The 1999 Upper Deck baseball card set featured some of the biggest superstar players of the late 1990s. While not the most iconic or memorable design of the era, the 1999 Upper Deck set contained rookies and stars that have produced valuable vintage cardboard over the past two decades. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable hits from the 1999 Upper Deck baseball card package.
Perhaps the most sought after card from the set is the Chipper Jones rookie card. As the number one overall pick in the 1990 MLB Draft and longtime Atlanta Braves third baseman, Jones established himself as a surefire Hall of Famer over his 19 year career. His iconic swing and consistent offensive production made him a fan favorite as well. All of this demand has driven his 1999 Upper Deck rookie card (#331) to become one of the prized possessions in any collection. PSA 10 Gem Mint examples routinely sell for well over $1,000, with the highest sale reaching around $2,500. Even well-centered Near Mint to Mint copies still demand $200-400 prices.
Another sizable star from the nineties who made his cardboard debut in 1999 Upper Deck was Vladimir Guerrero. Arriving from the Dominican Republic, Guerrero immediately wowed scouts with his prodigious power and fluid athleticism in the outfield. His rookie card (#181) has grown in cachet given his Hall of Fame worthy exploits. Highly graded PSA 10 copies can sell for $800-1,200, with PSA 9s settling in the $300-600 range. For excited Expos and baseball fans upon release, Guerrero’s rookie was among the most coveted short prints from the set.
While pitchers are less desired than hitters from an investment perspective, elite arms still hold value – especially effective starters and dominant closers. To that end, the Pedro Martinez rookie card (#277) remains a key card for Boston Red Sox collectors. Martinez dazzled MLB with his blazing fastball and baffling changeup for years after, cementing his first ballot Hall of Fame plaque. Pristine PSA 10 examples have crossed the $1,000 auction block, with solid PSA 9s settling between $400-600 price tags. As one of the game’s most dynamic hurlers ever, El Gato’s cardboard rookie retains prominence.
Two other hurlers whose rookies made 1999 Upper Deck a set to remember were Jake Peavy and Kerry Wood. Peavy exploded onto the scene with the Padres, harnessing a diverse four-pitch mix to capture the 2007 NL Cy Young Award. Graded PSA 10 examples of his rookie (#497) have sold for $700-1,000. Wood electrified Wrigley Field and beyond in 1998, whiffing 20 Astros’ batters in just his fifth career game. Extremely flashy PSA 10 copies of his cardboard debut (#181) can reach $500-800 prices online. Both pitchers demonstrated Hall of Fame caliber talents early, raising the allure of their first baseball cards.
Offensively, Manny Ramirez and Nomar Garciaparra ruled baseball’s landscape throughout much of the 1990s until early 2000s as perennial All-Stars and offensive juggernauts. Manny’s fluid left-handed swing produced 555 home runs and a .312 batting average over a 19 year career split between the Indians, Red Sox, Dodgers, and Rays. His 1999 Upper Deck issue (#89) remains a strong portfolio inclusion for collectors, with top graded PSA 10 examples reaching $500-700 sale amounts the past year. Nomar emerged as “Boston’s Shortstop” and a batting title threat for years at Fenway Park. High-end PSA 10 versions of his rookie card (#497) have also passed the $500 price point on the open market.
Two other noteworthy positional players who first appeared in 1999 Upper Deck were Andruw Jones and Carlos Beltran. Jones was a physically gifted defensive dynamo in center field for the Braves and beyond, swatting 434 home runs over 17 seasons in the bigs. Condition sensitive due to print lines, pristine PSA 10 copies of his first card (#497) have sold within the $400-600 range in recent memory. Beltran was an on-base and power machine as a premier Swiss Army knife outfielder. His debut (#273) has seen the best examples crack $300-500 figures when fresh PSA 10 holders tag them. Both players were cornerstone stars that debuted as rookies two decades ago in the Upper Deck set.
The 1999 Upper Deck baseball card release contained an illustrious rookie class and MLB standouts that have only increased in collection value over the past 23 years. Headlined by the Chipper Jones and Vladimir Guerrero rookie cards, the set delivers Hall of Fame talents like Pedro Martinez, Manny Ramirez, Nomar Garciaparra, and Andruw Jones. Young guns Jake Peavy, Kerry Wood, Carlos Beltran also made lasting impacts after their cardboard debuts that year in Upper Deck packaging. While not the most artistically impressive design, the on-field productions from this grouping have driven prices up consistently for the prestigious vintage cardboard over many seasons. Condition sensitive but displaying great investments of baseball’s late 90s / early 2000s eras.
