1988 Kmart Baseball Cards Price Guide

Introduction
In 1988, Kmart partnered with Fleer to produce baseball cards that were exclusively sold in Kmart stores. These Kmart baseball cards featured current major league players and had glossy photo fronts with player stats and career highlights on the back. While not as valuable as flagship sets from Topps or Donruss, the 1988 Kmart baseball cards have developed a cult following among collectors in recent years. This price guide provides details on the design of the 1988 Kmart baseball card set and estimates current market values for individual cards and complete sets.

Card Design and Production Details
The 1988 Kmart baseball card set consisted of 330 total cards issued in wax packs containing 8 cards each. The front of each card featured a color photo of the player along with their name, team, and position in white text at the bottom. On the back was the player’s career statistics along with a short biography highlighting career achievements or fun facts. Rookie cards were designated with a star logo. The cards measured 2.5 inches by 3.5 inches and had a glossy photo front with a gray colored back.

Fleer produced the cards using their standard photo and printing techniques of the time. The paper stock was of slightly lower quality than flagship Fleer and Topps sets released that same year. This has led to some cards showing more wear and tear along the edges over time compared to other 1988 issues. The cards also lacked any special parallel, insert, or autographed variations that added excitement to the mainstream sets.

Initial Distribution and Secondary Market Prices
When first released in 1988, the Kmart baseball cards sold exclusively in Kmart stores for 99 cents per wax pack. They were quite popular among young collectors but did not gain much attention in the wider hobby. In the following decades, prices for common cards ranged from a few cents to around a dollar depending on the player featured. Occasional stars like Ken Griffey Jr. or Mark McGwire would fetch a couple dollars but most cards held very little value.

In recent years collectors have taken a renewed interest in 1980s and 90s oddball issues. This has driven up demand and prices for complete 1988 Kmart sets on the secondary market. Today, a sealed wax pack can sell for $10-15 while a complete base set in mint/near mint condition brings $30-50. Individual star rookie cards from the set like Griffey, McGwire, or Barry Bonds are now worth $3-5 in comparable condition to their flagship counterparts. Hall of Famers fetch $5-10 depending on career achievements and the player.

Key Cards and Valuable Variations
While the 1988 Kmart set lacks true short prints or serially numbered parallels, there are a few standout cards that tend to command higher prices due to player performance or career milestones:

Ken Griffey Jr Rookie – Easily the most valuable single card at $15-25 graded gem mint.

Mark McGwire Rookie – Another hot rookie at $10-15 mint.

Barry Bonds Rookie – Surging to $8-12 with Bonds’ home run records.

Ozzie Smith – Iconic defensive wizard fetches $8-10.

Nolan Ryan – All-time strikeout king at $7-9.

Cal Ripken Jr. – Consistently $6-8 for the Iron Man.

Wade Boggs – Perennial .300 hitter at $5-7.

Roger Clemens – Rocket’s early years at $5-6.

Complete Set in Mint Condition – As noted, $30-50 depending on centering and corners.

While there are no true short prints, error cards, or serially numbered parallels, collectors will pay small premiums of $1-2 for stars appearing in their popular team uniforms like Griffey in a Mariners jersey. Overall condition and eye appeal are also important valuation factors for the Kmart cards like most vintage issues.

Conclusion
While overshadowed in the 1980s by flagship releases, the 1988 Kmart baseball card set has developed a cult following among collectors in recent years. Prices have risen steadily for complete sets and star rookie cards as fans rediscover these unique oddball issues. Condition is key, but affordable stars and Hall of Famers make this an attainable vintage set to build. The exclusive Kmart retail tie-in adds to the set’s nostalgic appeal. As interest grows, prices may continue climbing slowly but the cards offer affordable excitement from the late 80s hobby boom era.

Baseball cards were incredibly popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Kids across America collected cards from brands like Topps, Donruss, Fleer and more. Many of these cards can now be worth a significant amount of money, especially if in pristine condition. One of the most common places to find packs of baseball cards during this time period was K mart. Let’s take a deep dive into the 1989 K mart baseball card price guide to learn about some of the most valuable and sought after cards from that year.

1989 K mart Baseball Card Price Guide

One of the most iconic sets released in 1989 was Topps. This set is highly collectible today among both casual and serious collectors. Some of the top rookie and star player cards from the 1989 Topps set include:

Ken Griffey Jr. (card #1) – In a PSA 10 gem mint condition this card can fetch over $1,000. Even well-centered near mint copies sell for $100-300. Griffey was one of the biggest young stars in baseball at the time.

Barry Bonds (card #91) – Another superstar rookie, a PSA 10 Bonds sells for $800-1000. Near mint copies still sell for $150-300.

Greg Maddux (card #630) – Maddux had just won the Cy Young award in 1988. PSA 10s sell for $500-800 while near mint goes for $75-150.

Randy Johnson (card #711) – “The Big Unit” was in his early days with the Mariners. PSA 10s sell for $300-500 and near mint for $50-100.

Nolan Ryan (card #660) – One of the legends of the game, PSA 10 Ryan cards sell for $150-250 and near mint for $30-75.

Ozzie Smith (card #660) – A PSA 10 “Wizard of Oz” card can reach $150-250. Near mint copies sell in the $30-75 range.

Donruss also had a highly popular set in 1989. Some top rookie cards included:

Ken Griffey Jr. (card #138) – Considered the top Griffey rookie. A PSA 10 sells for $800-1000. Near mint goes for $150-300.

Gregg Jefferies (card #147) – Had huge hype as a prospect. PSA 10 sells for $150-250. Near mint is $30-75.

Barry Bonds (card #144) – Another top Bonds rookie. PSA 10 sells for $600-800. Near mint goes for $100-250.

Randy Johnson (card #377) – As with Topps, “The Big Unit” rookie. PSA 10 sells for $250-400. Near mint is $50-100.

Fleer was another major brand that year. Their top rookie cards included:

Ken Griffey Jr. (card #156) – Considered one of his top 3 rookies. A PSA 10 sells for around $1000. Near mint is $200-300.

Gregg Jefferies (card #165) – Had the same hype in Fleer. PSA 10 sells for $150-250. Near mint is $30-75.

Barry Bonds (card #160) – Solid Bonds rookie. PSA 10 sells for $500-700. Near mint is $100-200.

Randy Johnson (card #416) – Another “Big Unit” rookie. PSA 10 sells for $200-300. Near mint is $50-100.

K mart was selling packs from all these major sets in 1989. You could find wax packs from Topps, Donruss and Fleer on K mart shelves. The big box retailer also had exclusive K mart factory sets that year. Some highlights included:

K mart Ken Griffey Jr. Insert Set – This 10 card Griffey insert set came one per wax pack. PSA 10 Gem Mint sets sell for $300-500.

K mart Ozzie Smith Leader Card – This rare Ozzie Smith insert featured a photo of him doing backflips. A PSA 10 sells for $150-250.

K mart Nolan Ryan Factory Set – This 16 card Nolan Ryan career highlights set in pristine condition can fetch $100-200.

K mart Donruss Team Set – A complete factory set of Donruss team cards. In mint condition these sell for $75-150 depending on the teams included.

K mart Topps Traded Set – This update set included traded players from mid-season. A complete mint set sells for $50-100.

So in summary, 1989 was a huge year for the baseball card hobby. Kids flocking to K mart found affordable packs of the top brands as well as some unique K mart exclusives. Many of the rookies, stars and inserts from that year can be quite valuable today, especially in pristine graded condition. The 1989 K mart baseball card price guide showcases some of the most desirable and investment worthy cards to look for from that era.

The late 1980s were the golden age of baseball cards when the hobby was at the peak of its popularity. Kids across America flocked to stores like K mart to rip packs and build their collections. Many of the rookies, stars and inserts from 1989 Topps, Donruss and Fleer sets have stood the test of time and hold significant collector value today. Combined with some rare K mart exclusives inserted in packs, 1989 remains one of the most sought after vintage years for baseball cards. Consultting the 1989 K mart baseball card price guide is a great way for collectors to identify cards holding strong long term value and appreciation potential from the late 80s/early 90s era.