Several Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards from his time with the Seattle Mariners in the late 1980s and early 1990s are considered some of the most valuable baseball cards in the hobby. Griffey was one of the game’s most hyped prospects ever and went on to have a Hall of Fame career, making his rookie cards highly sought after by collectors. Some of the most valuable Griffey rookie cards worth noting include:

1989 Upper Deck Griffey RC (#1): This is widely considered the crown jewel of Griffey rookie cards as it was from his true rookie season with the Mariners in 1989, captured him at age 19, and came from the iconic original Upper Deck set that helped spark the baseball card boom of the 1990s. The Griffey #1 Upper Deck RC is one of the rarest modern cards in existence with experts estimating perhaps 250-300 high-grade examples (grades 8 or above on the 10-point scale) still exist today out of the thousands produced. In mint condition (grade 9 or 10), scarce Griffey #1 Upper Decks in top-pop ultra-rare pop-1 or 2 condition have broken records by selling for over $400,000. But even well-centerded low-grade (grade 6-7) copies in ripped packaging can still fetch $10,000-$20,000 due to the card’s legendary prestige and scarcity.

1989 Bowman Griffey RC: Along with the Upper Deck, the 1989 Bowman rookie is considered one of Griffey’s “big three” rookie cards. While not quite as valuable today as the equally scarce Upper Deck RC, high-grade Bowman RCs in a pristine mint condition can still sell for $15,000-$30,000. Not as many Bowmans were printed as Upper Decks, making higher grades harder to find, and any Griffey Bowman over a grade of 9 is a true prize possession. Even well-worn low-grade examples still sell for $1,000-$3,000 due to the iconic status of Griffey’s first true rookie issue.

1989 Score Griffey RC: Completing Griffey’s famed “holy trinity” of rookie cards is the 1989 Score issue, which has the distinction of being the card that first featured his now-famous effortless left-handed swing on the front. Though less rare than the Bowman and Upper Deck, higher graded Score RCs in 8-10 condition can still sell for $3,000-$7,000, reflecting their iconic allure. Even lower grade copies around a 6 still attract hundreds of dollars from collectors wanting any version of Griffey’s first card.

1989 Donruss Rookie Prospects Variation: While not technically a “rookie” card since it was produced after Griffey’s September call-up in 1989, this elusive variation of the Donruss Rookie Prospects subset stands out due to its scarcity and iconic photo. Only about 10 are known to exist in gem mint condition and they have sold for upwards of $30,000 when they hit the market. Even well-worn copies can still sell for $3,000-$5,000 due to this card’s legendary rarity.

1990 Leaf RC: Considered the truest of true “super rookies,” Leaf only produced Griffey’s sophomore card in limited quantity and dramatically increased hype and scarcity versus his more plentiful 1989 issues. Graded versions above an 8 can sell for thousands due to this card’s boutique exclusivity within the Griffey collection landscape.

1992 Upper Deck Griffey (#1 Update): Marking Griffey’s first traded card after being dealt from Seattle to Cincinnati, this scarce “image upgrade” parallel is prized by die-hard collectors. About a tenth as rare as the original 1989, conditioned higher graded versions still sell for thousands to collectors pursuing every nuance of Griffey’s early years.

While the above cards represent Griffey’s most financially valuable rookie issues, some of his other earliest Mariner cards can still hold strong collector value based on certain parallels and variations:

1990 Score Rookie All-Star (#770): This Griffey “super rookie” subset is highly coveted in pristine condition and has exceeded $1,000 in top-pop sales.

1990 Fleer Star Sticker: Considered one of Griffey’s first “short prints,” the Star Stickered parallel saw limited distribution and high grades can reach $500+.

1991 Studio Blue Back Variation: This scarce blue-toned parallel of the iconic Studio set is prized by completionists and has sold for $600+ in grade.

1992 Collector’s Choice Gold Hologram: This rare parallel saw extremely limited distribution during the early 90s collector’s boom, and options in the pristine 9.5-10 grade range have sold for $1,000+.

Any vintage Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards from his Mariners seasons in true near-mint to gem mint condition (grades 8-10) hold tremendous value, especially his “holy trinity” of 1989 Upper Deck, Bowman, and Score issues which are considered the most important modern rookie cards in the hobby. But Griffey collectors also pursue subtler parallels and variations that showcase his early years, making cards from producers like Donruss, Fleer, and Studio highly valuable in the right graded state of preservation. All in all, Griffey’s historic rookie run created some of the most financially and culturally significant sports cards collectors continue to chase over 30 years later.