The 1990 Topps baseball card set is considered one of the most valuable sets from the junk wax era of the late 1980s and early 1990s. While most cards from sets during this time period are not very valuable today, there are a select few 1990 Topps cards that collectors are willing to pay top dollar for. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 1990 Topps cards that can bring in good money for collectors.
Perhaps the most sought after and valuable card from the 1990 Topps set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey quickly emerged as one of the game’s brightest young stars and most popular players after debuting in 1989. His rookie card from the 1990 Topps set, card number one, has long been one of the key rookie cards from the junk wax era. In pristine near-mint to mint condition, Griffey’s rookie currently sells for $800-$1,000 raw. Higher graded versions in PSA/BGS 9 or 10 can command prices of $2,000-$5,000 or more due to Griffey’s legendary status and the card’s significance as one of his earliest rookie issues.
Another top rookie from the 1990 Topps set is Frank Thomas, who had a Hall of Fame worthy career. Thomas debuted in 1990 and went on to win two MVP awards. His 1990 Topps rookie card #311 is highly sought after by collectors. In near-mint to mint condition, the Thomas rookie has a current value of $150-$300. Higher graded PSA/BGS 9s can sell for $500-$800, while a pristine PSA 10 has sold for over $2,000 before. Like Griffey, Thomas is forever enshrined as one of the all-time great hitters, making his rookie card a key piece for collectors.
One of the more unexpected rarities from the 1990 Topps set is the Bobby Bonilla card #640. It’s not exactly his on-field performance that makes this card collectible. Due to a rare printing error, some versions of the Bonilla card were accidentally printed with the front image appearing twice on the same card, thus having no statistics or any other information on the back. These double-printed error variants have become quite popular with error card collectors in recent years. In top grades, a PSA-graded double-printed Bonilla rookie has sold for over $1,500 before. Even raw non-graded examples in good condition can sell for several hundred dollars.
Beyond rookie cards, collectors will pay up for other scarcer parallels and serially numbered cards from the 1990 Topps set as well. Ozzie Smith’s record-breaking defense in the field made him a fan favorite, and his glossy parallel subset card #607 is one of the most coveted serially numbered insert cards from the set. Only 50 of these were printed, and they were awarded randomly in packs. High graded examples in PSA/BGS 9-10 condition have sold at auction for $500-$1,000. Another coveted parallel is the Starburst Refractor parallel of Nolan Ryan card #184. These refractors have bright colorful patterns, and only 50 were produced. Top grades have sold for over $250.
Collectors also look for scarce variations, including printing plates and proof versions. One of the rarest finds would be a Greg Maddux printing plate from card #80. These special 1/1 plates are used to create the other cards but never intended for release. An on-card signed Maddux printing plate from 1990 Topps in autographed/ungraded condition sold at auction for over $5,000. Other scarce proof parallels number from only 20 to 50 copies as well, such as the purple parallel of Ken Griffey Jr. Proofs in top condition have sold for $400 or more.
While mint condition examples are sometimes difficult to come by from the overproduced junk wax era, condition sensitive collectors are still willing to pay up for pristine examples of the marquee rookie cards and inserts. A PSA 10 Frank Thomas rookie has topped $2,000 at auction. And a flawless PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr. is considered among the crown jewels of any vintage collection, with auction prices reaching well into the $5,000 range.
While most 1990 Topps cards hold little value, there remain several standouts that have retained or grown in popularity over the decades. Key rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Griffey and Thomas maintain high demand. Error cards like the double-printed Bobby Bonilla are coveted oddities. And scarce serially numbered parallels and variations including printing plates continue to thrill advanced collectors looking for something rare and unique from the excess of the junk wax era. For savvy investors, the premium examples from this set remain a solid long term hold with room to appreciate further.
