The 1989 Topps baseball card set was a highly popular release that featured the sport’s biggest stars and rookie players from the 1988 season. With 792 total cards in the base set, 1989 Topps provided collectors with comprehensive coverage of Major League Baseball.
Some key highlights and facts about the 1989 Topps set include:
The set featured cards for all 26 MLB teams from 1988, including rookie cards for future Hall of Famers Ken Griffey Jr., Tom Glavine, and Greg Maddux. Griffey’s rookie card in particular is one of the most coveted and valuable in the modern era.
Veterans like Orel Hershiser, Jose Canseco, Wade Boggs, and Roger Clemens graced the cover of the base set. Hershiser had just won the NL Cy Young and MVP awards in 1988 after posting a record 23-8 record and 2.26 ERA for the Dodgers.
Topps continued its tradition of including traded players in their new uniforms, so fans could see how their favorite stars looked after being dealt to another club. For example, the 1989 set had Frank Viola in a Twins uniform after being acquired from the Mets.
For the first time, Topps included a “Traded” notation on cards to signify when a player had been dealt to another team since the previous season. This helped collectors track trades and transactions more easily.
The design featured a clean, straightforward look with mostly white borders and simple team logo at the top. Players’ names, positions, and stats were clearly displayed along with vibrant color photos.
The set had several popular parallel and insert subsets beyond the base cards. These included “Traded” cards (mentioned above), All-Star cards, Turn Back The Clock retired player cards, and Topps Traded cards featuring players pictured in their new uniforms post-trade.
The Traded subset from 1989 Topps is particularly notable. It highlighted 18 players who had been dealt since the previous season, including Hershiser (Dodgers to Indians), Canseco (A’s to Rangers), and Rickey Henderson (Yankees to A’s). These traded parallels carry a premium for collectors.
The condition of the cardboard stock and photo centering on 1989 Topps cards varies significantly due to inconsistent printing practices at the time. Near-mint examples fetch higher prices today due to preservation challenges over the past 30+ years.
The design aesthetic and simplicity of 1989 Topps has led to it becoming a nostalgic favorite for collectors who grew up during that era. Its rookie class in particular makes it a set that maintains interest.
In terms of individual player cards that stand out, Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie is undoubtedly the crown jewel. Even well-worn PSA 6 examples can sell for thousands. Other notable rookie cards include Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, and Ben McDonald. Canseco and Hershiser’s cards also hold value as they were marquee names at the time.
For team sets, the 1989 Dodgers, A’s, Mets, and Reds rosters are most complete and desirable. The Dodgers featured four future Hall of Famers in Hershiser, Mike Scioscia, Orel Hershiser, and Don Sutton. The A’s “Bash Brothers” lineup of Canseco and Mark McGwire is iconic.
In the years since its release, the 1989 Topps set has grown in esteem among collectors for its memorable rookie class and snapshots of the late 1980s MLB landscape. While it lacks some of the flashier designs of subsequent decades, its understated charm resonates with those who collected cards during their childhood. Values have risen steadily, making high-grade examples of stars, rookies, and key subsets highly sought after pieces for dedicated vintage baseball card collectors.
