Donruss is one of the classic vintage baseball card brands, producing cards from 1981-1992 before losing their Major League Baseball license. As one of the major card brands of that era along with Topps and Fleer, many coveted rookie cards and stars of the day were featured in Donruss sets. While they may not command the same level of prices as classic Topps rookie cards, some high-grade early Donruss issues have shattered records at auction in recent years. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable and expensive Donruss baseball cards ever sold.
At the top of the list is perhaps the most iconic rookie card of all time – the 1985 Donruss Roger Clemens rookie card. Considered one of the key rookie cards from the junk wax era along with the Griffey Jr. Upper Deck and Barry Bonds Fleer card, high-grade Clemens rookies have absolutely skyrocketed in value in the high-end market. In January 2021, a PSA Gem Mint 10 graded example of the Clemens rookie sold for an unbelievable $338,000 through an online auction held by PWCC Marketplace. This shattered the previous record price paid for any Donruss card and reinforced Clemens’ elite status as one of the game’s all-time pitching greats.
Another pitchers’ rookie card that has exploded in value recently is the 1988 Donruss Kirby Puckett. Known for his clutch hitting for the Minnesota Twins dynasty teams, Puckett tragically had his career cut short in the mid-1990s due to glaucoma but is still revered by baseball fans. In April 2021, a PSA 10 mint copy of Puckett’s flagship rookie card was purchased for $94,500, showcasing how desirable high-grade examples of the future Hall of Famer have become. While not reaching the stratospheric prices of Clemens, it exemplifies how certain star players from the junk wax era are regaining lost value.
Some of the most expensive older vintage Donruss cards belong to iconic players who defined the generations before the 1980s. A genuine gem is the 1956 Topps Mickey Mantle rookie card, considered the crown jewel of all baseball cards. In excellent condition these can garner six-figure prices. A 1956 Donruss Mickey Mantle in a PSA 5 grade sold in 2019 for an astounding $229,000, reflecting strong demand for high-quality examples of the Yankee Clipper’s iconic early issues in any brand despite flaws. Other Mantle 1950s Donruss cards in PSA 8 or 9 condition have also topped $100,000 in recent sales.
Another living legend, Willie Mays also has some highly valuable early Donruss issues. A PSA 8 graded example of his 1951 Donruss ROOKIE CARD sold in January 2022 for $83,850. In Topps, this is considered one of, if not the most important pre-1953 baseball card in existence. While the design is simpler and the photo smaller on the Donruss version compared to the classic Topps card, it still captured Mays in one of his earliest seasons and any high-quality example holds immense historical significance. Multiple PSA 9 copies of Mays’ 1955 and 1956 Donruss cards have sold for well over $50,000 in the collector marketplace.
Besides the all-time great rookie cards of players like Mantle, Mays and Clemens, other stars of the 1980s have achieved tremendous prices in high grades as well. Perhaps the most famous is the 1984 Donruss Wade Boggs card, which has become one of the true untouchables for serious vintage collectors. In PSA 10 condition, one recently sold for a staggering $236,000 through Goldin Auctions. Other top condition 1984s featuring stars like Dwight Gooden, Darryl Strawberry and Don Mattingly have also approached six figures. This speaks to how pristine copies of the early Donruss flagships, often the first cards issued of these future Hall of Famers, are now nearing price levels once thought impossible prior to the current collectibles boom.
While Donruss cards may never reach the same heights as their Topps competitors card for card due to fewer print runs and the loss of the MLBPA license, the brand retains immense value for serious vintage collectors. Keys like the Clemens, Puckett and Mantle rookies continue shattering records. First flagship cards of all-time greats from the 1950s and 1980s are now routinely bringing five and six figures as condition sensitive collectors bid exceptional pieces to add to their sets. As demand increases for assets across collecting hobbies, the ceiling keeps rising for the true blue chip vintage issues in the Donruss back catalog.
