The 1991 baseball card season marked the beginning of a new era. After decades of dominance by Topps, rival card manufacturer Upper Deck entered the market in 1989 and quickly gained popularity among collectors. By 1991, they had surpassed Topps in quality and design. The baseball card boom of the late 1980s was starting to fade, but interest was still high. Lets take a closer look at some of the top rookies, stars and sets from 1991 and how their card values have changed over time.

1991 Upper Deck Baseball – Considered by many to be the high point of the baseball card boom. The photography and production quality far surpassed anything Topps had done before. Rated the #1 set of the 1990s by Beckett, mint condition complete sets still fetch $1,000-$2,000 today. Individual star rookie cards like Frank Thomas, Chuck Knoblauch and Jeff Bagwell remain quite valuable as well in high grades.

1991 Topps Baseball – Topps tried to keep up but the design lacked the same “wow factor” of Upper Deck. Still a solid set with rookie cards of Tom Glavine, David Justice, and Ben McDonald. Complete near-mint/mint sets sell for $300-$500. Glavine and Justice rookies in high grades can reach $50-$100 each.

1991 Score Baseball – Score’s photography and card stock quality took a step back after their strong 1990 set. Still featured rookies like Chipper Jones, Todd Helton, and Jason Giambi. Complete near-mint/mint sets sell for around $150. Jones rookie in PSA 10 condition recently brought nearly $4,000 at auction.

1991 Bowman Baseball – Considered the best design of the Bowman/Donruss era. Rookies included Juan Gonzalez, Moises Alou, and Derek Jeter. Complete near-mint/mint sets sell for $150-250. Jeter rookie in PSA 10 recently topped $20,000 at auction.

Individual 1991 Rookie Cards of Note:

Frank Thomas, Upper Deck: Still the most valuable 1991 rookie. PSA 10 examples have sold for over $10,000. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8 or Beckett Graded Gem Mint 10 fetch $500-1000.

Chuck Knoblauch, Upper Deck: A star for many years with the Twins and Yankees. PSA 10 sells for $800-1500, PSA 8 for $150-300.

Jeff Bagwell, Upper Deck: Bagwell had a Hall of Fame career with the Astros. PSA 10 sells for $800-1500, PSA 8 for $150-300.

Tom Glavine, Topps: Future Hall of Famer. PSA 10 sells for $300-500, PSA 8 for $50-100.

David Justice, Topps: Star outfielder for Braves/Yankees. PSA 10 sells for $200-300, PSA 8 for $30-50.

Ben McDonald, Topps: Strong rookie season but injuries hindered his career. Still a popular Orioles card. PSA 10 sells for $100-200, PSA 8 for $15-30.

Chipper Jones, Score: Future Hall of Famer. PSA 10 sells for nearly $4,000, PSA 8 for $300-500.

Todd Helton, Score: 5 time All-Star and consistent producer. PSA 10 sells for $200-400, PSA 8 for $30-70.

Jason Giambi, Score: Power hitter for A’s and Yankees. PSA 10 sells for $150-300, PSA 8 for $20-50.

Juan Gonzalez, Bowman: Two-time AL MVP winner. PSA 10 sells for $150-300, PSA 8 for $20-50.

Moises Alou, Bowman: Solid outfield career. PSA 10 sells for $75-150, PSA 8 for $10-25.

Derek Jeter, Bowman: Future Hall of Famer and Yankee icon. PSA 10 sells for over $20,000, PSA 8 for $1,000-2,000.

The 1991 season launched the careers of many future stars and Hall of Famers. While the early 90s boom is long over, select rookie cards from the major sets still carry significant collector value – especially for players like Frank Thomas, Chipper Jones, and Derek Jeter who went on to superstar careers. Upper Deck remained the premier product but Score and Bowman also featured valuable rookies. The photography and production values of 1991 sets still hold up well today for collectors and investors alike.