The 1997 Fleer Ultra baseball card set is one of the most iconic issues from the 1990s and contains several cards that have grown tremendously in value over the past 25 years. Fleer Ultra was the top baseball card product of 1997 in terms of quality, design, and sought-after rookie cards. While it doesn’t have any true gem mint PSA 10 rookies to chase after like the iconic 1987 Fleer set, several 1997 Fleer Ultra rookie cards have emerged as highly valuable modern vintage cards.
One of the most notable rookies from 1997 Fleer Ultra is that of Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter. As arguably the greatest Yankee of all-time and a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Jeter’s rookie card has become a widely popular chase card for collectors. In PSA 9-10 mint condition, Jeter’s rookie now sells for thousands of dollars. Even well-centered, professionally graded copies in PSA 8 Excellent condition can fetch $500-600. For the true Jeter superfans, a pristine PSA 10 Gem Mint version will cost collectors well over $10,000 to obtain. Overall, Derek Jeter’s rookie is considered the most valuable card from the 1997 Fleer Ultra set.
Another iconic rookie from this set is that of Indians pitcher Bartolo Colon. As a rookie pitcher who would go on to win a Cy Young Award and pitch until his late 40s, Colon emerged as a valuable modern star. His 1997 Fleer Ultra rookie card has followed suit, appreciating well in value over the past two decades. In top PSA 9-10 Gem Mint condition, Colon’s rookie now sells in the $300-500 range. Even PSA 8 Excellent copies can be had for $100-200 depending on the market. For diehard Indians collectors or fans of Bartolo’s amazing longevity in the game, his rookie remains a highly desirable target card from the 1990s.
The 1997 Ultra set also featured the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Nomar Garciaparra. As the jersey-wearing stars of their respective franchises in Atlanta and Boston, both Jones and Garciaparra issued memorable rookie cards that are up significantly today compared to issue price. A PSA 10 Gem Mint Chipper Jones rookie can sell for $1,000-1,500, with PSA 9 copies bringing $400-600. Nomar Garciaparra’s perfect PSA 10 rookie commands $800-1,200, with a PSA 9 going for $300-400. While not in the same echelon as Derek Jeter, high-grade versions of the Jones and Garciaparra rookies are still valued pulls for collectors pursuing stars of the late 90s/early 2000s era.
Beyond the star rookies, 1997 Fleer Ultra also featured valuable inserts and parallel cards that have exponentially grown in demand from collectors. The most notable parallel from the base set is the SP1 “Refractor” variation, featuring a refracted metallic foil coating on the front of the card. Refractors were some of the earliest “hits” in modern hobby boxes, making high-grade versions of stars extremely popular targets for collectors. Refractors of franchise talents like Barry Bonds, Ken Griffey Jr, Cal Ripken Jr, etc can sell for hundreds of dollars in top condition slabbed by PSA or BGS. The 1997 Ultra set also debuted “Ultra Platinum” parallels, which are 1:720 packs and highly desired by parallel collectors.
Perhaps the most valuable insert set from 1997 Fleer Ultra is the “Career Grand Slam” veteran collection, featuring full-border cards of baseball’s biggest sluggers with foil Grand Slam logos and colorful illustrated backgrounds. Short prints like the Chipper Jones and Ken Griffey Jr CGS parallels can sell for $200-300 in high grades. The true prize, however, may be the Jose Canseco CGS card, featuring “Bash Brother” imagery from his Oakland Athletics days. High-grade PSA/BGS versions of Canseco’s CGS parallel have reached prices of $1,000-1,500 due to its status as an early “hit” card for collectors of the Bash Brothers era.
All in all, the 1997 Fleer Ultra baseball card set proved hugely influential for the collector market of the late 90s while also establishing modern star talents that are highly valuable chasing cards today. With rookies of future Hall of Famers like Jeter, Chipper, and Nomar; early inserts like Refractors and Career Grand Slams; plus star talent on the base cards, 1997 Ultra formed a rich vintage landscape that collectors have mined for treasure ever since. For those building complete sets or chasing individual modern star cards from the decade, 1997 Fleer Ultra remains an iconic and rewarding set to collect some 25 years later.
