Craig Biggio is considered one of the greatest players in Houston Astros franchise history. During his 20-year career spent entirely with the Astros from 1988 to 2007, Biggio established himself as one of the premier leadoff hitters and second basemen of his era. He was a seven-time All-Star, won four Gold Glove Awards, and holds the record for most games played at catcher at the position with 1,039 games played. Biggio’s illustrious career and loyalty to the Astros franchise have made his rookie baseball cards highly sought after by collectors.

Biggio was drafted by the Astros in the 7th round of the 1987 amateur draft out of Seton Hall University. He made his major league debut on June 28, 1988 at the age of 20. Biggio’s rookie cards were issued during the 1988-1989 baseball card seasons and feature his first season stats in the majors with Houston. Some of the most notable and valuable Craig Biggio rookie cards include:

1988 Donruss #635 – This is considered one of the top Biggio rookie cards. The design features an action photo of Biggio swinging a bat on the front with stats and information on the back. In near mint condition, examples of this card in a PSA/BGS 10 gem mint grade can fetch over $1,000. Even well-centered raw copies in excellent condition sell for hundreds on the current market.

1988 Fleer #583 – The Fleer set that year had a classic design showing Biggio from the chest up in an Astros uniform. Considered the most iconic of his rookie cards due to its clean look. High grade PSA/BGS 10 copies have sold for over $2,000. Even well-centered raw copies can sell for $500 or more.

1988 Score #750 – Features a full body action shot of Biggio batting from the left side. The card stock on 1988 Score was prone to centering issues so true gem mint 10 copies are quite rare. Still, high grade examples in the PSA 8-9 range sell for $300-500.

1988 Topps #768 – As the flagship set, the 1988 Topps Biggio rookie is one of the most iconic. The design shows Biggio from the waist up in an on-deck batting circle. Near mint PSA 8 copies sell for $150-250 depending on centering while a true gem PSA 10 has sold for over $1,000.

1988 Topps Traded #T71 – Considered the “chase” card among Biggio collectors as it was only available through the traded set. Shows Biggio batting from the left side. PSA/BGS 10 examples have sold for well over $2,000 due to the rarity factor. Even well-centered PSA 8 copies sell for $400-500.

Biggio’s rookie cards from 1988 hold significant value not just due to his Hall of Fame career but also because he only played that single 1988 season before establishing himself as a star. This makes his ’88 rookie cards the only ones that truly capture him at the beginning of his career. While Biggio played until 2007, cards from 1989 and beyond no longer carry the “rookie” label.

In addition to the standard 1988 rookie card issues, there are also a few other notable early Biggio cards worth mentioning:

1989 Fleer Update #U-48 – Features Biggio in an updated Astros uniform from the ’89 season with stats from 1988 on the back. Considered a “second year” card but still highly valuable to Biggio collectors. PSA/BGS 10 copies have sold for over $1,000.

1990 Score #758 – Biggio’s first major “star” card showing him batting from the left side in color. Signifies when he broke out as an everyday player. High grades in PSA 8-9 range sell for $75-150.

1991 Topps Traded #T71T – Another “chase” card, this time from the ’91 Topps Traded set which was limited in distribution. Shows Biggio’s stats from the 1990 season. PSA/BGS 10 copies have sold for well over $1,000.

As one of the most respected and accomplished players in Astros history, Craig Biggio’s rookie cards from 1988 hold tremendous nostalgia and value for collectors. Whether in the flagship Topps and Fleer sets or more elusive issues like Donruss and Score, pristine graded examples of Biggio’s true rookie cards from his debut season have reached five figures at auction. For Astros fans and baseball card investors, Biggio’s rookies remain a highly sought after part of the late 1980s rookie boom.