The 1989 Topps baseball card set was the 58th annual release from Topps and featured photos and profiles of major league players from the 1988 MLB season. Some key things to know about the iconic 1989 Topps set include:
SET DETAILS
The 1989 Topps set included 714 total cards which covered all 26 MLB teams at the time. The cards featured photos taken mostly during the 1988 season.
The design of the 1989 cards featured a gold trimmed photo and player name along the top with stats and career highlights on the bottom half in gray and white. Topps’ logo was on the left side.
The cards were sold in wax packs with 11 cards per pack and 72 packs per wax box. Some high-number cards over 700 were only available through factory sets.
ROOKIE CARDS AND STARS
Perhaps the most notable rookie cards in the 1989 Topps set included Ken Griffey Jr., Gregg Olson, and Mike Piazza. These players would go on to legendary careers and their rookies are still highly coveted by collectors.
Other star players heavily featured in the set included Roger Clemens, Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Rickey Henderson, and Nolan Ryan. These were some of the game’s biggest names in the late 1980s.
A key chase card was the #1 Barry Bonds, which was one of the first cards in the set. Bonds was already one of baseball’s rising stars in 1989. His rookie had been in the 1986 Topps set.
variations, Error cards
The 1989 Topps set featured a number of interesting variations and errors that collectors enjoy finding. These include photo and signature swap variations.
One notable error was card #640 featuring Greg Litton but showing a photo of a fan instead of Litton. This became a very rare and collectible mistake.
Variation cards that swapped photos or signatures added intrigue and challenge to completing the entire 714 card checklist. Mint condition variations remain highly valuable.
design flaws and issues
While still a classic set beloved by collectors, the 1989 Topps issue did have some minor design flaws.
The high-gloss photo backing tended to stick to the fronts of cards causing chipping. Many survived but mint ones are hard to find.
The gray/white coloring on the back made handwritten notes and markings very visible. This hurt the grading of many well-cared for cards.
Adhesive issues were also reported by some collectors, saying the glue didn’t always hold properly. Topps generally stands by the quality of its older issues.
set completion and price guide values
Completing the full 714 card 1989 Topps set in mint/near mint condition remains a challenge for most collectors given the age of the issue.
According to the Beckett Baseball Card Price Guide, the following cards carry 4-figure valuations today: Ken Griffey Jr. ( $5,000+), Greg Olson ($3,000), and Mike Piazza ($2,000) rookie cards.
Star rookies aside, the Bonds #1 ($1,000), Clemens #13 ($500), and Boggs #40 ($300) remain valuable chase cards from the high-numbers.
Lower-numbered common cards in good condition can be found for $1-5 each still. Higher numbers typically go for under $10 except key players.
A full mint/near-mint 1989 Topps set in factory/factory sealed form would estimate over $5,000 given today’s strong vintage baseball card market.
The 1989 Topps baseball card set remains a crowning achievement and one of the most memorable issues produced by the card giant. Featuring stars, rookies, and memorable designs/errors, it encapsulates the late 1980s MLB era for collectors. Over 30 years later, its value and popularity only continue to grow amongst vintage enthusiasts.
