The 1989 Donruss baseball card set was released at the tail end of the 1980s baseball card boom. While the frenzy of the late 80s had died down by ’89, Donruss still produced a sizable 752 card standard release set along with various insert sets that remain popular with collectors today.
Some key things to know about the 1989 Donruss baseball cards:
Design – The design featured a photo of the player in the foreground with their team logo and name in block letters behind them. Statistics were listed on the bottom. It was a clean, straightforward look that was fairly typical of Donruss sets from the mid to late 80s.
Rookies – Notable rookie cards included Sandy Alomar Jr., Gregg Jefferies, Randy Johnson, Juan Gonzalez, and Ben McDonald. While none would achieve the fame of the previous year’s Ken Griffey Jr. rookie, some like Alomar, Gonzalez and Johnson had excellent MLB careers.
Short Prints – Donruss included “SP” short printed parallel cards at a ratio of around 1 per pack or box. These featured the same photo and design but with “SP” stamped on the front. They added a fun chase element for collectors.
Traded/Update Sets – In addition to the standard release, Donruss issued smaller traded and update sets later in the year to account for players changing teams via trades or call-ups. These are much harder to find in gem mint condition today.
Insert Sets – Popular inserts included “Diamond Kings”, “Diamond Anniversary” (featuring past stars), and “Diamond Club” parallel inserts at a ratio of around 1 per 12 packs. These sparkly inserts added to the excitement of ripping packs.
Rosters – The set featured all major leaguers as well as many notable minor leaguers. Notable rookie call-ups like Gary Sheffield and Gregg Olson also received cards mid-season in the update sets.
Production – Donruss printed their cards on standard grey cardboard stock. The photos and design quality were good but not on par with the finest printed sets of the late 80s like Topps or Fleer.
Secondary Market – While not as valuable as some prized 80s sets today, graded 1989 Donruss rookies of stars like Alomar, Gonzalez and Randy Johnson can fetch hundreds of dollars. Short prints and popular inserts also command premium prices.
Some additional context on the 1989 baseball season and card market:
On the Field – The Oakland A’s three-peated as World Series champions, led by Rickey Henderson and the “Bash Brothers” of Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire. The San Francisco Giants also broke a 26-year playoff drought.
Card Market – While the speculative frenzy had subsided, baseball cards were still a big business. The sports memorabilia industry had grown to an estimated $500 million annual market by 1989.
Wax Boxes – A typical wax box contained 12 packs with 5 cards each (60 cards total). Boxes retailed for around $4-5, offering decent odds at chasing short prints and inserts.
Production – Sporting News estimates Donruss printed around 1.5 billion cards in 1989 across all their sets, down from peaks but still very sizable compared to today.
Other Top Sets – Topps remained the most iconic brand but Fleer, Score, and Upper Deck were also major producers. The late 80s/early 90s marked the transition between the “junk wax” era and modern collecting standards.
While not the most valuable set from the boom period, 1989 Donruss cards hold nostalgia for many collectors who ripped packs as kids. The clean design featuring stars of the day like Henderson, Canseco and McGwire is part of baseball card history. With the inserts, short prints, and notable rookies, it captured the excitement of the era and remains a fun set to build or collect today.
