The 1989 Leaf baseball card set was produced by Fleer during the peak of the baseball card boom of the late 1980s. While not as iconic or valuable as sets from Topps or Donruss in the same year, the 1989 Leaf cards still hold nostalgia and value for many collectors today.
The set includes 162 cards focusing on players from the 1988 season. Some of the biggest stars featured included Ozzie Smith, Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Jose Canseco, and Nolan Ryan. The design had a distinctive green and white color scheme with photos of the players in action shots on the front and career stats and highlights on the back. Each card has a unique serial number on the back as well.
While production numbers for specific Leaf sets from the 1980s are unavailable, it is estimated Fleer printed around 100 million cards for the entire 1989 Leaf baseball product line. With such high print runs, most individual cards from the set have maintained fairly low values over the decades. There are some exceptions for the most scarce and desirable rookie cards, players with Hall of Fame careers, and unique serial numbered parallel subsets.
Some of the more valuable and sought after 1989 Leaf baseball cards include:
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card – Considered one of the most iconic rookie cards of all-time. Griffey Jr. went on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is among the most valuable from the late 80s. Excellent conditioned copies in PSA/BGS 10 gem mint can fetch over $1,000. Near mint copies sell in the $200-$500 range.
Frank Thomas Rookie Card – Another highly desired rookie, Thomas also had a stellar career. PSA 10 copies have sold for $650-800. Near mint copies in the $150-$300 range.
Nolan Ryan – One of the biggest baseball stars of the 1980s. His Leaf card is popular for collectors and a PSA 10 can reach $75-125 depending on market. Most sell $15-40.
Ozzie Smith – A defensive wizard at shortstop with 13 Gold Gloves. His card maintains value from collectors at $30-60 for a high grade copy.
Bo Jackson Rookie Card – One of the rarest from the set due to his brief MLB career. Still highly collectible among fans of his sport’s talent. PSA 10s have reached $500-700 depending on year. Most sell $150-300 raw.
Mark McGwire Rookie Card – Holds nostalgia from his home run chasing 1990s seasons. PSA 10 copies bring about $175-250 depending on auction and year graded. Raw copies sell in the $50-100 range.
There were also special parallel subsets that command higher values such as the Mint Sheet Serial Number cards. These had embedded die-cut Serial Numbers directly on the card front that were more difficult to pull. Highly graded examples of stars like Griffey Jr (#221) or McGwire (#350) can sell for $75-150 raw.
With inflation accounting for rising vintage sports card prices over the past 20+ years, the majority of 1989 Leaf cards have modestly increased in secondary market value from their original late 80s/early 90s price points. Near complete sets can often sell on auction sites for $75-150 depending on condition of stars. Individual commons range from $.25-2 each, while more scarce mid-tier stars may reach $5-10 apiece. Demand remains strongest for rookie cards, Hall of Famers, high grades of stars.
While the 1989 Leaf set lacks the brand strength of flagship Topps or Donruss issues that year, it still offers affordable options for collectors looking to add vintage cardboard from the peak of the first modern sports card boom. Nostalgia for the designs and players remains three decades later, ensuring the cards avoid being lost to history inside long boxes in attics nationwide. For savvy vintage collectors, bargains can still be had by tracking down overlooked subsets and finding collection needs at affordable prices to round out collecting pursuits.
While print runs were massive which keeps individual common card prices low, the 1989 Leaf baseball set retains nostalgia and demand decades later. Valuable rookie cards, stars, and unique parallels offer affordable vintage options for collectors, especially in high grades. With inflation and persistent collector interest, the set as a whole has grown modestly in secondary market value compared to release point. It remains a fun and moderately-priced way to collect cards from the peak of the first modern sports card boom era in the late 1980s.
