The 1990 Topps Baseball Card Traded Set is one of the most iconic and valuable trading card sets from the 1990s. The Traded Set focuses specifically on players who were traded during the middle of the 1989 season up until the start of the 1990 season. This set is highly sought after by collectors both for its nostalgia as well as the incredible investment potential of its rising prices. Let’s take a deeper look at some of the valuable cards from this 100 card set and why prices continue climb over 30 years later.
One of the most notable cards in the 1990 Topps Traded set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card (#T-1). Griffey burst onto the scene in 1989 with the Seattle Mariners and quickly became one of the biggest stars in the game in the early 90s. His outrageous talent was matched by iconic swings and effortless grace in center field. The Griffey rookie is arguably the most desired card in the set and near mint copies in a PSA 10 gem mint condition have recently sold for over $10,000, with some experts predicting it could cross the $20,000 threshold before long. Even well-centered copies in rougher condition still fetch $1,000 or more due to Griffey’s status as a fan favorite and legendary player.
Another valuable rookie card is Jose Canseco (#T-25) who was traded from the Oakland Athletics to the Texas Rangers prior to the 1990 season. Canseco electrified fans in the late 80s by winning Rookie of the Year and MVP awards while leading the A’s ” Bash Brothers” offense. He was one of the first true power hitters of the steroid era and his T-Traded rookie routinely lists for $500-$1000 even in lower grades. High-end PSA 10 copies have sold for over $3,000 showing the card’s steady appreciation.
Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson’s traded card (#T-45) from when he was dealt back to the Oakland A’s also holds immense value. “Henderson stole nearly 1,400 bases in his career, a record that may never be broken, and his speed and instinct helped define an entire era of Oakland Athletics dominance. Near mint PSA 9 copies have crossed the $2,000 mark in recent years and a true gem mint PSA 10 would be worth far more due to Henderson’s legend status and rarity in the highest grade.
Two other all-time greats featured in the set are Nolan Ryan (#T-77) traded from the Texas Rangers back to the Houston Astros, and Don Mattingly (#T-79) dealt by the Yankees to the Dodgers. Ryan threw his record 7 no-hitters and struck out over 5,000 batters while cementing his place as possibly the greatest fastball pitcher ever. Mattingly captained powerhouse Yankees teams in the 80s and still holds the all-time record for batting average by a first baseman. High-grade versions of these future Hall of Famers routinely sell for $500-1000 each as icons of the era and baseball immortals.
One of the more visually striking cards in the set is Orel Hershiser’s (#T-89) Dodgers traded card where he is pictured wearing a Dodgers batting helmet backwards while on the Mets. Hershiser would stake his claim as one of the games’ premier control pitchers and lead the 1988 Dodgers to a World Series title. Near mint copies have reached nearly $1,000 and higher graded versions could potentially command far greater sums due to Hershiser’s accomplishments and the unique reversed helmet photo.
Those are just a sampling of some of the 1990 Topps Traded set’s most valuable individual cards. High-grade completions of the full 100 card rainbow set in PSA 9 or PSA 10 condition fetch premium prices well into the tens of thousands due to scarcity at the top levels of preservation. One PSA 10 set broke the $100,000 threshold just a few years ago showing the incredible potential this issue retains as a sound long-term investment even past three decades. With so many iconic players, compelling stories, and the steep rise in values of vintage cardboard in recent memory, the 1990 Topps Traded set is undoubtedly one of the crown jewels from the collection world’s boom period in the late 80s and 90s.
