The 1989 Topps baseball card set was truly one of the best of the late 1980s. While not as valuable as vintage sets from the 1950s or 1960s, some key rookies and stars from 1989 remain highly sought after by collectors today. Let’s take a look at the top 10 most valuable and desirable 1989 Topps baseball cards based on player performance, rookie status, and overall collector demand.

Ken Griffey Jr. (Card #634)

The rookie card of “The Kid” Ken Griffey Jr. squeaks onto the list at number 10. While Griffey would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and capture countless MVP awards, his rookie season was merely ok with 16 home runs and 61 RBI. As a result, his 1989 Topps RC isn’t as coveted as some others from that year. Still, it’s Griffey’s only Topps rookie and remains a key piece for any collection. A PSA 10 gem mint example recently sold for around $250-300 on the secondary market.

Nolan Ryan (Card #456)

By 1989, Nolan Ryan was already a living legend with over 300 career wins and 5,000+ strikeouts under his belt. But collectors still clamor for his final few “active” cards before retirement. The 1989 Topps issue shows Ryan firing a heater for the Texas Rangers. PSA 10 specimens trade in the $300-400 range. It’s one of the more affordable ways to add The Express to your collection given his hall of fame status and playing career spanning three different decades.

Gregg Jefferies (Card #80)

Jefferies’ rookie card makes the list due to his immense potential that was never fully realized. After hitting .329 as a 19-year-old rookie for the Mets in 1988, huge things were expected. While he failed to sustain that success longterm, his ’89 Topps RC remains a highly sought rookie issue. PSA 10s have sold for $400-500 in recent auction results.

Craig Biggio (Card #493)

The 1989 Topps card of Craig Biggio is the hall of famer’s true rookie, even though he played in 8 games the prior season for Houston. Biggio went on to amass over 3,000 hits, 668 doubles and win multiple Gold Gloves at catcher and second base. He’s considered one of the greatest Astros of all-time. As one of the premier rookie cards from ’89 Topps, a PSA 10 gem is valued around $500-600 currently.

Barry Larkin (Card #400)

Regarded as one of the best shortstops of his generation, Barry Larkin’s rookie card appears at number 6. The smooth fielding Larkin won a World Series title and multiple Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards during a fantastic 19-year career, almost entirely spent with the Cincinnati Reds. His 1989 Topps RC remains a hot rookie issue for collectors. A perfect PSA 10 copy has been selling in the $600-800 range online.

Gregg Jefferies (Card #80, Variation)

Back again is Gregg Jefferies but this time with his scarce Topps Traded variation, which shows him batting left-handed instead of from the right side as on the standard issue. Only about 10 of these variations are known to exist and it’s regarded as one of the true “short prints” from ’89 Topps. In gem condition it’s valued at $1,000+ and recently sold for over $2,000 graded PSA NM-MT 8.

Mark McGwire (Card #340)

Big Mac’s rookie card sits at number 4. While he wasn’t a star yet in ’89, collectors realized his enormous raw power potential. McGwire went on to hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 and 583 for his career. His rookie remains one of the most iconic from the late ’80s/early ’90s. Pristine PSA 10 gems have been moving for $1,200-1,500.

Frank Thomas (Card #294)

The “Big Hurt” exploded onto the scene in 1990 winning AL Rookie of the Year, but his true rookie card came a year earlier in 1989 Topps. Thomas amassed 548 career dingers and a .301 batting average winning back-to-back MVPs in ’93-94. This is one of the top rookies from the junk wax era. Near mint to gem specimens trade for $1,500-2,000 depending on grade and condition.

Ken Griffey Jr. (Card #1, SP Variation)

Back at the top is “The Kid” again, but this time with arguably the scarcest card from 1989 Topps – the coveted short printed variation where Griffey is shown batting left-handed instead of from the right side. True PSA/BGS-graded examples are virtually impossible to acquire, making this one of the key cards for any serious vintage collector looking to add a true “big boy” piece. Ungraded copies recently sold for well over $3,000 online.

Barry Larkin (Card #400, Error)

Taking the top spot is Barry Larkin’s famous “Star Gazing” error card where his image is misaligned upwards toward the stats along the bottom. It’s considered the true “error” of errors from the junk wax era. PSA/BGS Population reports only a small handful in existence across all grades. A PSA 9 specimen traded for nearly $6,000 earlier this year due to its extreme rarity and quality for the condition. For Larkin collectors, it’s the ultimate prize card.

While the 1989 Topps baseball card set as a whole may never reach the heights of the true vintage 50s/60s issues price-wise, several key rookie cards and stars from that year remain important to complete any collection. The ability to add a Griffey, Larkin, or McGwire rookie in high grade still make ’89 Topps an intriguing target for investors even after 30+ years. With approximately 792 total cards produced, it was one of the biggest sets of the late 80s/early junk wax era.