The 1991 Fleer baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and valuable issues from the late 1980s and early 1990s. Fleer released soccer, basketball and football cards in 1991 as well, but it’s the baseball subset that holds the most historic and valuable cards from that year. Let’s take an in-depth look at some of the most valuable 1991 Fleer baseball cards that still fetch high prices in today’s trading card market.
Ken Griffey Jr. #1 RC – Ken Griffey Jr. was already considered a future superstar by 1991 and his rookie card from Fleer is one of the most sought after RCs in the entire hobby. In pristine graded gem mint condition, Griffey Jr.’s 1991 Fleer RC has sold for well over $10,000. Even in excellent near mint condition, examples can pull in $4,000-$6,000. Griffey went on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is the crown jewel of any baseball card collection from the early 90s.
Rookies like Chipper Jones, Todd Helton, Derek Jeter, Nomar Garciaparra, and Jason Giambi are also among the set’s most valuable due to their future success and the cards capturing them at the beginning of their MLB careers. While not as iconic as Griffey, gem mint 10 rated versions of their rookies can still fetch $1,000+ on the open market.
Nolan Ryan #91 – Hobby legend Nolan Ryan’s card looks back at one of his final seasons, 1990 with the Texas Rangers. At this point, he was still considered one of the most intimidating and prestigious pitchers in the game. Any near mint or better graded versions of his card typically sell for $200+ based on his storied career and legend status within the sport.
Cal Ripken Jr. #133 – Sure, Ripken had established himself as an All-Star by 1991 with the Orioles but he was still a few years away from breaking Lou Gehrig’s iconic iron man streak. His ’91 Fleer issue shows him in the prime of his career and is highly collected for both Orioles and Ripken fans alike. A PSA 10 can pull in well over $500.
Mark McGwire #217 & Jose Canseco #219 – Two future all-time home run leaders and the two main faces that defined the late 80s/early 90s Oakland A’s dynasty. Fleer wisely placed McGwire and Canseco back-to-back in the checklist. Both have maintained their popularity and intrigue given their place in baseball history. Near mint 7s can sell for $150-250 each.
Roberto Alomar #261 – Another star in the making for the early 90s, Alomar was already an elite hitter and fielder in ’91 for the Padres. He would go on to have a Hall of Fame career primarily with the Blue Jays and Orioles. His Fleer rookie remains a core part of any complete Alomar collection and a PSA 10 has sold for over $1,000.
Barry Bonds #431 – While not technically a rookie card, Bonds’ 1991 Fleer issue earns a coveted spot as one of his earliest mainstream issues. At this point, he was already one of the best all-around players in the game for the Pirates. Any mint conditioned Bonds can bring in $150-250 given his legendary status, controversy or not.
Other valuable short prints and serially numbered cards from 1991 Fleer include the Mickey Mantle Salute parallel (#208), Ken Griffey Jr. SuperStar Sensations serially numbered parallel (#SS1), and Frank Thomas SuperStar Sensations parallel (#SS15). On the managerial side, both Bobby Cox (#471) and Tony La Russa (#478) rookie manager cards have achieved prices over $100 as well in high grades.
Condition is huge for 1991 Fleer, as with any set from the junk wax era. For the top rookies, serially numbered inserts, and stars – solid PSA/BGS grades of 8.5 and up are needed to maximize returns in today’s strong vintage sports card market. A PSA 10 of any coveted card basically launches the value into another dimension. For a set released during the height of the modern boom period, 1991 Fleer has shown its long term collecting potential by standing the test of time and housing some of the most iconic rookie cards and stars from baseball history. Three decades later, it’s still considered a must-have core set for any serious card collector.
