The 1990s was a decade that produced some truly iconic and valuable baseball cards. Led by stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Barry Bonds, and Cal Ripken Jr., the sport was experiencing newfound popularity which translated to big business for the trading card companies like Topps, Fleer, and Upper Deck. With flashy rookie cards, record-breaking accomplishments, and legendary athletes, here are some of the most coveted and valuable baseball cards from the 1990s:

Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck Rookie Card: Widely considered the crown jewel of all baseball cards, Griffey’s rookie is the undisputed most valuable card of the 1990s. “The Kid” was already a budding superstar and his rookie debuted in the highly sought after inaugural Upper Deck set in 1989. Only about 1 in 10 packs contained a Griffey rookie which has made true mint condition examples exceedingly rare. In a PSA 10 gem mint state, a Griffey rookie has sold for over $300,000, setting records for highest baseball card price ever. It’s iconic design along with Griffey’s legendary career and popularity cemented this as the best of the best.

Barry Bonds 1992 Fleer Ultra RC: Like Griffey, Bonds was already showing signs of future greatness in his rookie year of 1992. His first card came in the tough-to-find Fleer Ultra set which contains one of the more iconic rookie card photos ever taken. Fleer Ultra was a sharp looking set filled with prospects like Chipper Jones and Mo Vaughn too. Bonds would go on to break the single season and career home run records while becoming perhaps the most feared hitter ever. High grade Bonds rookies in the $5,000-$10,000 range today still don’t do his career justice.

1992 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. (#1): While the 1989 is his “true” rookie, collectors consider the 1992 Upper Deck Griffey to be his flagship vintage card. Featuring an awesome shot of Griffey in stride, the ’92 was the height of the Griffey boom in the early 90s. Some collectors believe it’s an even better looking card than his ’89 rookie. Like everything Griffey from this era, mint versions remain pricey with a PSA 10 bringing over $10,000. As one of the most iconic baseball images ever captured on card, it’s a hall of famer in its own right.

1999 SP Authentic Cal Ripken Jr. ($1,000 hit): Ripken’s quest to break Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played record was one of the most compelling storylines of the late 90s. When Cal finally broke the record in 1995, it was a iconic moment for the sport. His final season card in 1999 from SP Authentic features a special “2,632” recognition of his achievement inscribed on the card front. It’s one of the most sought after inserts from the set and captures Ripken’s place in history. Near mint have sold in excess of $1,000 each.

1992 Bowman’s Best Frank Thomas RC: After watching his 1991 Donruss rookie sell for pennies, collectors were ready when Thomas’ Bowman’s Best RC arrived the next year. Like fellow ’92 rookies Griffey and Bonds before him, Frank was dominating from day one. As one of the most feared power hitters ever, his Bowman’s Best rookie in high grade still moves for $500-$1,000 today. While not as iconic looking as some others, it’s a key piece of baseball history from the early 90s rookie crop.

1993 Pinnacle Inside Derek Jeter RC: As the captain and face of the Yankees dynasty for two decades, Jeter’s first card holds iconic status. His 1993 Pinnacle Inside RC is one of the most sought after modern cards in the hobby. Sporting one of the best designed and composed rookie photos ever taken, it evokes the same feelings as cards from the 1950s & 60s. In impeccable condition, they frequently trade hands six figures among vintage card aficionados. While not quite as valuable as his peers above, it stands as one of the most desirable modern baseball cards of all time.

1998 Bowman Chrome Chipper Jones RC: The Bowman Chrome brand debuted in 1998 featuring prospects like Jon Dowd and Morgan Ensberg, but none were bigger than Chipper. With a cartoon-like glare across his face, it was by far the most visually pleasing card in the set. As one of the games enduring all-time great third basemen, solid grades still move for $500+ despite immense print runs compared to the 1980s/early 90s. It represents the transition of the hobby into the insert and parallel crazy modern collectibles we see today.

1992Bowman Derek Jeter #1: His first card was the 1993 Pinnacle, but Jeter’s true rookie debuted the year before in mainstream 1992 Bowman as the #1 pick in that year’s draft. Sporting the script “Yankees” cap, it’s one of the more affordable cards from Jeter’s rookie season run at around $150 in gem grade. Along with Chipper’s ’98 Chrome mentioned above, it kicks off an era of huge star potential and massive demand for prospects at the time of release.

1996 Pinnacle Mark McGwire Pre-Rookie: Before McGwire shattered the single season home run record in 1998 with 70 bombs, collectors were lusting after his 1996 Pinnacle “Pre-Rookie” which depicted Mark donning Cardinals gear during his debut season the year before. Limited print runs made it exceedingly difficult to pull at retail. As such, high grades still bring $200+ today despite lacking true rookie status. It serves as an indicator of the insanely high pre-hype that would surround any future star’s cards in the 1990s.

1999 UD3 Derek Jeter Chrome Refractor #70/100: Insert sets from the late 90s took the hobby to new heights. Ultra’s UD3 brand struck gold with Chrome Refractor parallel cards that seemed straight out of science fiction compared to the cardboard of old. The Jeter at #70/100 is coveted among Yankees collectors for being such a low serial number example of one of the biggest stars in the game at his peak. In pristine condition these crossover $1,000 on the open market.

Stars like Griffey, Bonds, Ripken and rookies like Jeter, Thomas, McGwire defined both on-field play and explosive collector interest in the 1990s baseball card market. While print runs grew exponentially, mint and near-mint examples of these iconic cards still command five and even six figure prices among the most serious vintage card investors and hobby historians today. The rising values are a testament to both the talent level depicted and nostalgia many collectors have for the earliest years of the modern trading card renaissance.