The 1989 Topps complete baseball card set was the 68th annual release from Topps and featured 660 total cards including inserts and parallel sets. Some key things to know about the 1989 Topps baseball card set include:
Set Highlights: The 1989 set is considered one of the weaker Topps releases of the late 1980s due to declining player talent and the lack of star rookies, however, it did feature Mark McGwire’s rookie card which would later become highly valuable. The design featured a blue border around each card with the team logo in the bottom right corner and statistics on the reverse.
Rookie Cards: While the 1989 set lacked the star power of rookie cards from previous years, it did feature future Hall of Famer Mark McGwire’s rookie card which was one of the main draws of the set. Big Mac’s card would later skyrocket in value after he broke the single season home run record. Other notable rookies included Gregg Jefferies, Scott Cooper, and Eric Yelding. Jefferies held some hype but never panned out in the majors like many expected.
Parallels and Inserts: Topps included several parallels and insert sets within the 1989 release. The Studio set featured 18 posed player portraits with a white border. The FlipStick set featured 10 cards that could be flipped to reveal baseball trivia on the reverse. Several Franchise Greats cards honored retired stars. Additionally, Topps Traded and Update sets from later in the year included rookie cards of players who made their debut after the original release.
Design: As mentioned, the base card design featured a blue border and team logo in the bottom right corner. Statistics for the previous 5 seasons were listed on the reverse along with career highlights. The photography and action shots were typical of late 80s Topps sets but some considered the blue borders to be an eyesore compared to previous colorful designs. The traded set switched to a dark gray border.
Short Prints: Topps distributed several short printed cards within the 1989 release at a much lower print run than the base cards. The most notable were Frank Viola’s League Leader subset card for wins and Ozzie Smith’s for fielding percentage which are key cards for collectors looking to finish the set.
Value and Notable Cards: With weaker rookie content and no true superstar at the time, the 1989 Topps set lacks the value of previous decades but still offers completion allure for collectors. As mentioned, Mark McGwire’s rookie is the key card worth hundreds today and only expected to rise given his career trajectory. Ozzie Smith’s fielding percentage short print can fetch $50-$100. Other valuable veterans include Wade Boggs, Rickey Henderson, and Nolan Ryan who maintained strong followings.
Collectibility Today: Sets from the late 1980s Topps era are less in demand than the vintage 1950s/60s or the rookie card boom years of the late 80s/early 90s. Completionists still enjoy chasing the 660 card 1989 Topps set which can be acquired for $300-500 complete if patient. The presence of McGwire and short prints adds interest versus other lackluster late 80s releases. While not elite, it represents an accessible vintage set before values really exploded in the 1990s.
While lacking the star power of other years, the 1989 Topps baseball card set remained an important annual issue that featured future Hall of Famer Mark McGwire’s rookie card. Additional short prints, parallels and inserts added to the hobby interest. Condition sensitive veterans and the allure of a complete 660 card set still make it a fun release for collectors over 30 years later, especially at affordable price points compared to premium vintage sets. The basic blue border design may not excite aesthetically compared to colorful previous decades, but the 1989 Topps baseball cards remain a notable part of the annual baseball card tradition during the late 1980s era.
