The 1990 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card is considered one of the most iconic and valuable baseball cards ever produced. Griffey Jr. went on to have a spectacular Hall of Fame career and his rookie card captured the excitement around one of the great prospects in the game at that time. Even in lower grades, the 1990 Upper Deck Griffey rookie consistently sells for thousands of dollars. In near mint to mint condition, examples of this card have sold for well over $100,000, making it one of the most valuable baseball cards from any year.
Another extremely valuable rookie card from 1990 is the Frank Thomas rookie card from Bowman. Like Griffey, Thomas enjoyed a superb career that landed him in the Hall of Fame. The popularity of rookie cards often comes down to what the player accomplished in their career and both Griffey and Thomas more than lived up to their potential. Mint condition Thomas rookies have sold at auction for over $25,000.
The 1990 Fleer Update Barry Bonds rookie card is also highly sought after by collectors. Bonds became one of the game’s all-time great home run hitters and his rookie card captured the beginning of what became a historic career. High grade Bonds rookies can sell for upwards of $15,000. Another 1990 rookie card that has gained value over the years is the Rickey Henderson card from Bowman. Henderson shattered numerous base-running records in his career and his rookie card sells these days for $4,000-$6,000 in top condition.
Jose Canseco’s rookie card released in 1986 Skybox is also considered quite valuable given his accomplishments as one of the first true “sluggers” of the steroid era. Canseco was a two-time AL MVP and six-time All-Star and his rookie card has sold for over $10,000 in pristine condition. From the 1990 Upper Deck set, the Nolan Ryan card is prized by collectors as it pictures the legendary Ryan in what would be his final season before retirement. Near-mint and better versions of this iconic baseball card can sell for over $3,000.
The 1990 Topps Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. “Father and Son” card depicting them together is a true one-of-a-kind collectors item. This rare dual card captured the first and only time a father and son duo appeared together on the same baseball card. Considering the careers and popularity of both Griffeys, valuable examples of this historic and unique card can sell for over $15,000. The 1990 Topps Traded Andre Dawson card also holds value, with graded mint versions selling for $3,000 and above. Dawson’s epic career and the rarity of Topps Traded cards of the 1990s make this a beloved piece for collectors.
Some other notables from 1990 that can sell for $1,000 or more in high grades include the Rookie Cup cards of Tom Glavine, Gregg Jefferies, and Larry Walker as well as the high-number Frank Thomas card from Topps and the Dennis Martinez perfect game card from Upper Deck. The 1990 Topps set overall is a fan favorite, with complete near-mint to mint sets selling for thousands due to the memorable rookie cards, designs, and players included across the 660 cards. Any cards featuring the likes of Griffey, Bonds, Thomas and other Hall of Famers from the 1990 season are always in high demand and bring top dollar for collectors given their link to some all-time great players and careers.
