Introduction
The 1989 Fleer baseball card set is considered a classic among collectors and has maintained strong popularity and value over the decades. With a classic design and memorable rookie cards, the ’89 Fleer set captivates collectors both young and old. Determining the value of individual cards from this iconic set requires research and reference to reliable price guides. This article will provide an in-depth overview of some of the most trusted resources for pricing 1989 Fleer baseball cards.
Beckett Baseball Card Monthly Price Guide
Published by Beckett Media, the Beckett Baseball Card Monthly price guide is considered the gold standard for pricing sports and non-sports cards. For the 1989 Fleer set specifically, Beckett provides pricing information for each base card as well as serially numbered parallel inserts. The guide lists pricing for raw near-mint cards in its NM-MT (Near Mint-Mint) column as well asNear Mint-Mint condition cards that have been professionally graded by authentication companies like PSA or BGS. Being the most widely-used guide in the industry, Beckett pricing provides a benchmark that many collectors and vintage card dealers rely on for transactions. It is important to note that Beckett values can sometimes lag behind current marked prices, especially for hot rookie cards. Still, the depth and reliability of Beckett’s data makes it an essential resource.
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Goldmine Graded Record Price Guide
Like Beckett, Goldmine’s Graded Record price guide covers sports and non-sports cards, assigning values to raw and professionally-graded versions from sets throughout the decades. For 1989 Fleer cards and their parallels, Goldmine provides estimated average market values for Near Mint, Excellent, and Good condition base cards. While not quite as detailed as Beckett, Goldmine pricing serves as a useful secondary source and cross-reference. You can find the Goldmine Graded Record guide for purchase online at Amazon with assured fast shipping. For a comprehensive yet affordable guide, Goldmine is a smart investment.
SCD Price Guide App
The Sports Collectors Daily (SCD) price guide mobile app is a handy digital research tool optimized for collectors on the go. Built by the publishers of Sports Collectors Digest magazine, the SCD app allows you to look up values for cards from over 4,000 different sets spanning the entire hobby. For 1989 Fleer, you’ll find ballpark estimated values for raw Near Mint cards and guides you on determining condition and worth. The SCD price guide app is available as a free download on iOS and Android devices. Serving as a convenient pocket reference, it’s worth having for quick lookups of 1989 Fleer cards or pricing collections anywhere.
ebay “Sold” Listings
While not strictly a published price guide, monitoring recent eBay sales can provide valuable insights into real-time market values. By searching for specific 1989 Fleer cards and filtering the results to only show “Completed/Sold” listings, you can get a sense of what similar condition copies have actually been selling for. Take averages of recently-closed auctions to get a accurate value. Be aware of auction outcomes that seem like outliers, and pay closer attention to sales of graded vs. raw cards. Digging through eBay sales logs is essential homework when buying, selling or having rare ’89 Fleer cards professionally valued.
Conclusion
Determining the worth of your 1989 Fleer baseball cards requires combining research from published guides with real-time auction data sources. While Beckett provides the most comprehensive reference values, cross-checking with Goldmine, SCD and recent eBay sales gives a well-rounded picture of pricing in today’s market. Maintaining resources like these guides is an important part of properly caring for and preserving the value of your vintage cardboard collections over time. With the continued popularity and collecting activity around the 1989 Fleer set, prices will remain steady making these foundational pricing tools highly relevant for the foreseeable future.
