The year 1990 marked the height of the baseball card boom in the late 20th century. Fueled by surging collector interest and a frenzy of speculation, the values of vintage and recent-issue cards skyrocketed to unprecedented levels. While stars of the day like Kirby Puckett and Jose Canseco topped want lists, cards from the 1950s and 1960s garnered the highest prices on the budding secondary market. As collectors sought increasingly scarce and historically significant pieces for their collections, here are some of the most valuable baseball cards that changed hands in 1990:

1909-11 T206 Honus Wagner: The king of all cards, the ultra-rare Wagner portrait from the legendary T206 set established new record highs in 1990. In the previous few years, two PSA 1 examples sold for $110,000 and $121,500 respectively. But a PSA 3.5 Wagner found a buyer for an astronomical $231,000, showcasing collectors’ willingness to pay top-dollar for the collectible holy grail. At the time, it represented the peak value achieved for any card in history. No other issue approached the iconic cachet of the Wagner, which became synonymous with the phenomenon of high-end baseball memorabilia speculation.

1948 Leaf Jackie Robinson RC: Debuting the iconic No. 42 a year prior to his first Major League game with the Brooklyn Dodgers, Robinson’s rookie card from the 1948 Leaf set gained recognition as one of the most culturally significant issues ever produced. In 1990, a PSA 8 copy sold for $27,500, underscoring the card’s importance as the first released honoring baseball’s color barrier breaker. Prices for mid-grade Robinson rookies approached five figures that year as well. No card better personified the social progress of America’s pastime in the post-World War II era.

1954 Topps Mickey Mantle RC: One of the true Holy Grails for devotees of 1950s/60s cards, the superbly photographed Mantle rookie was a constant six-figure achievement for high-grade specimens in 1990 marketplace activity. A PSA 9 brought a then-record price of $50,000, while PSA 8s moved between $10,000-$15,000. “The Mick’s” rookie remains the single most valuable post-war card, a symbol of his iconic Hall of Fame playing career and status as the enduring face of New York Yankees glory.

1957 Topps Mickey Mantle: As collectors pursued presentations of their favorite stars in pristine condition, the ‘57 Mantle—widely considered his best and most aesthetically pleasing card overall—saw tremendous demand in 1990. Graded examples above a PSA 8 brought prices north of $3,000, including one PSA 9 that achieved $10,000. Meanwhile, hundreds of raw 1957 Mantles changed hands for thousands as the hobby’s obsession with condition intensified.

1956 Topps Sandy Koufax RC: One of the true rarities from the mid-’50s era, very few of Koufax’s rookie cards from his breakout 1956 Dodgers campaign are known to exist in higher grades. In 1990, a PSA 8.5 copy traded hands for $17,500, reflecting Koufax’s legacy as one of history’s greatest left-handed pitchers. Prices for his rookie in lower grades still hovered around $3,000-$5,000 in the overheated market atmosphere of that year.

1968 Topps Nolan Ryan RC: With his record-setting pitching career still underway in the late 80s/early 90s, Ryan’s first Topps issue took off in value. A PSA 9 rookie sold for $6,500 in 1990 while PSA 8s cleared $3,000. Lower grade examples commanded $1,000 and up based on condition. Few pitchers have matched Ryan’s raw talent and longevity, cementing the allure and value of his popular ’68 rookie card for decades to come.

1957 Topps Warren Spahn: As one of the most dominant left-handed hurlers in baseball annals, Spahn’s superb ’57 card attracted strong prices in the condition-conscious marketplace of 1990. PSA 8s sold for $1,200-$1,500 while a PSA 9 example achieved $5,000, reflecting Spahn’s iconic status as a 20-game winner over 21 Big League seasons.

1961 Topps Roger Maris: Commemorating Maris’s historic, record-setting 1961 campaign when he eclipsed Babe Ruth’s single-season home run mark, high-grade copies of his ‘61 issue gained incredible value. A PSA 9 traded at auction for $4,000, with PSA 8s reaching the $2,000 plateau. Maris’s controversial (but legitimate) 61 HRs made his the period’s most notable offensive statistical achievement.

1964 Topps Bob Gibson RC: Gibson exploded onto the scene in 1964, winning the NL MVP and posting a minuscule 1.12 ERA. Very few of his rookie cards endure in high grades. A PSA 9 sold for $2,500 in 1990 while a PSA 8 went for $1,000 due to scarcity and condition issues. His cardboard debut perfectly captured the Hall of Fame hurler at the height of his domination.

1987 Topps Mark McGwire RC: At the dawn of his massive home run prowess, McGwire’s ’87 rookie card started its steady climb in value during the peak of the boom. A PSA 9 sold for $300, while ungraded versions exceeded $100 based purely on potential and McGwire’s emergence as a rising star. Little did anyone know he would eventually break baseball’s single season HR mark, adding immensely to the iconic status of this premier rookie card.

This covers some of the most notable, valuable and historically important baseball cards that were bought and sold among avid collectors for top dollar during the speculative fervor of 1990. Prices skyrocketed across the board as interest grew exponentially, showcasing iconic rookies, all-time greats, and culturally significant performers at the height of their card collecting fame. While the market crashed soon after, it marked perhaps the peak in terms of hype and obsession surrounding the cardboard collectibles of baseball’s past and present stars.