The 1991 Score baseball card set was the flagship baseball card release of that year from Score Board, part of Upper Deck. Score issued regular and silver foil parallel versions of the entire 469 card base set as well as additional high-numbered inserts. While not as iconic or coveted as the ’89 Upper Deck set in the minds of collectors, there are still plenty of valuable and sought-after rookie and star player cards to be found in the ’91 Score set. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable and key cards collectors look for from this release over 30 years later.
Perhaps the single most valuable and famous card from the 1991 Score set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Much like the Griffey rookie from Upper Deck the same year, this one really put Junior’s star power and talent on full display for the baseball card collecting world. As one of the cleanest, sharpest, and most memorable rookie designs ever, it’s no wonder this Griffey rookie from Score is so coveted. In PSA 10 Gem Mint condition, examples have sold for well over $10,000. Even in lower graded PSA 8s, the Griffey RC still commands several hundred dollars. With his sweet swing, effortless talents, and iconic backwards hat, this rookie launched Griffey to sports card icon status.
Another huge star and future Hall of Famer with a valuable rookie in the ’91 Score set is Chipper Jones. As the #1 overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft by the Atlanta Braves, Jones would go on to have a monster 19-year career, winning the 1999 NL MVP. His rookie is one of the more sought-after 90s rookie cards outside of Griffey. High-grade PSA 10 Jones rookies have sold in excess of $2,000, with PSA 9s bringing $400-500 still. Like Griffey, he’s cleaned up at auction even in lower PSA 8 condition for several hundred dollars. Jones was a special talent and his arrival on the scene with this clean Score design rookie marked the beginning of one of the best third basemen ever.
While stars like Griffey and Jones command the biggest money from the ’91 Score set, there are still plenty of other young star and valuable player cards that fetch respectable prices. Derek Jeter’s rookie, though not quite as iconic as the 1992 Topps design, has still sold for over $300 in PSA 10. Frank Thomas, who would win the AL MVP in ’91 and go on to a Hall of Fame career, has a valuable star rookie around the $150-200 range in Gem Mint. Jim Thome, Edgar Martinez, Moises Alou, and David Justice also have impressive rookie and star cards from this set in the $50-100 range depending on grade.
Moving beyond just rookies, complete high-grade sets of the ’91 Score base issue and silver foil parallels are highly sought-after by dedicated collectors. A PSA-graded example of the entire 469 card base set in PSA 10 Gem Mint could potentially sell for well over $10,000. And that’s without any autos, serial numbered inserts, or parallels. The silver foil parallel set is equally as challenging to complete in pristine condition and holds substantial value as well if findable as a fullmatched set. Some examples of individual star cards that regularly command $100+ in high grades include Kirby Puckett, Nolan Ryan, Roberto Alomar, Tony Gwynn, Wade Boggs, and Ryne Sandberg.
While the base set and star cards make up much of the value in the ’91 Score registry, there are also several scarce and valuable non-base parallel and insert cards that are highly sought after. The Oscar Azocar autograph parallel /100 is tough to track down and has sold for over $500 in PSA 9-10 condition. The ’91 Rookies parallel checklist insert names the top rookie pitchers and position players from that draft year, including Griffey, Jones, and Jeter. PSA 10 examples can command 3 figures. Then there are higher numbered parallel inserts like the Gold /100 parallel which features premium parallels of stars like Griffey and Puckett. These parallel and SP cards add significant collecting and financial value to an already valuable release.
While vintage releases like ’52 Topps, ’57 Topps, ’86 Fleer, and ’88 Score are generally considered the holy grails, the 1991 Score set deserves recognition as one of the most historically significant early ’90s releases. Featuring some of the game’s all-time greats and a nice, clean aesthetic, it allows collectors to acquire stars from careers just getting underway like Griffey, Jones, Jeter, and Thomas. Factor in parallel foil and auto parallels inserting scarcity, and it becomes an very collectible and valuable set for enthusiasts of the early ’90s card boom era. The marquee rookies and stars hold their ground in the hobby despite the set being over 30 years old now.
