The 1990s was a transformative decade for the baseball card industry. While the hot bubble of the late 1980s had burst due to overproduction, the industry righted itself and produced some of the most iconic rookie cards and memorable card issues of all-time during the ’90s. Let’s take a look at some of the most notable and valuable baseball cards from the 1990s.

1992 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. #1 RC BGS 9.5 – Arguably the most iconic and valuable rookie card of the 1990s is the 1992 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. refractor. Widely considered one of the best players of his generation, Griffey’s dominance and electrifying play in center field made him a fan favorite. His rookie card in the 1992 Bowman set debuted Griffey with flashy refractors and helped reignite interest in the baseball card market. High grade PSA 10 examples have sold for over $100,000, with BGS 9.5s regularly bringing in $20-30k at auction.

1994 SP Derek Jeter #1 RC PSA 10 – Another hugely popular rookie from the 1990s, Derek Jeter quickly became the face of the Yankee dynasty teams and one of the best shortstops ever. His 1994 SP rookie card is one of the most iconic in the sport’s history. Pristine PSA 10 examples command huge sums, with the record sale at $99,360 back in 2017. Even PSA 9s still sell in the $5-10k range for this legendary card.

1992 Upper Deck #’d Ken Griffey Jr. #116 BGS 9.5 – Along with his rookie refractor from Bowman, Griffey had another hot rookie issue in 1992 Upper Deck. The standard #116 card is plentiful, but the limited numberedParallel set variation from #101-150 is one of the true holy grails from the decade. The #116 Parallel is exponentially rarer and far more valuable than the base rookie. A BGS 9.5 recently sold for an astounding $105,600.

1992 Stadium Club #107 Chipper Jones RC BGS 9.5 – Along with Griffey and Jeter, Chipper Jones established himself as one of baseball’s new superstars in the 1990s. His 1992 Stadium Club rookie is among the most iconic from the decade. High grades continue to appreciate strongly for this highly regarded issue and a PSA/BGS 9.5 can pull $10k+.

1994 SP Authentic #1 Tom Glavine Autograph BGS 9.5 – The ’94 SP Authentic set pioneered the autographed baseball card. Glavine’s rookie autograph in this innovative issue is an extremely rare pull. Only a small number are believed to exist in pristine BGS 9.5 or PSA 10 condition. Those ultra high grades have sold north of $30,000 in recent years.

1995 Pinnacle #1 Nomar Garciaparra RC PSA 10 – A star for the Red Sox dynasty teams, Nomar’s 1995 Pinnacle rookie exploded onto the scene. High grade PSA/BGS 10 examples are very scarce and command sums similar to the market’s biggest names. A true Trojan Horse card in terms of value for the player depicted.

1995 Co-Signers #13 Cal Ripken, Jr./Tony Gwynn BGS 9.5 – A one-of-a-kind dual autograph card featuring two living legends. Extremely rare in a flawless BGS 9.5 grade, this unique card would be the centerpiece of any collection.

1998 SP Authentic #43 Sammy Sosa Autograph BGS 9.5 – Sosa’s epic 1998 homerun race with Mark McGwire helped save baseball. His autograph rookie from ’98 SP Authentic encapsulates that unforgettable season. High grades are scarce and expensive, with a BGS 9.5 recently selling north of $15,000.

1996 Ultra #102 Manny Ramirez RC BGS 9.5 – “Manny Being Manny” was must-see TV in the ’90s. His electrifying play and prodigious talent is immortalized in this popular ’96 Ultra rookie. Condition sensitive like most 90s Ultra cards, high grade examples remain strong investment picks.

1999 SPx #1 Pedro Martinez Autograph BGS 9 – Arguably the biggest arm of the late 90s, Pedro dominated on the mound. His autograph rookie from flagship ’99 SPx set is a true condition rarity in pristine BGS 9 grade. A stellar career immortalized in a highly coveted card.

This covers just a sampling of the most notable and valuable baseball cards produced during the 1990s. The decade saw rookie cards for future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Jeter, Glavine, McGwire and more. Iconic sets like Bowman, Upper Deck, SP and more defined the era. High grades of the decade’s most hyped rookies and stars continue to gain value years later as representations of that memorable period in baseball history.