1988 was a landmark year in baseball card history as it marked the debut of upper deck as the first premium baseball card company. Upper Deck shook up the baseball card industry by using higher quality card stock and focusing on young stars and rookies. The traditional big three of Topps, Fleer and Donruss continued to produce sets as well but it was clear upper deck had changed the game. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable and valuable baseball cards from 1988.

Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie (#1 UD) – Widely considered one of if not the best rookie card of all time, Griffey’s upper deck debut card is the crown jewel of 1988 sets. Featuring beautiful photography of a young Griffey in mid-swing, this card captured his emerging superstar talent before he had played a single MLB game. High grade versions could fetch over $10,000 today.

Frank Thomas Rookie (#234 Donruss) – Another player who would go on to have a Hall of Fame caliber career, Thomas’ rookie is a key bone from the flagship Donruss set in 1988. It has maintained strong demand and grades out very nicely. Pristine copies have sold for over $3,000.

Roberto Alomar Rookie (#25 Donruss) – Alomar burst onto the scene as a second year player in 1988 and dazzled with his glove and hit tool from day one. His rookie card values have climbed due to his successful career and .300 average. High end versions can reach $2,000-3,000.

Nolan Ryan (#87 Topps Tiffany) – One of the most legendary pitchers of all time, Ryan’s accomplishment at age 40 of pitching a no-hitter in 1990 triggered heavy interest in his vintage cards, including the flagship Topps Tiffany issue from 1988 which has reached over $1,000.

Eric Davis (#95 Topps) – In a contract year, Davis had an MVP caliber season in 1988 where he led the league in home runs and slugging percentage. His iconic late 80s Topps design reached multi-hundred dollar levels.

Kevin Maas Rookie (#232 Donruss) – Maas made a huge splash as a rookie in 1987 with his prodigious power, launching 25 home runs over just 83 games. Hopes were sky high entering 1988 that he could be a superstar, fueled massive early interest in his rookie card. He failed to follow up on his potential. Even so, pristine versions have still crossed $1,000.

Tom Glavine Rookie (Multiple) – While not as heralded entering the pros as Griffey or Thomas, Glavine quietly had one of the best pitching careers in modern history. His rookie cards across Topps, Donruss, and especially the coveted Upper Deck #235 crack the $500-1,000 range for top condition.

Ozzie Smith (#422 Topps) – One of the best defensive shortstops ever, Smith was in his prime with the Cardinals in 1988. High grades of his cards, including the Topps flagship, have reached multi-hundred dollar values.

Darryl Strawberry (#78 Topps) – Arguably the best pure power hitter in the 1980s, Strawberry crushed 36 home runs in 1988 to pace the league for the Mets. The iconic Topps design captured him in his athletic prime and could fetch $500-1,000 for high grades.

Eric Show Rookie (Fleer) – As an unknown drafted by the anonymous Expos in 1988, Show had one of the more surprising rookie seasons in history by hitting .323 with 13 homers over just 103 games. Investors saw his upside and pristine copies have cracked $1,000. But he failed to sustain similar success which has kept prices lower than other contemporary rookies.

Wade Boggs (#1 UD ProCards) – Enjoying the finest season of his Hall of Fame career, Boggs led the league with a .366 batting average in 1988 for the Red Sox. His sharp Upper Deck ProCards debut card remains popular for die-hard Boggs collectors and high grade copies could approach $1,000.

In conclusion, 1988 was monumental year for the baseball card hobby as young future legends like Griffey and Thomas entered the scene alongside veterans continuing to produce like Boggs, Smith and Strawberry. While the Upper Deck revolution brought premium production quality, the traditional brands still preserved historically significant rookie and star cards from that year as well. For modern players especially, 1988 remains one of the most valuable vintage seasons in the hobby due to all the future Hall of Famers that were emerging stars.