The 1991 Donruss baseball set is considered one of the most iconic releases from the brand during the junk wax era of the late 1980s and early 1990s. While most cards from sets of that time period are not worth much today due to massive production numbers that led to oversaturation, there are a handful of standout rookies and stars from the ’91 Donruss set that have retained or grown in value over the past 30+ years.

One of the most valuable cards from the 1991 Donruss set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was already emerging as a superstar for the Seattle Mariners by 1991 and his iconic upper deck rookie from 1989 is one of the most coveted cards of all-time. The rookie card in the 1991 Donruss set, while not quite as rare or iconic as the upper deck issue, is still a highly sought after card by collectors. In topgem mint condition, a Griffey Jr. rookie typically fetches prices in the $150-300 range today. Well-centered and graded mint copies can sell for $500-1000 or more depending on the grade. The Griffey rookie remains one of the most valuable cards from the entire junk wax era.

Another rookie card that retains good value from the 1991 Donruss set is pitcher Todd Van Poppel’s issue. Van Poppel was a highly-touted prospect who was selected 14th overall by the Oakland A’s in the 1990 amateur draft. His rookie card, while fairly common in raw form, has seen values increase notably for high-grade versions in recent years. A PSA/BGS 10 Gem Mint Van Poppel rookie can sell for $150-250 today, with especially well-centered examples potentially reaching the $300-500 range. Not quite on par with Griffey’s card, but still a respected value holder from the ’91 Donruss set considering Van Poppel’s career did not live up to expectations.

In addition to rookie stars, several hall of fame players also havevaluable cards among the 1991 Donruss checklist. One of the most notable is the Frank Thomas card, with the “Big Hurt” entering his peak years with the Chicago White Sox. A high-grade Thomas is quite scarce and can sell for healthy premiums, with a PSA/BGS 10 often reaching the $75-150 range based on recent eBay sales. Other all-time greats like Roberto Alomar, Barry Bonds, Kirby Puckett, and Nolan Ryan also possess cards from this set that can be worth $25-75 or more in top-notch conditionedue to their playing careers and enshrinement in Cooperstown.

Some other key players who were ascending into stardom in 1991 and have car worth mentioning include Terry Pendleton, John Smoltz, Willie McGee, Ozzie Smith, Eddie Murray, and Dennis Eckersley among others. Even certified high-grades of base cards for these calibers of players can reach $50-100+. The Kirby Puckett card especially holds strong values, likely boosted by his Minnesota fanbase and World Series performances.

Beyond rookies and stars, there are also a handful of invaluable insert and parallel cards found in the 1991 Donruss set. One is the Emmitt Smith Football Card, with Smith’s explosive NFL rookie campaign resulting in his card sneaking into baseball packs. High-grades of this scarce insert can reach the $300-500 range. There is also the elusive “Goldminers” parallel subset, with extremely rare GOLD-numbered versions of Frank Thomas, Ken Griffey Jr., and others achieving prices well into the thousands graded mint. The Mark McGwire “Action All-Star” insert featuring McGwire performing his epic home run trot also carries substantial values ranging from $75-150+ for desirable copies.

While the glut of production from sets like 1991 Donruss make most base cards worth only a quarter or less today, there remain particular standouts with staying power or growth in value. Rookies of future superstars like Griffey Jr. and high-graded issues of hall of famers like Frank Thomas ensure some pieces from the set will hold significant collector interest and price tags decades later. For buyers willing to pay top-dollar, condition-sensitive parallels and inserts also provide some truly valuable finds possible from packs of this extensive yet iconic release from the early 90s baseball card boom era.