The 1991 Topps baseball card set was released at the start of the 1991 MLB season and chronicled the 1990 season. It was the 70th annual set produced by Topps and contained 792 total cards including 135 rookie cards and 72 minor league prospect cards. Some key storylines from 1990 that were reflected in the 1991 Topps set included Jose Canseco hitting 40 home runs for the 3rd straight season, Nolan Ryan winning his 5,000th strikeout, and Rickey Henderson stealing his 939th base to break Lou Brock’s all-time stolen base record.
In the early 1990s, the baseball card market was booming with high prices being paid for new release sets as well as stars of the past. The 1991 Topps set was quite popular upon release with enthusiastic collectors seeking out rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Chipper Jones and Vladimir Guerrero as well as stars in the making like Frank Thomas and Tom Glavine. While the initial print run was high given the sports card craze at the time, certain short prints and stars have appreciated nicely over the decades.
The 1991 Topps base cards in near mint to mint condition can be found for around $0.25 to $1 each depending on the player featured. More sought after stars from the set like Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson, Cal Ripken Jr fetch $2-5 while rookie cards of elite players fall in the $5-15 range. There are always exceptions. Let’s break down some of the key 1991 Topps cards and pricing over the past 30 years:
Chipper Jones RC (Card #159): Jones established himself as one of the best third basemen ever during his Hall of Fame career with the Braves. His rookie card has appreciated extremely well and gem mint examples in PSA 10 condition routinely sell for $500-1000. Even well-centered near mints can bring $100-300.
Frank Thomas RC (Card #198): “The Big Hurt” had one of the most dominant careers for a right-handed hitter. His rookie is one of the more valuable from the early 1990s. PSA 10s have reached $600-1200 with most raw or graded near mints around $75-250.
Jim Abbott RC (Card #159): Abbott’s story of being born without a right hand yet still pitching in the majors made his rookie very popular. PSA 10s have hit $700-1500 with near mints at $150-450. Values vary more based on condition.
Vladimir Guerrero RC (Card #716): Future Hall of Famer Vlad’s rookie still holds value. PSA 10 copies have sold for $300-700 while nice near mints range from $75-200.
Nolan Ryan (Card #1): As a star and all-time strikeout leader, Ryan’s base card remains a highly demanded lot. High grade examples in PSA 8-10 condition consistently sell for $10-30.
Rickey Henderson (Card #23): Before his record was broken, Henderson’s base reflected his stolen base prowess and is a popular vintage pick. PSA 8-10 copies sell in the $10-25 range.
Cal Ripken Jr. (Card #29): As one of the most iconic players of the era, Ripken’s basics hold collector interest. Top-graded PSA 10s have sold for $30-50 with most nice examples at $5-15.
Ken Griffey Jr. Update (Card #U23): While not Griffey’s true rookie, this late season addition showing his amazing talents was highly sought. Near mint to gem copies typically sell in the $50-200 range.
While the 1991 Topps set is easily obtainable for the average collector to put together the entire set, there remains high demand for the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers as well as stars like Ryan, Ripken and Henderson. With the entire set having been released over 30 years ago, many of these iconic cards continue seeing steady appreciation over time as the population of high grade graced copies decreases. The 1991 Topps release immortalized many all-time great players and remains a highly beloved set for collectors of the era.
