The 1993 Fleer Ultra baseball card series marked the beginning of a new era in the collection world. With flashy graphics, vivid colors, and innovative designs not yet seen before in the hobby, the Ultra set captured the attention of collectors nationwide. Now, over 25 years later, some of the rarest and most coveted cards from the ’93 Ultra set command huge prices. Here are some of the most valuable cards collectors lookout for from that memorable series.
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie – Widely considered one of the greatest rookie cards of all time, Griffey’s Ultra debut is the crown jewel of the ’93 set. With his signature smile and smooth left-handed swing on full display, the card perfectly captures “Junior” at the start of his Hall of Fame career. In pristine gem mint condition, examples have sold for over $10,000. Most graded PSA 10 copies trade hands for $5,000-$7,500. Even well-centered near-mint copies can fetch over $1,000. Griffey’s star power and the iconic nature of his rookie card make it the most in-demand single from the 1993 Fleer Ultra issue.
Chipper Jones Rookie – As one of the set’s biggest rookie cards, demand has always been high for Atlanta Braves legend Chipper Jones’ Ultra introduction. While not quite as valuable as Griffey, mint PSA 10 Jones rookies have sold for as much as $4,000. Most grade PSA 9 copies range between $1,500-2,500, with PSA 8 examples selling in the $500-1,000 range. With his Hall of Fame credentials now cemented, Jones’ rookie remains one of the most historically significant in the collection.
Derek Jeter Rookie – Like Griffey and Jones, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter’s rookie is a true star-studded issue from ’93 Ultra. While not his true rookie card (he appeared in 1992 Topps and Score sets as well), Jeter’s smiling face made the Ultra card very popular upon release. High-grade PSA 10 Jeter rookies have sold for upwards of $3,000. Most PSA 9s trade between $800-1,500, with PSA 8 copies falling in the $300-500 range. Immense popularity keeps Jeter’s Ultra rookie highly valuable nearly 30 years later.
Michael Jordan Baseball Card – Aside from the big three position player rookies, the true oddball gem from ’93 Ultra is Michael Jordan’s lone baseball card. Issued during his brief one-season stint playing minor league ball for the White Sox affiliates, Jordan mania makes this short print pull incredibly sought after. Pristine PSA 10 examples have sold for over $20,000. Even well-centered PSA 9 Jordan baseball cards command $5,000+, showing no sign of slowing down in interest decades later.
Ken Griffey Jr. #402 – In addition to his flashy rookie, Griffey also appeared in an incredibly rare parallel subset called “Ultra Premium”. Numbered to only 100 copies, Griffey’s #402 Ultra Premium parallel is the high-number short print of the set. Just a handful are known to exist, and they seldom trade hands. One recent PSA 9 sale fetched an astonishing $62,500, proving Griffey has some of the rarest Ulitra inserts beyond even his debut card.
Frank Thomas #13 – Like Griffey #402, fellow Chicago White Sox star Frank Thomas also appeared in the scarce Ultra Premium parallels. His #13 parallel was printed to only 150 copies, making it one of the lowest serial number cards in the subset. Similar to Griffey 402, they are almost never on the market. When they do surface, prices break records. One Thomas #13 ultra premium graded PSA 9 sold for over $52,000 in 2015, a true record for a non-rookie modern card.
Other Short Prints -Beyond the incredible star rookies and ultra-rare premiums, ’93 Ultra housed plenty more short printed chase cards that excite collectors. Edgar Martinez #420, Ivan Rodriguez #429, and Moises Alou #444 parallel further showcase stars in serial-numbered scarcity beyond even the 100-150 copy range. Even lower grade examples of these sell for thousands when available.
While the ’93 Ultra set featured over 600 total base cards upon release, it’s clear certain high-grade, low-printed, and star-studded inserts have risen far above the rest in current marketplace value thanks to the combination of huge player popularity and extreme scarcity over 25+ years removed. From prized rookie debuts to virtual 1-of-1 parallels, the cream of the ’93 Ultra crop proves this set produced some true heavyweight hits that remain benchmark modern card investments today.
