The baseball card market saw massive growth and interest in the late 90s fueled by the rise of star players like Ken Griffey Jr., Mark McGwire, and Sammy Sosa. This growth continued into the 2000 season as the hobby reached new highs. The 2000 baseball card season featured rookies who would go on to have Hall of Fame caliber careers as well as star veterans chasing milestones. While the cards from this year don’t fetch the same prices as those from the late 80s boom, there were still some standout cards that hold value today. Here’s a look at some of the top baseball cards from the year 2000:

Vladimir Guerrero Rookie Card (Donruss Elite/Metal Universe)

A true five-tool talent, Vladimir Guerrero broke into the majors with the Montreal Expos in 1996 but it was during his early years with the team in the late 90s/early 2000s that he began to establish himself as a superstar. His powerful rookie cards feature fantastic action shots displaying his cannon arm and ability to hit to all fields with ease. While not quite as coveted or valuable as true all-time great rookie cards, Vlad’s is still highly sought after by collectors today, especially in top grade. High-end PSA 10 or BGS Black Label examples can pull in several hundred dollars.

Derek Jeter Ultra / Finest Refractor (Upper Deck)

Already a veteran by 2000 but still in his athletic prime, Derek Jeter was the heart and soul of those great late 90s Yankees teams. His 2000 Upper Deck Ultra and Finest refractors perfectly captured “The Captain” in those pinstriped pinstripes. The refractors have nice pops of color and present one of the better images of Jeter from that period. Graded gems in the PSA/BGS 9-10 range will set collectors back $100-300 depending on parallel and market conditions. For Yankee collectors, this is still a premier card nearly 20 years later.

Chipper Jones Finest Spectrum Refractor (Upper Deck Finest)

One of the best third basemen of all-time and longtime Atlanta Braves great, Chipper Jones was in his 8th big league season in 2000 as he led the NL in batting. The Finest Spectrum parallel captured the essence of superstar status with its flashy refractor technology. Chipper is depicted unleashing his sweet left-handed swing, making this one of the more aesthetically pleasing cards from the year. High-grade examples in PSA 10 or BGS Black Label condition can demand over $500 due to Jones’ Hall of Fame career and the parallel’s flashy refractor technology that makes it stand out from standard base cards.

Ichiro Suzuki Rookie Card (Upper Deck)

Ichiro was already a 10-time All-Star and MVP in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league when he came over to MLB in 2001 to join the Seattle Mariners. His rookie card was actually produced a year earlier by Upper Deck which gave collectors a head start on acquiring what would become one of the more iconic rookie cards of the 21st century. While not quite as famous or valuable as other rookie legends like Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey Jr, or Mike Trout, a high-end PSA 10 Ichiro rookie still commands $150-300 depending on market trends. It’s still one of the more historically significant cards from the year 2000.

Pedro Martinez Action Parallel (Donruss Studio)

Fresh off winning the 1999 Cy Young award with the Red Sox, Pedro Martinez was at the peak of his Hall of Fame career in 2000 as one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. The Donruss Studio set captured Pedro in an electrifying pitching delivery, with the Action parallel standing out amongst the base cards with its moving imagery. Graded examples centering around a PSA 9 or BGS 9.5 will sell in the $150-250 range for this fun and recognizable parallel of one of the elite hurlers of that era. Pedro’s dominance in the late 90s/early 2000s ensures this card retains value.

Randy Johnson Finest Refractor (Upper Deck Finest)

The Big Unit was in his walk year with the Mariners in 2000 as he continued racking up strikeouts at a record pace. The Finest Refractor parallel from that season highlights Randy the perfect way – glare and all – with its flashy coloring emphasizing the 6’10” flamethrower winding and delivering. Johnson would go on to continue dominating into the late 2000s with the Diamondbacks, Astros, and Yankees. High-end PSA 10 or BGS Black Label examples command $300-500 given Johnson’s Hall of Fame career and intimidating presence on the mound.

Barry Bonds Finest Spectrum Refractor (Upper Deck Finest)

Already a 3-time MVP and 7-time Gold Glover for the Giants at this point, Barry Bonds in 2000 was closing in on both the 30-30 club as well as 400 career home runs. The Finest Spectrum Refractor captured Bonds in his terrifying home run trot, perfectly highlighting just how feared of a hitter he was becoming. While controversial in retirement following steroid allegations, Bonds was one of the best hitters of all-time and cards from his prime SF years remain valuable collector’s items. Top graded specimens can earn over $500 currently.

Ken Griffey Jr. Finest Refractor (Upper Deck Finest)

Always with that iconic backward hat and effortless left-handed swing, “Junior” was beloved by fans everywhere throughout the 90s as one of baseball’s first true five-tool superstars. By 2000 Griffey was in his 11th season and still an All-Star for the Mariners, making his appearance in Finest a nostalgic sight for collectors. Still one of the premier rookie cards of the 90s, high-end PSA 10 or BGS Black Label Griffey Finest refractors remain 4-figure cards. Even mid-level examples still trade actively north of $200 given his legendary career and status as a fan favorite.

Alex Rodriguez Ultra Refractor (Upper Deck)

Another 90s megastar, Alex Rodriguez was in the middle of his incredible run with the Seattle Mariners in 2000 as he captured his 2nd of 3 AL MVP awards. The Upper Deck Ultra Refractor showcased A-Rod’s sweet lefty swing and career path that would see him become a 14-time All-Star and eventual 696 career home run slugger. Pristine specimens in the highest PSA 10 or BGS Black Label condition can demand well over $1,000 due to Rodriguez’s immense peak talents and history-making statistical feats in pinstripes with the Yankees.

Sammy Sosa Donruss Studio Action Variation (Donruss)

Coming off back-to-back 40+ home run seasons for the Cubs and building on his fame from chasing the single-season home run record with Mark McGwire in 1998, Sammy Sosa was one of the game’s must-see sluggers in 2000. The Donruss Studio set featured an electrifying “Action” variation insert highlighting Sosa’s smooth right-handed swing. Top graded versions in the PSA 9-10 range can approach $200-300 currently due to Sosa’s popularity and massive home run exploits during baseball’s late 90s renaissance.

Those were some of the top baseball cards from the hobby’s boom year of 2000 that still resonate with collectors today. Stars crossing milestones, Hall of Fame rookies, and refractive technology gave cards from this period modern pop that has ensured many hold value two decades later. While the craze of the late 80s may never be replicated, 2000 represented the tail end of a tremendous period of growth for the baseball card industry.