The 1989 Donruss baseball card set was a highly anticipated release during the summer of 1988. Coming off the momentum of Ken Griffey Jr’s rookie card in the 1988 set becoming a huge hit with collectors, there was excitement around what rookies and young stars might break out in the new season. The design and photo quality of Donruss cards was also improving each year.
The 1989 Donruss set would feature 792 total cards including 100 future and rookie cards. Some of the top rookies included Sandy Alomar Jr., Gregg Olson, Jeff Bagwell, and Barry Larkin. All of these players went on to have excellent MLB careers. It was another rookie, Ben McDonald, who received the coveted #1 card in the set due to his status as the #1 overall pick in the 1988 MLB draft by the Baltimore Orioles.
McDonald had a solid rookie season in 1989, going 9-4 with a 2.41 ERA and 90 strikeouts in 19 starts. His card featured a bright yellow and orange design with a close-up action photo of him pitching. While not as iconic as Griffey’s rookie, McDonald’s #1 card held value well over the years. Other top rookies like Alomar Jr. and Bagwell also featured similar bright designs that made their cards really stand out in the set.
Veteran stars of the day like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Nolan Ryan, and Kirby Puckett anchored the base set with their photos and stats. Boggs’ card had one of the cleaner and more classic designs as the Red Sox third baseman was coming off a monster 1988 season where he won the AL batting title with a .366 average. Puckett’s card highlighted his 1987 AL MVP and was a fan favorite with his toothy smile and thick eye black.
Ryan’s card paid tribute to his then record 5,000th career strikeout in 1986 with a close-up action shot. At age 43 in 1989, Ryan was still defying father time with the Texas Rangers, going 16-10 with a 3.19 ERA and 232 strikeouts in 232.2 innings pitched. His durability and production at an advanced age made him one of the most popular veterans in the sport.
The 1989 Donruss set also featured “Traded” cards for players who had switched teams in the offseason. Notable trades cards included Frank Viola (Red Sox), Tony Fernandez (Mets), and Willie McGee (Oakland A’s). McGee had just come off back-to-back NL batting titles with the Cardinals in 1985-86. His traded card in an A’s uniform was a sign of things to come as Oakland would win the World Series that year.
Design-wise, the 1989 Donruss set had a cleaner and more simplified look compared to past years. The primarily white borders and typewriter font felt classic. Photo quality was also improved. Rather than group shots on the front, most cards featured big solo headshots or action shots to highlight each player. The backs provided stats, career highlights and fun facts about the players in an easy to read format.
One of the more unique aspects of the 1989 Donruss set were the “Traded” photo variation cards. For example, the Wade Boggs card had a “Traded to Yankees” variation that showed him in a Yankees batting practice jersey instead of Red Sox. Other traded variation cards included Darryl Strawberry (Dodgers), Jack Clark (Yankees), and Rick Sutcliffe (Braves). These variations added to the collectibility and intrigue of the set.
In terms of chase cards, the main short prints and inserts included the aforementioned traded variations, “Team Leaders” short prints featuring the top player stats from 1988 for each franchise, and “Record Breakers” highlighting notable MLB records. The “Record Breakers” insert featured Ozzie Smith’s career assists record, Nolan Ryan’s career strikeouts, and Don Sutton’s career wins total. These inserts provided valuable statistical context alongside the base cards.
When it came to autograph and memorabilia cards, Donruss was still early in the autograph card craze of the late 80s/early 90s. Their main hit was a rare “Prime Cuts” jersey parallel insert set featuring swatches of game worn fabric. Players in this set included Robin Yount, Ozzie Smith, and Nolan Ryan. These autograph and relic cards paved the way for the insert-heavy modern era in trading card sets.
In terms of secondary market growth and demand, the 1989 Donruss set saw cards of young stars like Barry Larkin, Sandy Alomar Jr. and Gregg Olson gain value throughout the 1990s as their careers blossomed. Larkin’s rookie in particular has always held strong demand as a Reds fan favorite and future Hall of Famer. Veterans like Wade Boggs and Nolan Ryan also remained popular. But it was the rookies who really drove collector interest in the years after the set was released.
When Griffey mania took off in the early 90s, it had a halo effect on other rookie cards from the late 80s. The 1989 Donruss set as a whole grew steadily in popularity thanks to strong rookie crops and classic designs. By the mid-1990s, complete sets were going for $100-200. Key rookie cards could be had for $5-10 each while stars reached $20-50 per card. Today, a complete set in mint condition would fetch $500-1000. Top rookies are $50-200 depending on grade while stars range from $50-500.
In the end, the 1989 Donruss baseball card set proved to have excellent longevity and collector demand. Featuring future Hall of Famers like Larkin, Bagwell and Alomar alongside iconic veterans like Boggs, Ryan and Puckett, the set had something for both rookie card collectors and those seeking their favorite stars. Strong rookie classes, fun inserts and sharp classic designs helped the 1989 Donruss set stand the test of time as one of the most memorable and valuable releases from the late 1980s trading card boom. Its popularity endures to this day among vintage baseball card collectors.
