The 1980s were a transformative time for the baseball card industry. Fueled by the rise of collectors and the beginnings of the sports memorabilia craze, card companies pumped out more and more products to meet demand. This led to skyrocketing prices for the most coveted rookie cards and stars of the era. While records continue to be broken, here are some of the highest priced baseball cards that came out of the1980s boom:

1985 Fleer Michael Jordan RC (#57): Upon its release, Jordan’s rookie card seemed rather unremarkable. It showed “Mike” in a Bulls uniform with no basketball in sight. But as Jordan ascended to worldwide fame and changed the NBA forever, his 1985 Fleer RC took on new significance. In pristine mint condition, examples have now sold for over $100,000, making it one of the most expensive modern sports cards in existence. Graded mint examples regularly sell for well over $20k.

1984 Fleer Bill Buckner RC (#481): An ironic entry, Buckner’s rookie card found new notoriety after his infamous fielding error in Game 6 of the 1986 World Series. Pristine copies are now quite scarce and expensive, with mint condition examples selling for $4,000-$6,000. Buckner forever gained infamy with Red Sox fans after Bo Jackson later said “Hey, at least I’m not Bill Buckner!”

1987 Topps Mark McGwire (#383): McGwire’s rookie season saw him bash 49 home runs, launch the Athletics to the postseason, and capture the AL Rookie of the Year award. All of this fueled demand for his 1987 Topps RC, with a PSA 10 gem mint now valued at $3,000-$5,000. Even well-centered copies in lower grades still fetch $500-800 due to McGwire’s starring role in baseball’s steroid era.

1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. RC: Released the same year Griffey debuted as a 19-year-old with the Mariners, this iconic rookie card skyrocketed in value as Griffey ascended to stardom. Pristine PSA 10 copies have sold for over $10,000 in recent years. Even well-centered near-mint copies still sell for $2,000-4,000 thanks to Griffey’s “The Kid” persona and clean image that made him a fan favorite.

1988 Fleer Update José Canseco (#118): Canseco’s blistering rookie season, paired with his starring role in the best-selling book “Moneyball,” fueled demand for this update issue rookie card. Mint condition copies in the PSA 10 gem range have sold for over $5,000, while raw Near Mint copies still reach $1,000-$2,000. Canseco was a controversial figure but one of the early poster boys for the steroid era.

1986 Topps Mark McGwire (#125): While not technically a rookie card, demand remains strong for Mark McGwire’s third Topps card from his breakout 1986 season. High-grade PSA 10 copies have sold for $4,000, with PSA 9s reaching $2,000 due to McGwire’s huge breakout season and later chase of Roger Maris’ single season home run record.

1989 Upper Deck Nolan Ryan (#150): Nolan Ryan was already a legend by 1989 but his lone Upper Deck issue from that year remains a popular chase card. High grades have sold for $3,000, with PSA 9 copies still valued over $1,000. Ryan was baseball’s all-time strikeout king and one of the most intimidating pitchers in history.

1988 Fleer Ultra Ken Griffey Sr. (#S-KG): While Jr.’s RC gets all the glory, demand has grown for Dad’s tough-to-find 1988 Fleer Ultra insert. Only 100 copies were printed, making high grades extraordinarily rare. One PSA 9 sold for nearly $11,000 in 2016, proving this is the card to find in fleer ultra sets from that year.

1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. (#1): While not the true rookie card, Griffey’s first major brand issue from Bowman is also hugely desirable. PSA 10s have sold for over $4,000, with raw near-mint copies reaching $2,000 due to Bowman’s prestige in the late 80s/early 90s. This was among the first widespread color images of Griffey as a Mariner.

1985 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. (#41T): Ripken’s superstar ascension made this traded set insert hugely popular. PSA 10s have crossed $3,000 due to Ripken’s Iron Man streak and role in restoring baseball’s integrity during the 1994-95 strike. This flashy traded set insert captures a prime Ripken at the height of the 80s card boom.

Whether it was rookie seasons, record chases, or larger than life personas, the stars of the 1980s produced some of the most investment-worthy cards ever. Even in lower grades, condition isn’t as important as the star power behind these iconic cardboard issues from the decade that transformed the modern sports card industry.