The mid-1990s were an interesting time for baseball cards. While the hobby had declined significantly from its peak in the late 1980s and early 1990s, it was still producing some very memorable rookie cards and star players. The class of 1997 rookie cards in particular features many future Hall of Famers and perennial All-Stars. Let’s take a closer look at the baseball card market from around 1997 and examine some of the top cards from that time period to see what they might be worth today.

In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the overproduction of cards combined with speculation had caused a massive bubble in the baseball card market that burst in the early part of the decade. By 1997, the hobby had stabilized but was still a shadow of its former self. Fewer sets were being produced each year and print runs were much smaller compared to the late bubble era. The decline had stabilized prices but also shrunk the overall size of the hobby. Fewer kids were actively collecting and the sports memorabilia craze of the late 80s/early 90s had faded.

There was still excitement around rookie cards and star players. The class of 1997 featured future Hall of Famers like Nomar Garciaparra, Todd Helton, and Andruw Jones. Other notable rookies included Mark McGwire, Jeff Weaver, and Paul Konerko. Veterans like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and Greg Maddux remained highly sought after as well. Some of the top sets from 1997 include Fleer Ultra, Topps Chrome, and Upper Deck SP Authentic. Let’s take a closer look at some individual cards from that era to examine their current values:

Ken Griffey Jr. 1997 Upper Deck SP Authentic #S1 – Griffey remained one of the biggest stars in the game in 1997 and his autographed rookie cards from Upper Deck SP Authentic are some of the most coveted from the era. Graded PSA 10 examples have sold for over $10,000. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8 or BGS 9 still fetch $1,000-2,000.

Barry Bonds 1997 Topps Chrome Refractor #126R – Bonds was in his prime in 1997 and winning his first MVP award. The refractors from Topps Chrome are considered some of the premier parallel cards from the 1990s. PSA 10 examples have sold for over $5,000 in recent years. Lower graded copies still sell for $1,000-2,000.

Nomar Garciaparra 1997 Bowman’s Best #BB1 – Nomar exploded onto the scene in 1997 winning the Rookie of the Year award. His short print rookie from Bowman’s Best is one of the key cards from the year. PSA 10 copies have sold for over $3,000. Lower graded examples still sell for $500-1,000.

Todd Helton 1997 Bowman #339 – Helton enjoyed a long and productive career and his rookie is one of the more affordable from 1997. High graded PSA 10 copies have still sold for over $1,000. Most PSA 8 or BGS 9 copies sell in the $200-500 range.

Andruw Jones 1997 Bowman #B-AJ – Jones was one of the best young prospects in baseball in 1997. His short print rookie from Bowman remains a key card from the set. PSA 10 examples have sold for over $1,000. Most graded copies in the PSA 8-9 range sell for $200-500.

Mark McGwire 1997 Bowman’s Best #BB4 – Coming off his record-setting 70 home run season in 1998, McGwire’s rookie was hotly sought after. PSA 10 copies have sold for over $1,000. Most graded examples sell in the $200-500 range.

Jeff Weaver 1997 Bowman #B-JW – Weaver enjoyed a solid career as a starter and his rookie remains popular. Higher graded PSA 10 copies have still sold for over $500. Most PSA 8 or BGS 9 examples sell for $100-200.

Paul Konerko 1997 Bowman #B-PK – Konerko had a long productive career, mostly with the White Sox. His rookie card remains affordable but desirable for White Sox PC collectors. PSA 10 copies have sold for over $300. Most graded examples sell for under $100.

As you can see, while the baseball card market of the mid-1990s was smaller than the boom years preceding it, there were still many desirable rookie cards produced in 1997. Cards of future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Bonds, and Garciaparra remain quite valuable to this day, especially in high grades. But there are also still solid returns to be had on stars like Helton, Jones, McGwire and others even in lower grades. The class of 1997 remains an interesting time capsule of future talents and one of the last true vintages before the modern baseball card era began.