1988 Upper Deck Baseball Cards Price Guide
The 1988 Upper Deck baseball card set was truly groundbreaking and helped spark the modern baseball card collecting hobby. Produced by the brand new Upper Deck company, the 1988 set featured far superior production quality to the typical cards of the time from Topps and Donruss. With its glossy finish and sharp color photos, the 1988 Upper Deck set captured the attention of both new and experienced collectors. Over 30 years later, the 1988 Upper Deck cards remain some of the most iconic and valuable in the hobby. Let’s take an in-depth look at the key cards from the 1988 Upper Deck set and provide estimated price ranges for graded and ungraded examples in today’s market.
The biggest star and most valuable card from the 1988 Upper Deck set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best rookie cards of all time, the Griffey Jr. is the undisputed crown jewel from the ’88 UD set. In pristine near-mint to mint condition (NM-MT 8 or higher), ungraded Griffey Jr. rookie cards can fetch $500-$1,000 or more. Graded examples are where the big money is. A PSA 10 Griffey Jr. rookie regularly sells for $4,000-$6,000. Slightly lower grades of PSA 9 or BGS 9.5 still command $2,000-$3,000. The Griffey Jr. rookie is simply one of the most iconic and investment-worthy cards in the entire hobby.
Another true superstar rookie from the 1988 set is the Barry Bonds card. Like Griffey, the Bonds rookie is highly sought after by collectors and investors. Ungraded near-mint Bonds rookies sell in the $200-$400 range. Graded examples see far greater values. A PSA 10 Bonds rookie has sold for over $3,000 before. Even PSA 9s still bring $1,000-$2,000. The Bonds rookie remains a true blue chip card from the 1980s and is only growing in value as Barry cements his Hall of Fame legacy.
In addition to the rookie star power of Griffey and Bonds, the 1988 Upper Deck set also featured iconic veterans and all-time greats. The Nolan Ryan card is always a popular one due to his status as a pitching legend. Ungraded near-mint Ryan cards can sell for around $50-$75. Higher grades see much stronger prices. A PSA 9 Ryan has sold for over $500 before. The Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, and Roger Clemens cards are also respected veteran cards that typically sell in the $25-$50 range in ungraded near-mint condition. Higher graded versions can reach $100+ though.
The 1988 Upper Deck set also included a whopping 712 total cards. While most commons and short printed cards hold relatively little value today, there are a few that stand out. The Tom Seaver “Farewell to Fans” card, featuring Seaver’s final career at-bat, is one of the most iconic short prints from the set. Ungraded near-mint examples sell for $50-$75. The Kenny Lofton and Craig Biggio rookie cards also garner strong collector interest. Ungraded near-mint Lofton and Biggio rookies can sell for $25-$40. Other notable short prints include the Frank Viola “Perfect Game” card and the Ozzie Smith “Backflip” card.
In addition to individual star cards, completed team sets and master sets of the entire 712 card 1988 Upper Deck issue are always in high demand from dedicated collectors. A completed common team set in near-mint to mint condition can sell for $500-$1,000 depending on overall condition. Locating that elusive 712th card to finish off a master set is no easy task. According to Beckett, only around 200 complete 1988 Upper Deck master sets are known to exist. As a result, finished master sets in top condition have been known to sell at auction for $10,000 or more.
When it comes to grading the cards, the three major third party authentication and grading companies all provide services for 1988 Upper Deck cards – PSA, BGS (Beckett Grading Services), and SGC. Of the three, PSA is generally considered the gold standard in the hobby and PSA-slabbed examples will realize the strongest prices. However, BGS and SGC graded cards still carry value as well for discerning collectors. No matter the grading company, a sharp, well-centered example with bright colors and no flaws will always be more valuable.
The 1988 Upper Deck baseball card set revolutionized the entire hobby and featured some of the most iconic rookie cards and players in the game. Anchored by superstar rookies like Ken Griffey Jr. and Barry Bonds, the ’88 UD issue remains a benchmark release from the golden era of the 1980s and early 90s. Whether pursuing individual star cards, team sets, or master sets – the 1988 Upper Deck cards provide an excellent long term collecting and investing opportunity for savvy collectors. Over 30 years later, this groundbreaking set remains a standard in the hobby.
