The 1994 Donruss Triple Play baseball card set was one of the most popular releases of the 1990s. With over 700 cards in the base set and insert cards featuring some of the biggest stars in the game, collectors eagerly ripped packs looking for stars and short prints. Now over 25 years later, certain 1994 Donruss Triple Play cards have increased dramatically in value and are highly sought after by vintage baseball card collectors. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable cards from the 1994 Donruss Triple Play set.

Ken Griffey Jr. was already one of the biggest stars in baseball in 1994 coming off back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1990-1991 with the Seattle Mariners. Naturally, his base card and any Griffey Jr. parallel or insert cards from 1994 Donruss Triple Play command a premium today. A Griffey Jr. base card in near mint to mint condition can fetch $30-50. His gold parallel /50 is much harder to find and has sold for over $500 in gem mint condition. However, Griffey Jr.’s most valuable 1994 Donruss Triple Play card is without question his “Diamond Kings” insert, which features him swinging a bat with diamond-encrusted lettering in the background. Only 50 of these Griffey Jr. Diamond Kings cards were printed, making it an ultra-rare pull back in 1994. Today, it is arguably the single most valuable card from the entire set, with mint condition examples selling for upwards of $5,000.

Another huge star in 1994 was Frank Thomas of the Chicago White Sox. Coming off back-to-back AL MVPs in 1992-1993 where he hit over .300 with 40+ home runs each season, “The Big Hurt” was one of the most feared power hitters in baseball. His base card from the 1994 Donruss Triple Play set typically sells for $15-25 in near mint condition today. However, Thomas also has several valuable parallel and insert cards that increase dramatically in price the rarer the parallel. His gold parallel /50 has sold for over $300, while his ultra-rare black parallel /10 is practically unobtainable for most collectors, with estimates placing its value at $1,000+ for a mint example. Arguably Thomas’ most iconic 1994 Donruss Triple Play card is his “Diamond Kings” insert, which is the second rarest behind Griffey Jr.’s at /75 copies printed. Mint condition Thomas Diamond Kings cards have sold for up to $2,000.

Rookie cards are always highly sought after items by collectors, and the 1994 Donruss Triple Play set featured several young stars’ inaugural professional baseball cards that have increased exponentially in value. Chipper Jones’ rookie card from the set is one of the most valuable. As the #1 overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft and coming off a stellar college career at UGA, expectations were high for Jones with the Atlanta Braves. He didn’t disappoint, winning the 1995 NL Rookie of the Year award. His rookie card’s value has risen accordingly over the years, with a near mint copy now worth $50-75. Mint condition examples have even sold for over $150. Another star rookie from 1994 was Derek Jeter of the New York Yankees. Already a fan favorite for his slick fielding at shortstop and timely hitting, Jeter’s star was only beginning to rise. His rookie card from Donruss Triple Play has also seen a huge increase in value, with near mint copies valued at $75-100 currently. High grade mint rookie Jeter cards have changed hands for upwards of $250.

While stars like Griffey Jr., Thomas, Jones, and Jeter garner most of the spotlight from the 1994 Donruss Triple Play set due to their superstar status, there are also several short print and parallel cards that are extremely difficult to obtain and can rival the stars’ cards in value. For example, the Todd Hollandsworth short print rookie card /398 is very tough to find in high grade and has sold for over $150 in mint condition. The Craig Biggio gold parallel /50 also commands big money, with estimates placing its value at $300+ for a pristine copy. Some of the most valuable short print cards from 1994 Donruss Triple Play belong to players who never quite panned out. The Derek Bell short print /398 and Kevin Roberson short print /399 are both exceedingly rare in high grades today due to their limited print runs. As a result, even their mediocre career stats haven’t prevented mint copies of these short prints from selling for $500 or more when they surface.

While the 1994 Donruss Triple Play set as a whole isn’t as valuable as flagship releases like Topps or Fleer, it does contain several truly valuable rookie cards, parallel cards, and short prints of stars from the mid-1990s that are highly sought after by dedicated vintage baseball card collectors today. Cards like the Ken Griffey Jr. and Frank Thomas Diamond Kings inserts, as well as rookie cards of Chipper Jones and Derek Jeter, lead the way in terms of monetary value 25+ years later. With the vintage card market continuing to experience renewed interest, particularly in stars from the late 80s through 90s, the prices achieved for premium 1994 Donruss Triple Play cards will likely continue their upward trajectory for years to come.