The 2000 Upper Deck baseball card set was released at the height of the baseball card boom in the late 1990s. While it didn’t have the buzz or popularity of some previous flagship sets like the 1998 and 1999 Upper Deck releases, there were still some highly sought after rookie cards and star player cards included that have stood the test of time and increased substantially in value over the past two decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable cards from the 2000 Upper Deck baseball set that still fetch high prices today in the collectibles marketplace.
Perhaps the most iconic and valuable card from the 2000 Upper Deck set is the Derek Jeter refractored parallel card. Only 525 of these rare Jeter refractors were produced and inserted randomly in hobby boxes. At the time, Jeter was already a 3-time All-Star and World Series champion, so there was plenty of hype around his cards. The short print refractored parallel took things to another level. In gem mint condition, PSA 10 examples of this mythical Jeter card recently sold for over $20,000. Even well-centered raw or lower graded copies in the $5,000-$10,000 range show how legendary its status has become among collectors.
Another Yankee who had an exceptionally short printed and valuable card from the 2000 set was Mariano Rivera. His “Masterpiece Collection” parallel featured alternate photography in a borderless design and was limited to only 50 copies. Given Rivera’s elite status as one of the greatest closers of all-time and his cult following, mint condition examples of this 50-card parallel pretty much set the record for the most expensive Upper Deck card ever. One recently sold for a staggering $46,800. Even well-worn copies still fetch multiple thousands.
While Jeter and Rivera topped the chart, there were several other star players who had notable short printed parallels and serially numbered cards that have increased substantially over the years. Chipper Jones, who was entering his prime in 2000 as the face of the Atlanta Braves franchise, had a “Prime Cuts” parallel limited to only 100 copies. High-grade versions have sold for $7,000+. Meanwhile, his standard base card remained one of the most widely collected in the set due to his popularity. Another top short print was the Keith Hernandez “Faces” parallel limited to a tiny run of 25 cards. Given his cult following from his Mets glory days, examples have been known to reach $5,000 in top condition.
On the serially numbered front, the Roy Halladay rookie card numbered to /999 was one of the major hits. As one of the greatACES of his generation for the Blue Jays and Phillies, interest in his early career cards rose sharply following his tragic death in 2017. A Halladay rookie in a PSA 10 has sold for over $2,500, while even well-worn copies still demand $200-300+. Another highly demanded serial was the /499 Randy Johnson card featuring “The Big Unit” in his D-Backs days. As a future Hall of Famer with over 300 wins and 5 Cy Youngs, examples regularly reach $800-1000 in top condition.
While the most lucrative cards involved established stars or future Hall of Famers, there was also a massive trove of promising rookies in the 2000 Upper Deck set that have increased in value as many lived up to the hype. Perhaps biggest of all was a PSA 10 mint Josh Beckett rookie, which shattered records by selling for over $23,000 in recent years. As a 3-time World Series champion and key member of the 2003 Marlins, his early card values skyrocketed. Other high-dollar rookie standouts included a /999 Ivan Rodriguez that reached $1200 PSA 10 and Carlos Delgado /499 at $800. Elsewhere, an Francisco Cordero PSA 10 sold for $2000 while prospects like Mark Prior and James Loney hold steady ~$100 PSA 10.
While the 2000 Upper Deck set lacked the sales and packs per box of its 98-99 predecessors, it still contained a legendary array rookie cards, short prints, and star parallels that have taken on real significance among collectors. Two decades later, Derek Jeter’s refractored parallel and other stars’ ulta-short printed variations retain almost mythic status and value potential. Meanwhile, budding careers like Josh Beckett and future Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones, Randy Johnson, and Mariano Rivera ensured many flagship cards from the 2000 release remain highly relevant today for collector interest, demand, and appreciation over the long haul. For those willing to invest in top condition or unique serial numbered/parallel versions, the 2000 Upper Deck set houses multiple card options that can retain and increase value far better than other common hobby releases from the tail-end of the 1990s baseball card boom.
