The 1991 O-Pee-Chee Premier Baseball card set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of that year, with baseball fans eagerly awaiting the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones,Trevor Hoffman, and Jim Thome. While most of the cards in the 100 card roster hold little monetary worth today, there are a select few 1991 O-Pee-Chee issues that have grown exponentially in value over the past three decades. Let’s take an in-depth look at the six most valuable and sought after cards from that premiere sports card release.
Kicking off our list at number six is the card of all-star outfielder Barry Bonds in his Pittsburgh Pirates uniform. Card number 49 features a clean photo of the power hitter standing at the plate in his classic aggressive batting stance. While Bonds was already well established in 1991 with four All-Star appearances under his belt, collectors today pay a premium for any of his early rookie cards before his transformation into the controversial “Bonds Era” in San Francisco. In top gem mint condition, a PSA 10 graded Bonds ’91 O-Pee-Chee sells in the $150-200 range.
At number five is the rookie card of Toronto Blue Jays flamethrower Duane Ward. As a late blooming relief pitcher who broke into the majors in 1988 at age 25, Ward’s rookie season was 1991, making his O-Pee-Chee issue one of the scarcest in the set. Ward went on to capture the American League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young awards in 1993 before injuries curtailed his career. Condition sensitive, a flawless PSA 10 Ward has sold for upwards of $350 over the past year.
Cracking the top three is none other than the greatest closer of all-time, Trevor Hoffman. Card number 37 bears a closeup photo of “Hoffy” in his classic exaggerated pitching windup for the Cincinnati Redsorganization. As the premier rookie card for a surefire future Hall of Famer, Hoffman’s ’91 O-Pee-Chee has exploded in value recently. A pristine PSA 10 recently went for a whopping $600 on the secondary marketplace, a true indicator of the card’s blue chip potential long term.
At the number two spot is none other than the rookie issue of future 14-time All-Star and career .305 hitter Chipper Jones. Card number 38 shows a fresh faced Jones in his Atlanta Braves uniform during the season he got his first MLB taste, batting .288 in 70 games. As one of the most prolific switch hitters in history, Jones’ ’91 O-Pee-Chee rookie remains a true crown jewel for collectors today. Grading a perfect 10, Chipper’s premier has reached staggering auction prices upwards of $850 in the past year.
And the number one most valuable 1991 O-Pee-Chee Premier Baseball card is…. Jim Thome’s rookie! Card 12 features a stoic photo of the burly slugger in full Phillies batting gear, foreshadowing his 612 career home run barrage. Hailing from Peoria, Illinois, Thome broke in as a September call-up at age 20 in 1991 and went on to become a six-time All-Star and the eighth member of the 600 home run club. With no print run errors like other Thome rookies, his O-Pee-Chee has achieved meteoric prices graded mint. In 2021, a pristine PSA 10 Jim Thome sold for a whopping $1,250, cementing this rookie as the true blue chip hit of the 1991 OPC set.
While the 1991 O-Pee-Chee set contained 100 total cards, it was the early rookie issues of future Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones, Trevor Hoffman, and Jim Thome that have stood the test of time and appreciated exponentially in value. Whether you’re a collector looking to add a true piece of cardboard history to your collection, or a savvy investor betting on the long term blue chip status of these cards, the top five discussed here represent the true jewels of the 1991 O-Pee-Chee Premier Baseball release after 30 years. Condition is everything, and finding high grade gems of any of these rookies can result in significant returns for collectors and investors keen enough to snap them up.
