The career of Ken Griffey Jr. was nothing short of legendary. From his rookie season in 1989 until his retirement in 2010, Griffey was one of the most exciting players in Major League Baseball and remains one of the most popular players of all time. Griffey was a 13-time All-Star, 10-time Gold Glove winner, and member of the coveted 600 home run club. His exciting style of play and classic left-handed swing made him a fan favorite for over two decades. Not surprisingly, Griffey’s popularity led to some extremely valuable baseball cards being produced during the peak of his career in the late 1980s through the 1990s. Here are the 10 most valuable Ken Griffey Jr. baseball cards on the secondary market today:
1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. – $2,000-$3,000
Griffey’s rookie card came in the revival year of the modern baseball card era courtesy of the Upper Deck company. While far from the most scarce Griffey card, it remains one of the most iconic rookie cards in the hobby due to Griffey’s superstar status. High grade examples in PSA/BGS 9 or 10 condition can fetch $3,000 or more at auction.
1991 Fleer #250 Ken Griffey Jr. – $2,500-$4,000
The Griffey card produced for Fleer’s flagship 1991 set is one of his most popular designs in the vintage market. The clean photography and red Mariners jersey pops on the card. In high grades this card outperforms Griffey’s rookie in terms of value due to more limited production compared to Upper Deck.
1995 Sports Illustrated for Kids #3 Ken Griffey Jr. – $3,000-$5,000
This very scarce short print parallel featured sharp action photography of Griffey and was inserted at an extremely low rate in packs of Sports Illustrated for Kids product in 1995. High grade examples are extremely difficult to find. This set is considered among the most underrated and valuable of the 1990s due to its ultra-short print run and Griffey popularity.
1997 Stadium Club Chrome Refractors #91 Ken Griffey Jr. – $3,500-$6,000
The chrome refractors parallel from Stadium Club’s popular 1997 design has become highly sought after by collectors. The refractor technology makes Griffey pop with vivid colors. Combined with the hyper-refractive surface, these pull collectors who love the “hit card” aspect. Few high grade examples exist.
1998 Metal Universe Master Card Ken Griffey Jr. – $5,000-$8,000
Produced as one of the true “grail cards” inserted very rarely in Metal Universe packs in 1998, the Metal Universe Master set is legendary for its hyper-refractive and textured metal-like card surfaces. The design and photography perfectly captures Griffey’s swing. This is considered the ultimate collector card from the 1990s.
1995 Bowman’s Best Refractors #B1 Ken Griffey Jr. – $6,000-$10,000
Bowman’s Best featured perhaps the most popular design and photography of Griffey in the 1990s. The refractors parallel levelled up this iconic card with vivid swirling colors. The extreme refractive surface also gives the card a true “hit card” appeal and status. High grades are extremely rare for this true high-end gem.
1992 Bowman #1 Ken Griffey Jr. – $7,000-12,000
After starring in his rookie season, Griffey’s sophomore campaign was even better. That led Topps and Bowman to feature him prominently. Of those, the ultra- Iconic Bowman design and photography made this Griffey’s premier sophomore card, helping it become one of the most iconic vintage Griffey cards. Only the best condition examples can currently reach a high five-figure price.
1989 Fleer Update Ken Griffey Jr. – $10,000-15,000
While not Griffey’s true official “rookie” card, the scarcity of this Griffey rookie from Fleer Update makes it one of his most valuable vintage cards. Only produced for a brief period in 1989 packs after Griffey’s major league debut, very few high graded examples are known to exist. Condition is critical for this rare Griffey rookie.
1916 M101-8 Sporting News Ken Griffey Jr. – $15,000-$25,000
Perhaps Griffey’s single most valuable and famous card is this pre-rookie issue from 1916 Sporting News. While obviously not featuring Griffey or even relating to baseball, its scarcity and mythological status have made it one of the true holy grail cards that even non-baseball collectors seek. Its rarity is unmatched.
1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. – $25,000 and up
Undoubtedly considered Griffey’s true official “rookie” card produced in the revival of the modern era by Bowman in 1989, this iconic card is the standard against which all other Griffey/rookie cards are judged. Its clean and classic design paired with Griffey’s rookie status make it the undisputed King of all Griffey cards. Condition is everything, with pristine PSA/BGS Gem Mint 10s breaking auction records and commanding five and even six figure prices.
In summary, Ken Griffey Jr.’s Hall of Fame playing career and enduring popularity with collectors fueled the production of some of the most valuable baseball cards ever. From iconic rookies to scarce parallels and inserts, cards showing the talented outfielder consistently rank among the costliest vintage cards in the hobby. Condition is especially important when valuing these elite vintage Griffey cards. But for enthusiastic PC collectors of Junior or the 1990s era, landing even moderately graded examples of these valuable issues would make for true trophy pieces to showcase this legendary slugger.
