The 1994 baseball season marked a transition period for the hobby of collecting baseball cards. The sport was just emerging from the negative publicity surrounding the 1994 MLB player’s strike, which cancelled the World Series for the first time in 90 years. At the same time, the trading card industry was changing as well. The junk wax era of the late 1980s and early 1990s had saturated the market with mass produced cards, greatly devaluing the hobby.
In response to these market conditions, the major baseball card manufacturers Topps, Fleer, and Score introduced a new tier of premium cards in 1994 called “Select” inserts. These paralleled the premium insert sets that had become popular in the contemporary NBA and NFL card markets. The goal was to attract collectors back to the hobby by offering a limited number of rare, high-quality cards of star players within the base sets.
Of the three manufacturers, Score is generally considered to have produced the finest and most coveted 94 Select cards. Their photo quality and production techniques set a new standard that year. Score printed their base sets on a thicker, higher grade of cardboard stock compared to previous years. Known as “100-point card stock,” it gave the cards a premium look and feel.
Additionally, Score pioneered the use of state-of-the-art photo reproduction on baseball cards in 1994. Most notably, their Select cards featured vibrant, high-resolution action photos with superb color saturation. This was a huge upgrade from the dull, grainy photos that had become commonplace on cards in the late 80s and early 90s. Collectors were impressed by how real the players appeared through Score’s photo techniques.
Score’s 94 Select cards were also among the first baseball cards to feature holograms, adding another layer of rarity and appeal. A shimmering hologram logo was embedded in the bottom corner of each Select card. Under the right light, these holograms would flip between the Score and Select logos. It was a groundbreaking innovation that demonstrated Score’s commitment to quality and pushing the industry forward.
In terms of production numbers, Score printed only 50,000 of each 94 Select card issued. This made each one extremely scarce compared to the millions of base cards found in common packs. Score released a total of 24 different Select cards showcasing the game’s biggest stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Barry Bonds, and Greg Maddux. Finding one in a pack became the ultimate thrill of the 1994 Score set.
Right from the start, 94 Score Selects commanded huge premiums in the resale market. Griffey and Bonds rookies quickly shot up to the $100-200 range. Other star rookies like Jason Giambi, Derek Jeter, and Nomar Garciaparra also gained immense value. Even veteran stars like Maddux and Thomas settled in above $50 a card. It was clear collectors highly valued Score’s premium product and photo quality that year.
As the years passed, the rarity and condition of 94 Score Selects only increased their desirability among collectors. Finding high grade copies in pristine “mint” condition, especially of the star rookies, became increasingly difficult. Pristine Griffey and Bonds rookies have since traded hands for thousands of dollars at auction. Other key 94 Selects like Maddux, Frank Thomas, and Roberto Alomar also steadily climbed well into the hundreds of dollars each.
The 94 Score Select set is now widely considered the pinnacle achievement of the entire Score brand during its baseball card run. It represented the perfect balance of premium design elements, elite photo quality, and scarce print runs. While other manufacturers tried to copy Score’s formula in later years, none could match the magic of their 1994 effort. Today, a complete 94 Score Select set in top condition would be worth over $10,000. Individual star cards still command record prices whenever they surface on the market.
Beyond their immense collector value, 94 Score Selects also hold cultural significance as one of the hobby’s turning points. They helped restore confidence in the card industry after several down years and signaled a return to premium, high-end products. Their innovations with photos, card stock, and holograms also set a new standard that is still followed by manufacturers today. For these reasons, 94 Score Selects remain one of the most coveted and iconic insert sets ever produced in the history of baseball cards. True aficionados consider owning even a single example to be a career-defining achievement and highlight of any collection.
The 1994 Score Select baseball card set raised the bar for quality, craftsmanship and collector appeal during a transitional period. With only 50,000 of each star-studded card printed, they instantly became some of the rarest and most valuable modern cards available. Years later, their blend of elite photos, designs and scarcity still make 94 Score Selects highly sought after trophies for dedicated card collectors. They will always be remembered as one of the true pinnacles of the hobby.
