The 1990 Topps baseball card series was a major set released during a historic time in American politics and sports. That year, George H. W. Bush was serving as the 41st President of the United States after being sworn into office in January 1989. Topps decided to pay tribute to the newly elected president by including a special insert card featuring Bush among the 792 total cards in the 1990 set.
The Bush card carried the designation of card number 792 and portrayed the president smiling while wearing a suit and holding a baseball. On the front of the card underneath Bush’s image, it read “George Bush – President of the United States.” On the back of the card, it featured a short biography of Bush along with details about his inauguration and background in politics. While Bush had a long career in public service prior to becoming president, Topps wanted to commemorate his achievement of the highest office in the nation through this unique baseball card.
Including the president in a sports card set was an unprecedented move by Topps at the time. No other U.S. leader had been depicted individually on a Topps baseball card before. Topps likely envisioned the Bush card serving as a patriotic and historic collector’s item given his new status. They also may have hoped the inclusion of the popular Republican president would help generate additional interest and sales for the 1990 series.
The card was not considered part of the base set and was inserted randomly in factory-sealed wax packs alongside the regular player cards. This made the Bush card quite scarce and desirable for collectors to obtain. While packs retailed for around $1, unopened boxes of 1990 Topps could fetch over $100 years later thanks to skyrocketing values of the included rookies like Sandy Alomar Jr. and Bobby Thigpen cards. Finding the elusive Bush insert now commanded an even higher premium.
More than 30 years after its original release, a near-mint conditioned PSA-graded example of the 1990 Topps George Bush card recently sold at auction for over $1,000. Market prices reflect not just the card’s extreme scarcity but also enduring fascination with a piece of political collectibles history from the tail end of the 20th century. With Bush having been among the most recent living former presidents until his death in 2018, the card also achieved greater significance as a reminder of his single term in office during a period containing major events such as the fall of the Berlin Wall and Gulf War.
Outside of baseball cards, images of Bush as president had also been featured on other collectible items in the late 80s/early 90s such as stamps, coins, bobbleheads and plates. The Topps baseball card holds a special place as the only official licensed sports card produced with his likeness. Even with over 700 player cards in the set, including all-time greats like Nolan Ryan and Cal Ripken Jr., the Bush insert managed to achieve rare recognition and enduring appeal among collectors.
In the decades since, other presidents have occasionally been acknowledged by card manufacturers but none have gotten their own dedicated baseball card. Examples include brief bios of Barack Obama and Donald Trump on the back of 2016 Topps cards marking presidential elections. The 1990 Topps Bush remains truly unique as the lone baseball card of a sitting U.S. president inserted randomly in packs. For both political and sports memorabilia collectors, it continues to represent an intriguing intersection of the two spheres and a tangible piece of history from the dawn of the 1990s.
While costs have risen dramatically, finding an affordable mid-grade 1990 Topps George Bush card is still possible for fans and students of history looking to add a distinctive conversation piece to their collections. As one of the few surviving artifacts capturing Bush in his single term as commander-in-chief, demand seems unlikely to fade. The card’s association with America’s pastime as well as place in the privilege lineage of Topps baseball cards ensure it will remain a prized commodity for enthusiasts of the game, leader, and period it commemorates for years to come.