The 1990 Donruss baseball card set included several highly valuable and sought after rookie cards that are worth significant money today if in good condition. Some of the top rookie cards from the 1990 Donruss set that routinely fetch high prices from collectors include Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, Gregg Maddux, and David Justice. Let’s take a closer look at each of these rookies and their potential value:
Ken Griffey Jr. ROOKIE (card #221) – Widely considered the most coveted and valuable rookie card from the 1990 Donruss set. Griffey was already one of the game’s brightest young stars in 1990 and went on to have a legendary Hall of Fame career. His rookie card from Donruss is the one that is most desired by collectors. In near mint to mint condition (graded 8-10 on the 10 point scale), Griffey’s 1990 Donruss rookie has sold for over $10,000. Well-centered copies in gem mint condition (graded 10) have reportedly sold for upwards of $30,000. Even heavily played copies (graded 3-4) can still fetch a few hundred dollars. Due to Griffey’s iconic status, this remains one of the most valuable modern baseball cards on the market.
Frank Thomas ROOKIE (card #308) – Like Griffey, Thomas also went on to have an outstanding career and be elected to the Hall of Fame. His 1990 Donruss rookie is highly desirable to collectors and has sold for thousands of dollars in top condition as well. Near mint to mint copies in the 8-10 grade range have sold for $3,000-$6,000 in recent years. Even in well-worn condition around a grade of 5, this rookie has still changed hands for $500-800. The asking price only increases substantially for pristine, flawless 10 grade examples.
Gregg Maddux ROOKIE (card #324) – As one of the best pitchers of his generation and a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Maddux’s rookie card also holds tremendous value. It takes a little more work to find one in high grade. Most copies were poorly centered from the factory and grade no higher than a 7. Mint 9’s have still fetched over $1,000 on auction sites. The true gems are the rare 10 grade Maddux rookies – auctions for these pristine copies have closed as high as $4,000-5,000. Even well-played examples still sell in the $100-200 range due to his legendary career.
David Justice ROOKIE (card #378) – Justice became a two-time World Series Champion and established himself as a star outfielder in the 1990s. His 1990 Donruss rookie is highly sought after as well. Near mint 8’s sell around $400-700 depending on condition factors like centering. Solid mint 9 copies have realized over $1000 on the open market. While not quite reaching the heights of Griffey, Thomas, or Maddux – the Justice rookie is still quite valuable in top shape. Headed copies below a 7 can still sell for $50-100 based on strong name recognition alone.
Aside from the hottest rookie cards, there are several other fairly valuable 1990 Donruss cards collectors are always on the lookout for:
Nolan Ryan (card #49) – One of his final mainstream baseball cards sold for over $1000 in high grade. Considered one of the all-time greats.
Jose Canseco (card #72) – Helped usher in the power era of baseball in the late 80s/early 90s. Can fetch $500+ in mint condition.
Wade Boggs (card #101) – Future Hall of Famer still has name value. Well-centered high number copies sell for a few hundred.
Ozzie Smith (card #132) – Iconic defender whose cards hold steady value. Near mint gem copies change hands for $300-500.
Rickey Henderson (card #156) – Future Hall of Famer and all-time stolen base king. Solid 9’s realize $400-600.
While some condition issues like centering problems plagued the 1990 Donruss production overall, there are still many valuable collectibles to be found – especially the hot rookie and star player cards in pristine mint condition. For patient collectors willing to hunt the card shows and reputable online auction sites, discovering a true mint gem from the 1990 Donruss set could yield a considerable profit decades later thanks to baseball card investing.
