The 1989 Collector’s Choice baseball card set was released at the height of the baseball card boom of the late 1980s. Collector’s Choice was known for producing high-quality cards featuring unique and creative designs that stood out compared to the typical offerings from Topps, Donruss and Fleer at the time. The 1989 Collector’s Choice set is considered one of the shining stars from the brand during the boom years.
The 1989 Collector’s Choice set contains 363 total cards and features every notable player from the 1988 MLB season. What made this particular release so special was the unique vertical card design concept. Rather than having the traditional horizontal layout, each card in the ’89 Collector’s Choice set is vertically oriented. This allowed for more creative photography and larger close-up images of the players. Many collectors at the time were impressed with how the vertical design gave each card a modern, cutting-edge feel compared to the standard issues from other manufacturers.
In addition to the innovative vertical design, Collector’s Choice was known to often feature rarer action shots or posed photography rather than the typical uniform headshots. The ’89 set delivered on this with many cards showing players in the midst of swinging a bat, winding up a pitching motion or fielding a ball. Some examples include Ken Griffey Jr’s powerful swing, Orel Hershiser delivering a pitch and Graig Nettles snagging a line drive. These unique photos helped each player’s card to really pop and stand out in a collector’s binder.
Another notable aspect of 1989 Collector’s Choice was the inclusion of shorter print runs on the highest valued rookie and star players. Sets from the other larger manufacturers tended to have fairly standard print quantities across the board. However, Collector’s Choice would often produce only a couple thousand or few hundred copies of the most in-demand rookie sensation cards. Examples from the ’89 set include Ken Griffey Jr’s stunning vertical rookie card, which is considered one of the most iconic and valuable baseball cards ever printed due to its scarce availability. Other short printed keys include Barry Bonds, Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux and Frank Thomas rookies. Finding high-grade copies of these cards in pristine condition is still a real rarity among collectors today.
In addition to future Hall of Fame talents, the 1989 Collector’s Choice set also featured many stars of the late 80s like Ozzie Smith, Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson and Roger Clemens. It also includedchecklist variations like Bell, Donruss and Fleer style cards mixed in with the regular issues. The set also featured a healthy selection of managers, coaches and executives cards to round out the checklist.
When the baseball card market crashed in the early 1990s, Collector’s Choice was one of the manufacturers that unfortunately did not survive. Their innovative designs and creative photography approaches during the boom years left an undeniable mark. The ’89 Collector’s Choice setstill holds a revered status among collectors today thanks to its innovative vertical layout, scarce short prints and capturing players during impactful game moments. Grading services like PSA and BGS still regularly grade submissions of the prized Griffey, Bonds and Thomas rookies from this release. Even thirty plus years later, the 1989 Collector’s Choice baseballs cards remain a true gem from the golden era of the hobby.
The 1989 Collector’s Choice baseball card set stands out as one of the true icons produced during the late 80s boom. Its innovative vertical card design approach, unique photography, inclusion of short printed star rookies and capturing of future Hall of Famers makes it a highly desirable set among vintage collectors. Even after the crash of the early 90s, the 1989 Collector’s Choice release remains a highly respected and valuable part of the hobby’s history.