The 1991 Fleer Ultra baseball card set marked a revolutionary change in the baseball card industry. This was the first major set produced with Ultra Pro-Polish technology, giving the cards an unprecedented glossy and vibrant look. The images, graphics and photography appeared sharper and more colorful than ever before. Not surprisingly, the 1991 Fleer Ultra set contains many of the most valuable and coveted baseball cards of the early 1990s.
Heading the list of the most valuable 1991 Fleer Ultra cards is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Considered one of the all-time great rookie cards in any sport, Griffey’s debut Fleer Ultra issue has taken on legendary status. Even in near-mint to mint condition, copies routinely sell for thousands of dollars. A pristine Griffey Jr. rookie in gem mint 10 grade has sold for over $20,000. What makes this card so highly sought is Griffey’s immediate stardom and prolific career that was cut short by injuries. He was not just a great player but one of the most exciting and charismatic to ever play the game. His rookie card captured him at the beginning of what looked to be a Hall of Fame career.
Another extremely valuable 1991 Fleer Ultra rookie is the Chipper Jones entry. More affordable than Griffey’s but still pricey, a near-mint Chipper Jones rookie brings $1,000-2,000+. Like Griffey, Jones enjoyed a long and storied big league career spent entirely with one franchise (Atlanta Braves). He was an eight-time All-Star, MVPlayer and led the Braves to a World Series title in 1995. Jones’ talent was evident from the start and his Fleer Ultra rookie remains one of the most coveted Braves cards for avid collectors.
Two other blue-chip rookie cards from the 1991 Fleer Ultra set that carry significant value are those of Alex Rodriguez and Jim Thome. A-Rod’s rookie is consistently one of the highest valued Fleer Ultra issues from the early 1990s vintage. Even heavily played copies inPoor-Very Poor condition are $100-200 due to A-Rod’s massive career numbers as a three-time MVP. Near-mint to mint specimens easily demand $1,000-3,000 depending on the exact grade. Jim Thome also put together a Hall of Fame worthy career and his Fleer Ultra rookie is widely sought, especially in the highest grades. Near-mint to mint Thome rookies are $400-800.
Other notable rookie cards in the 1991 Fleer Ultra set include Bobby Bonilla, Tom Glavine, John Valentin, Luis Gonzalez, Cal Ripken Jr.’s Update issue and Ruben Sierra. Each of these can bring $50-250 in top condition depending on the player involved and exact grade. But they pale in value compared to the holy grails mentioned above from stars like Griffey Jr, Jones, A-Rod and Thome.
Beyond the rookies, several stars from the 1990s peak have highly valuable base cards in the 1991 Fleer Ultra set as well. A Nolan Ryan card that captures the then 43-year old Express in his final major league season as a Texas Ranger is very tough to acquire in mint condition. Even in a lower Near Mint- Mint grade, Ryan’s card will set a collector back $500-1,000. Also pricey is the Ken Griffey Sr. issue, which has value simply for being the father of perhaps the set’s most iconic rookie card. Griffey Sr. cards in NM-Mint bring $300-600.
Other noteworthy costly base cards include Roberto Alomar ($200-400 NM-Mint), Paul Molitor ($150-300), Rickey Henderson ($100-250), and Ozzie Smith ($75-150). Each of these superstars had Hall of Fame careers and continue to be highly collected due to their success and popularity from the late ’80s and ’90s. On the pitching side, ex-Meta Dwight Gooden commands $75-150 despite personal problems hampering his career potential. Meanwhile, a mint condition Nolan Ryan high number issue can reach up to $1,000 since it’s one of the final photos of his playing days.
When it comes to serially numbered cards from the 1991 Fleer Ultra set, most pale in value compared to the hottest rookies and stars. There are a few parallel and insert subsets that stand out. The extremely rare Ken Griffey Jr. Gold Medallion parallel numbered to only 50 copies sets collectors back well over $10,000 in pristine condition. Even in a lower NM-Mint grade, a Gold Medallion Junior usually sells for $5,000-8,000. Also pricey is the limited ‘Spitball’ parallel for Phil Niekro that is numbered to only 50 as well ($2,000-3,000 NM-Mint).
Ultra Franchise parallel cards featuring superstar duos like Ripken/Henderson, Gooden/Strawberry and others numbered to 99 can sell for $150-400 depending on player, grade and specific parallel. Ultra Pack inserts like the ‘All-Time Hits Leaders’ featuring Rickey Henderson and the ‘Season Highlights’ pages also have substantial value to the right collectors, in the $50-150 range for top copies. But in the end, it is the blue-chip rookie cards and select star players that drive valeur in the 1991 Fleer Ultra baseball set above all else. For memorabilia and investment, this iconic vintage release remains a sure bet.
The 1991 Fleer Ultra baseball card set broke new ground with its innovative Ultra Polish technology that made the images extremely vivid and colorful. This directly resulted in many key rookies and stars from the 1989-1991 seasons having their most widely recognized and desirable sports cards originate from Fleer Ultra that year. Headlined by the holy grails of Ken Griffey Jr, Chipper Jones, Alex Rodriguez and Jim Thome rookies, along with other young star first-year cards and choice veteran player issues, 1991 Fleer Ultra contains several of the most prized vintage baseball collectibles cherished by aficionados to this day. As long as the hobby remains active, the valuable cards in this trailblazing set will retain their iconic status and steadily maintain or increase their significant market value over time.
