Chipper Jones had a legendary career playing third base for the Atlanta Braves from 1993 to 2012. During that time, he established himself as one of the greatest switch hitters in baseball history and one of the greatest third basemen of all time. Jones’ Hall of Fame career and success with the Braves has made some of his baseball cards quite valuable, especially from the 1990s when he first broke into the majors. Let’s take a deeper look at some Chipper Jones rookie cards and serials that collectors look for and that can be worth significant money depending on the card’s condition and year.
One of the most sought after Chipper Jones rookie cards is his 1991 Bowman card. Jones was drafted #1 overall by the Braves in the 1990 MLB Draft but did not make his MLB debut until 1993. Still, Topps and Bowman included him in some 1991 sets as a rookie prospect for Atlanta. The 1991 Bowman Chipper Jones rookie card is one of the keys to any serious baseball card collection. High grade examples in near mint to mint condition regularly sell for hundreds of dollars online. A PSA 10 graded version recently sold for over $2,000, showing the card’s desirability for serious collectors. The 1991 Bowman Chipper Jones is one of the more valuable baseball cards from the early 1990s period.
While 1991 was Chipper’s true rookie season in baseball card form, 1993 was the year he broke into the big leagues with the Braves. That makes his 1993 rookie cards even more significant. One of the top Chipper Jones rookie cards from 1993 is his Fleer Ultra card. This colorful horizontal card features a bright action photo of Jones and identifies him as a rookie. High grade PSA 9 or BGS 9 examples of the 1993 Fleer Ultra Chipper Jones rookie have sold for $300-500 depending on the marketplace. Another highly regarded 1993 Chipper Jones rookie is his Score card. The clean design highlights his stats from his partial 1993 season. CGC-graded gems in the 9.5 range have reached $700-1000. Both the 1993 Fleer Ultra and Score Chipper Jones rookies are considered must-have cards for collectors of his rookie season.
Beyond Chipper Jones’ valuable rookie cards from 1991 and 1993 are several of his serial cards from the peak of his career in the 1990s that carry premium values today. One is his 1996 Topps Gold Label parallel card, limited to only 100 copies. High grade examples have sold for $1500-2000. Another is his 1998 Finest Refractors parallel card, numbered to only 99 copies. Mint condition PSA 10 examples have reached $1000-1500 at auction. Chipper Jones also has several valuable Topps Traded and Topps Tiffany parallel cards from the late 1990s that are scarce and command four-figure prices. Any Chipper Jones serial or parallel cards from the mid-late 1990s period in pristine condition have a good chance of being worth $500 or more to the right collectors.
In summary, Chipper Jones established himself as not just a Hall of Fame player but also an elite collectible for baseball card investors during his epic career with the Atlanta Braves. Several of his key rookie cards like the 1991 Bowman and 1993 Fleer Ultra/Score issues regularly sell for hundreds, showing solid returns. But some of Jones’ scarcer 1990s serial cards in top grades have realized even larger prices, up to $2000 or more. As one of the greatest third basemen ever who was the longtime face of the Braves franchise, demand remains high for premium Chipper Jones cards from his playing days. With a Hall of Fame resume to back them up, many of these cards stand to hold and potentially increase their value for years to come.
