The 1991 Fleer Ultra baseball card set was one of the most iconic and desirable issues of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Produced during the height of the baseball card boom, the ’91 Ultra set featured innovative design concepts, sharp photography, and several highly coveted rookie cards that would go on to become hugely valuable in the years following. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most expensive and sought-after cards from this legendary 311-card release.
Heading the list is without question the #1 card in the set – the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the finest rookie cards ever produced, Griffey’s stellar 22-year career only served to increase demand for this groundbreaking issue over time. PSA 10 gem mint examples of Griffey’s rookie now command well over $10,000, with uncirgraded near-mint copies bringing several thousand dollars on their own. The card’s minimalist design highlighting Griffey’s smooth left-handed swing is beautifully composed and really lets the photo take center stage.
Another massive hitter from the 1991 Ultra set is the Juan Gonzalez rookie card. While not achieving the superstar recognition of Griffey, “Puma” Gonzalez went on to have an outstanding career featuring two AL MVP awards. High-grade versions of his rookie are valued north of $1,000 today, with a PSA 10 probably bringing well over $3,000 given his rarity. The image shows Gonzalez launching a mammoth home run and exemplifies why he struck such fear into opposing pitchers for over a decade in the majors.
The 1991 Ultra set also included rookie cards for elite talents like Chipper Jones, Nomar Garciaparra, and Todd Helton that have all achieved strong prices in top condition over the years. A PSA 10 Chipper Jones RC can fetch $2,000+, while a pristine Nomar or Helton tops $1,000. These were some of the game’s biggest future stars and their debut issues are highly sought after by collectors even today.
Moving beyond the rookies, some of the set’s biggest veteran star cards have also experienced huge appreciation. The Nolan Ryan card, showing the all-time strikeout king winding up, consistently brings over $100 even in low grades just due to his iconic status. A PSA 10 could be worth $500+. The Cal Ripken Jr. and Kirby Puckett cards, two absolute fan favorites of the late 80s/early 90s, have also solidly held their value, with high-grades reaching the $150-200 range each.
Two particularly rare and valuable parallel cards from 1991 Ultra are the #255 Jeff Bagwell “StarChild” parallel and #308 Frank Thomas “SuperStar” parallel. These special parallel issues featured brighter, more vibrant color schemes and were inserted very sparingly throughout packs at estimated rates around 1 in 15,000. A PSA 10 Bagwell StarChild has sold for over $10,000 in recent years. Meanwhile a pristine Thomas SuperStar grades around the $4,000-5,000 range. Their scarcity and starring huge future talents make these true prize cards from the set.
The league leader subset cards have gained notoriety among collectors. Featuring statistical champions like Kirby Puckett (hits), Nolan Ryan (strikeouts), and Cal Ripken Jr. (games played), these parallel inserts also have rarity on their side with estimates as low as 1 in 72 packs. mint condition examples can approach $500 each for the more desirable names.
The 1991 Fleer Ultra set endures as one of the cornerstone releases from the junk wax era. While production numbers were enormous at the time, strong rookie classes and innovative parallel issues have allowed values to grow tremendously for high-grade examples over the past 30 years. With such iconic talents as Griffey, Jones, Bagwell, Gonzalez, and Thomas making their cardboard debuts within, 1991 Ultra stands out as perhaps the most recognized and collected baseball card set from the early 90s.
