The 1989 baseball card season saw the rise of many future hall of fame stars and produced cards that have become classics of the era that are highly valued by collectors today. The late 1980s was a transition period when the popular ‘junk wax’ era was coming to an end and interest in vintage cards from the pre-1970s was booming. The 1989 Topps, Donruss, Fleer and Score sets all contain numerous highly valuable rookie cards and produce cards of established superstars that are mainstays of collections three decades later.
One of the most expensive and desired 1989 rookie cards is the Ken Griffey Jr. which was released by Donruss, Fleer, Score and Topps that year. Considered one of the best five-tool players of all-time, Griffey was already showing promise as a superstar in his rookie season with the Seattle Mariners. His Topps rookie card in near mint condition can fetch over $1,000 while a PSA 10 gem mint Griffey Jr. rookie has sold for as much as $13,000 and up. Even his common Donruss and Score rookie cards in top condition can sell for hundreds. The Griffey Jr. rookies are cornerstones for any complete 1989 set collection.
Another coveted rookie card from the 1989 sets is the Chipper Jones rookie released by Donruss, Fleer, Score and Topps. As a lifetime Atlanta Brave, Jones was an offensive force and perennial all-star. His Topps rookie card in PSA 10 grade sold for $6,500 in 2021 while PSA 9 examples can go for $500-800 still. Even the Donruss and Score Jones rookies in top shape can sell in the $150-$300 range showing good returns for a star of his caliber from that era. Collectors know any Chipper Jones rookie is a valuable asset.
Other noteworthy rookies from 1989 that retain value include the PSA 10 Jimmy Key (Fleer) selling for $450, PSA 9 Jeffrey Leonard (Donruss) at $350, and PSA 9 Darren Daulton (Topps) reaching $275. Star pitchers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and John Smoltz all had solid rookie seasons that produced cards like their Donruss, Score and Topps issues that are valued in the $50-$150 range for top grades depending on the player. Collectors love chasing the rookie cards of hall of fame inductees which adds extra allure from the 1989 season in particular.
When it comes to established veteran stars in 1989, sets are dominated by the talents of Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Roger Clemens, Rickey Henderson and others in the prime of their careers. Arguably the most expensive veteran card of the bunch remains the 1987 Topps Traded Wade Boggs which was also found in 1989 sets. This tough pull hitting parallel created huge demand and a PSA 10 now sells north of $8,000 marking it white whale status. Other higher value 1980s stars include a PSA 10 Rickey Henderson from 1989 Topps which has reached over $500.
condition was highly desired with the ’89 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. star rookie amongst the most expensive modern cards ever due to its rarity. Upper Deck only produced limited quantities emphasizing quality over quantity which created enormous demand. A pristine PSA 10 Griffey UD rookie is routinely north of $10,000 today showing the foresight investors had for this issue even in the late 80s/early 90s.
WhileFlagship sets like Topps, Donruss and Fleer remain the most complete for collection building, the less common specialty 1989 issues have their share of big hits too. The Pinnacle brand had one of the most visually striking designs that year. Key cards here are a PSA 10 Bo Jackson diamond parallel reaching $800 along with super short prints like the Tom Glavine and Nolan Ryan diamond parallels valued at $150+ in high grade.
Score had one of the more stylized graphic designs in 1989 that created fan appeal. valuable here are the Chipper Jones ($200 PSA 9) and Darren Daulton ($150 PSA 9) rookie cards. Ultra was another low print run set during this time period. Keys are the PSA 10 Mark McGwire ($250) and PSA 9 Ken Griffey Jr ($150) rookie variants. Even sets mass produced like Donruss hold sneaky gems like the Roger Clemens diamond parallel that tops out at $350 PSA 10.
When diving into the 1989 season, it’s clear the flagship rookies of Griffey Jr, Jones, Key and Daulton along with stars of the time like Boggs, Henderson, Clemens and Smith pave the way in terms of demand and stability. Factors like star power, chronology in a players career and grading all contribute to value. The ‘89 Upper Deck Griffey shows how insert sets can create all new collectible opportunities too. While the junk wax era cheapened production overall, these classic 1989 cards prove quality issues with true scarcity still retain strong enthusiast interest and financial upside decades in. Investing in stellar rookies and stars from the year will keep 1989 cardboard relevant for collector enjoyment and portfolio building long into the future.
