a Phillie have found growing popularity over the years in the teens of value.
That covers many of the headliner cards that consistently attract collector attention and reach higher values from the 1990 Topps Traded baseball release. Of course, there are also several other decently valued rookie and star player cards that fall in the $5-10 range depending on condition from this fun trading card set from 1990. While not the most iconic Topps Traded series, it provided an update on several stars who switched teams and debuted promising young prospects like Griffey Jr. and Larkin that continue to excite collectors decades later. The 1990 Topps Traded set remains an important part of the modern baseball card collecting era.
