The 1998 Pinnacle baseball card set was one of the most iconic releases of the late 90s. While it did not have the same logo design popularity as the iconic early 90s sets like Upper Deck or Score, 1998 Pinnacle featured some of the game’s biggest stars and rookies from that season. As such, certain cards from the 1998 Pinnacle set have grown tremendously in value over the past 20+ years. Let’s take a look at some of the most expensive and sought after 1998 Pinnacle baseball cards on the modern collecting market.
One of the clear standouts from the 1998 Pinnacle set is the Alex Rodriguez rookie card. As one of the most hyped prospects ever and an eventual Hall of Famer, Rodriguez’s rookie cards from his debut season with the Mariners in 1994 have always been highly coveted. His 1998 Pinnacle card, featuring him as a young star with the Mariners, has appreciated greatly due to his legendary career. PSA 10 Gem Mint examples regularly sell for $5,000+ online today. Even lower graded copies in PSA 8 or BGS 9 still command $1,000+ due to the rarity of this A-Rod rookie. It’s universally considered one of the best rookie card investments from the 1990s.
Another popular rookie from 1998 was Nomar Garciaparra of the Boston Red Sox. Garciaparra’s offensive prowess, strong debut, and Red Sox fandom combined to make his 1998 Pinnacle rookie a strong mover. High-grade PSA 10 versions can bring over $900 while PSA 9s sell for approximately $250-300 average. Garciaparra never quite lived up to being a superstar but his cards remain popular with Red Sox collectors to this day. For a player collected uniquely for his rookie season, the Nomar Pinnacle rookie has performed very well.
Ken Griffey Jr. cards from the late 90s are always in high demand due to his epic career and user-friendly swing that captured the attention of many fans. His 1998 Pinnacle card does not have true rookie status but features Griffey in his Seattle Mariners prime. PSA 10 Griffey Pinnacle cards can sell for over $300 while PSA 9 copies still reach the $100-150 range. Anyone who invested in these popular 1990s stars like Junior, A-Rod, or even Garciaparra has seen great returns in the decades since.
The 1998 rookie card of Philadelphia Phillies star Scott Rolen also garners strong modern interest. As an all-star third baseman who won several Gold Gloves, Rolen established himself as one of the game’s better players early on. High-grade versions of his scarce Pinnacle rookie in PSA 10 can sell for $600-800 in today’s market. Even in a PSA 9 state, Rolen rookies trade hands for $300-400 showing solid appreciation. For fans of the late 90s Phillies or Cardinals teams, the Rolen rookie remains an iconic piece from that era.
For collectors who held onto raw copies or had the foresight to grade their 1998 Pinnacle cards years ago, the monetary value on investment continues to rise significantly. Take for example the ultra-rare PSA 10 mint of Sammy Sosa’s base card from that year. Considered one of the toughest Pinnacle cards to grade flawlessly, a perfect 10 Sosa just sold online for over $2,000. That’s an astronomical rise from its retail price in the late 90s. Even PSA 9 copies can reach $500+ due to the challenge of this Sosa card grading pristine.
Rookies are not the only 1998 Pinnacle cards increasing exponentially in value either. Stars like Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds, Greg Maddux, and others from that era all have appreciating cards as well. A PSA 10 1998 Pinnacle Barry Bonds regularly trades hands for $500+ on the current market. Near-perfect PSA 9 98 Pinnacle Greg Maddux cards reach the $300-400 range too. Clearly, investing in the game’s all-time great talent from any era yields long term rewards if one holds onto the best condition copies and has them graded properly over time.
Despite not receiving the same collector fervor as the early 90s sets, 1998 Pinnacle housed some truly huge investable stars and rookies which are really paying dividends today. Rookie cards of Alex Rodriguez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Scott Rolen top $600 raw while Griffey Jr, Sosa, Bonds, and McGwire base high-grades trade for $500+ as well. For those who hung onto their mint copies and submitted to respected third-party grading over the past 20+ years, the 1998 Pinnacle baseball release has proven to be an incredibly worthwhile long term sports investment yielding 4-5x or more returns depending on the player and grade. These cards remain some of the hottest commodities from the late 90s collecting boom.
