Tag Archives: item

1987 FLEER BASEBALL CARDS ITEM 681

The 1987 Fleer baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic and popular modern issues in the hobby. For collectors of the era, certain stars and memorable rookie cards really stand out from the larger 640-card checklist. One of the most recognizable names from that ’87 Fleer release would be Atlanta Braves slugger Dale Murphy, featured on card #681.

Dale Eugene Murphy was a true homegrown star for the Braves franchise in the 1980s. Born in 1954 in Portland, Oregon, Murphy grew up a huge baseball fan and was drafted by the Braves out of Rancho Cordova High School in 1972. After working his way through the minor leagues, he made his MLB debut in 1976 at age 21. Murphy quickly established himself as the heart and soul of those Atlanta ballclubs for over a decade.

By the time the 1987 season rolled around and his corresponding Fleer card was released, Murphy had already accomplished quite a bit in his career. He had won back-to-back National League MVP awards in 1982 and 1983, capturing the first of those MVPs unanimously. In those peak seasons, Murphy absolutely dominated NL pitching by batting .333 with 36 home runs and a league-leading 121 RBI in ’82, then hitting .302 with a career-high 49 homers and 150 RBI in ’83.

Those eye-popping stat lines from Murphy’s MVP years made him one of the most feared sluggers in baseball during the early 1980s. He regularly finished near the top of the league leaders in both home runs and RBI each season. Defensively, Murphy also played gold glove caliber center field for Atlanta and possessed one of the strongest throwing arms in the NL. Behind his consistent production and leadership, the Braves were perennial contenders in the NL West division throughout that span.

By 1987 Murphy’s offensive numbers had started to decline from those astronomical MVP peaks of a few years prior. He was still a productive player at age 32, but was no longer in the same superstar echelon. That season, Murphy hit .268 with 26 home runs and 83 RBI – solid production, yet a step back from his world-beating heights of the early 1980s when he was regularly cranking 40+ homers and driving in over 100 runs a year.

The 1987 design perfectly captures Murphy in his later Atlanta prime. The orange and blue color scheme meshes well with the Braves uniform colors. The photo shows a clean-shaven Murphy in his characteristic batting stance, holding the bat up high with his knob pointed toward the camera. His intense, focused stare meets the eyes of the viewer. The Fleer logo and team name are neatly above with stats like “.268 BA” listed below. It’s a classy and memorable visual representation of one of the franchise’s all-time greats.

For collectors, Murphy’s ’87 Fleer card holds plenty of nostalgic appeal as well. Many people who followed baseball in the 1980s vividly remember this dominant Atlanta slugger mashing home runs on a regular basis. Even after his offensive numbers dipped later in his career, Murphy remained a respected veteran leader for the Braves. His workmanlike mentality and tireless dedication to improving exemplified the blue-collar values synonymous with the franchise. For kids growing up in Atlanta or elsewhere during that era, Murphy was an athletic icon and one of the biggest stars in the game.

Interestingly, Murphy himself seemed to recognize the cultural staying power of his ’87 Fleer card. Years later after his retirement in 1994, he participated in various baseball card autograph signings for collectors to get cards signed in-person. This included specific signings for his 1987 Fleer card. In addition to the card’s aesthetics and timely subject matter capturing an Atlanta legend, the ability to obtain Murphy’s autograph also adds substantial cachet and collectors value to the piece over thirty years later.

In the ensuing decades since his playing days ended, Dale Murphy’s on-field exploits and respected image have continued to keep him prominently featured in Braves franchise history. He remains one of only four players to have his number “3” retired by the organization. Murphy also went on to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame, albeit through the more modern Today’s Game era committee vote rather than the traditional BBWAA ballot. But his two-time MVP career and exemplary leadership cement his status as one of the all-time Atlanta greats. And for collectors and fans of a certain era, his 1987 Fleer baseball card evokes wave of nostalgia and stands as a true historic sporting icon from the 1980s.

FLEER 91 BASEBALL CARDS ITEM 430

The 1991 Fleer baseball card set featured some of the biggest young stars in the game at the time as baseball card popularity was reaching new heights in the early 1990s. One of the young superstars featured was Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners, who received card number 430 in the set. Griffey was already establishing himself as one of the most exciting players in baseball in just his third MLB season in 1991.

Griffey was drafted number one overall by the Mariners in the 1987 amateur draft and made his MLB debut in 1989 at just 19 years old. He immediately began displaying the elite talent that would make him a future Hall of Famer. In his rookie season of 1989, Griffey hit .284 with 24 home runs and 61 RBI in only 113 games, finishing third in American League Rookie of the Year voting. His sophomore season in 1990 saw further improvement as he hit .269 with 22 home runs and 82 RBI in 156 games at the young age of 20 years old.

Entering the 1991 season, Griffey was already one of the brightest young stars in the game and his 1991 Fleer card captured him at the peak of his youth and athleticism. The card features a clean photo of Griffey from the waist up in his Mariners uniform with his number 30 clearly displayed. He is staring straight ahead with an intense focus that belied his youth. At just 21 years old in 1991, Griffey’s boyish good looks and chiseled athletic frame made him one of the most marketable young stars in the game and in the growing baseball card industry.

On the 1991 Fleer card, Griffey’s stats from the previous 1990 season are listed as are some fun facts about the emerging superstar. It notes he was a three-time All-Star, won a Gold Glove Award in 1990 and was the 1987 number one overall draft pick. The back of the card provides more details on Griffey’s background and career stats to date. It highlights how he was already being compared to legends like Willie Mays for his combination of power, speed and defensive skills at such a young age.

The 1991 season would see Griffey take his game to an even higher level. He hit .308 with 22 home runs and 72 RBI in just 121 games, missing time due to injury. He finished third in AL MVP voting at the age of just 21, showing early signs he was on a Hall of Fame trajectory. His combination of five-tool talent, boyish good looks and emerging superstardom made Griffey one of the most popular players in baseball and his 1991 Fleer card one of the most desirable rookie/early career cards in the set.

While the 1991 Fleer set as a whole did not have huge initial value upon release, Griffey’s card stood out as one to watch. His card value steadily increased over the 1990s as Griffey ascended to superstardom and one of the faces of MLB. In 1992, he won the first of his 10 Gold Glove Awards and hit .307 with 40 home runs and 104 RBI to finish second in AL MVP voting at age 22. The 1993 season would see Griffey have a career year, hitting .308 with 56 home runs (leading the AL) and 121 RBI to win the AL MVP award unanimously.

Griffey was a household name by the mid-1990s and his early career cards, including the coveted 1991 Fleer rookie, were highly sought after by collectors. In PSA/DNA 10 Gem Mint condition, ungraded examples of Griffey’s 1991 Fleer card were selling for $100-200 in the mid-1990s. By the late 1990s, as Griffey neared 500 career home runs and collectors began nostalgically chasing their childhood cards, a PSA 10 example was worth $500-1000.

At the turn of the century in 2000, Griffey was still in his prime with the Mariners and Cincinnati Reds. He was closing in on historic career milestones like 500 home runs and his name recognition was at its peak. This helped propel values of his early career cards, including the 1991 Fleer, to new heights. In 2000, a PSA 10 example could be found for $2,000-3,000 while raw, ungraded examples were bringing $500-1000. Griffey’s Hall of Fame induction in 2016 cemented his legacy and created renewed nostalgia for his early career cards from the late 1980s and early 1990s with the Mariners.

In today’s market, Griffey’s 1991 Fleer rookie card remains one of the most iconic and valuable cards from the early 1990s NBA hoops boom. In PSA Gem Mint 10 condition, examples have sold at auction in 2022 for $7,000-10,000. Even well-centered, attractive PSA 9 copies can fetch $3,000-5,000. For raw, ungraded examples, $2,000-4,000 is a fair estimated value range. The card has held its value remarkably well now over 30 years after its original release, a testament to Griffey’s status as a modern era baseball icon and one of the most talented young stars ever featured on a baseball card.

For collectors and investors, Griffey’s 1991 Fleer rookie remains one of the premier vintage basketball card holdings from the junk wax era. It captured Griffey at the absolute peak of his youthful potential before he went on to have a Hall of Fame career. The card art and photo perfectly represent that era of baseball card collecting in the early 1990s. For Griffey fans and collectors alike, the 1991 Fleer will always be one of the most storied and valuable cards from that time period.