The 1993 Score Select baseball card set was released around the height of the baseball card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s. While it didn’t feature the incredible photography of upper-tier sets like Topps Finest or Pinnacle, Score Select offered collectors a highly desirable shot at rookie cards and short prints that made it one of the most collected sets of the era. With thousands of boxes and packs opened in search of coveted rookie cards and numbered parallels, the 1993 Score Select set spawned several cards that have stood the test of time as truly valuable pieces in any collection.
Perhaps the most sought-after 1993 Score Select card is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was already one of the game’s brightest young stars in 1993 after back-to-back All-Star appearances to start his career. But his Score Select rookie is particularly special because it features Griffey in a Seattle Mariners uniform for the only time, as the iconic player was traded to the Cincinnati Reds later that year. In pristine mint condition, the Griffey Score Select rookie has sold for over $4,000. Even well-centered, nicely-graded examples can still fetch $1,000-2,000 due to Griffey’s status as a fan favorite and true icon of the era.
Another massive star from the 1990s who had his rookie year in 1993 was Phillies outfielder Jim Thome. Like Griffey, Thome went on to have a Hall of Fame career and is considered one of the premier power hitters of his generation. His Score Select rookie is highly coveted in the vintage baseball card world. High-grade Thome rookies have sold for $2,500-3,000. Even more common lower-grade examples still pull in a couple hundred dollars on the secondary market. Given that Thome was a power-hitting National League first baseman, hisScore Select rookie enjoys plenty of demand from collectors of the Phillies and teams across the NL.
Two other 1993 Score Select rookie cards that hold significant value are those of Moises Alou and Jason Giambi. Both Alou and Giambi enjoyed long, productive MLB careers that included All-Star appearances and championship rings. The Alou rookie in mint condition has achieved prices upwards of $800-1,000, while even well-centered, lower-grade samples bring $250-400. Jason Giambi rookies have followed a similar upward trajectory, with pristine specimens surpassing $1,000 and most others still sought for $350-500. These cards represent opportunities for collectors to own impactful rookie pieces of two steady offensive contributors from the 1990s and 2000s.
While 1993 Score Select is known largely as a “rookie heavy” set, one of its truly rare gems is the Derek Jeter autograph card. As the face of the Yankees dynasty and now a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Jeter’s autographed rookie is singular in its appeal. Only 100 of these were printed, and finding high-end specimens in a PSA/BGS Gem Mint slab is next to impossible. Most Jeter autographs grade in the 8-9 range, and even those have cracked the $10,000 mark at auction. Simply put, a true Derek Jeter autographed rookie from 1993 Score Select residing in a professional grade is a true untouchable in the vintage sports card world.
Of course, no discussion of valuable 1993 Score Select cards would be complete without mentioning the short printed parallels that fuel so much collector interest in the set. Among the most desired are the Matt Williams and Bobby Bonilla “Starburst” parallel cards, limited to only 15 copies each. High-grade Williams and Bonilla Starbursts routinely fetch $5,000-10,000 at auction. Another parallel set containing mammoth Sox slugger Frank Thomas and fiery Reds pitcher Rob Dibble reached prices over $1,500 each. But perhaps the single rarest Score Select parallel is the Mike Piazza “Splash” printing, with a mind-bogglingly limited quantity of just 3 known copies. Needless to say, a PSA 10 Piazza “Splash” may very well stand as the crown jewel of any serious vintage collection.
While today’s collectors may fixate on present-day stars like Ronald Acuna Jr. or Juan Soto, serious vintage aficionados continue to recognize the monumental player talent and coveted collectibles featured in 1993 Score Select. 27 years after its release, the set still holds immense value for investors and those pursuing the best cards from the peak of the baseball card boom era. With names like Griffey, Thome, Jeter and exceedingly rare parallels, 1993 Score Select stands as one of the true icons from the formative years of the modern collecting landscape. Its most prized cards are certain to retain importance for generations of enthusiasts to come.
