The 1993 Upper Deck baseball card set is considered one of the most desirable issues from the junk wax era of the late 1980s and early 1990s. While sets from this time period usually aren’t terribly valuable except for the very rarest cards, there are a few standouts from the ’93 Upper Deck set that can be worth a decent amount of money today. Let’s take a look at some of the most valuable 1993 Upper Deck baseball cards collectors should be on the lookout for.
Perhaps the most coveted card from the 1993 Upper Deck set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best rookie cards of all time due to Griffey’s amazing talent and popularity as a player, the Griffey Jr. rookie is the clear crown jewel of the ’93 Upper Deck issue. In near-mint to mint condition, this card can fetch prices upwards of $1000-2000. Well-centered copies in pristine gem mint 10 condition have even sold for over $10,000. The Griffey rookie is the only common card from the overproduced era that has sustained serious value long-term.
Another valuable option is the Frank Thomas rookie card. While not in the same league popularity-wise as the Griffey, Thomas went on to have a stellar career and his rookie is one of the better ones from the early 1990s. In top grades like mint 9 or gem mint 10, the Thomas rookie has sold for $400-600. Even well-centered near-mint to mint 8 copies can sell for $150-250 based on condition. Like Griffey, the Thomas rookie maintains value due to his accomplishments both at the onset of his career and throughout.
The Derek Jeter rookie card is also a desirable piece for collectors of ’90s issues and Yankees memorabilia. Jeter developed into a surefire Hall of Famer and one of the greatest shortstops ever. High-grade copies of his rookie in the PSA 9-10 range can sell for $300-500. Strong near-mint copies may go for $150-250. While not among the absolute priciest from 1993 Upper Deck, the Jeter rookie is still a noteworthy valuable card from the set.
Chipper Jones, Shawn Green, and Todd Hollandsworth are other select rookie cards that can be worth pursuing in high grades. Nice Chipper rookies have sold in the $100-250 range depending on centering and condition specifics. A pristine PSA 10 Green or Hollandsworth rookie could conceivably sell in the $75-150 range in the right auction. These cards may not be blockbusters, but they are solid valuable pieces for dedicated ’90s collectors and team collectors to seek out.
Two particularly rare and coveted variations from the 1993 Upper Deck set are also worth discussing. First is the Frank Thomas “error” card, where the photo is switched with that of fellow White Sox player Jack McDowell. Only a small number of these Frank Thomas photo swap errors are reported to exist. In 2009, a PSA 9 gem copy sold at auction for an astounding $31,875. High-grade specimens can easily bring multi-thousand dollar bids when they surface. The other ultra-valuable variation is the infamous Ken Griffey Jr. “icker” card, featuring an extra color-dot above the “e” in Griffey on the front. Only a handful are known to exist in collectors’ hands. Rumored prices for pristine examples in the past range well into the 5-figure zone. These variations are truly one-of-a-kind collector’s pieces for those trying to chase the most exclusive ’93 Upper Deck cards.
Beyond the premium individual cards already discussed, there are also different subsets and special parallel printings within the 1993 Upper Deck issue that can carry value. The UD “Gold Stamp” subset features full-bleed photos on a gold-stamped border background and cards are numbered to 50 copies or less. Popular names can bring $100-300+ depending on the player and assigned number. The Tiffany printing parallels are lushly printed on higher-end card stock and can pull $50-150 each for key rookies or stars. And the highly scarce UD “Record Breaker” cards featuring accomplishments like most career HR, hits, etc. have sold in the few hundred dollar range or higher based on condition and specific record holder featured.
While the overall 1993 Upper Deck baseball set is quite plentiful from the junk wax times, there are certainly some valuable gems that can be worth pursuing for discerning collectors. Rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Thomas and Jeter maintain value despite the production numbers. Rare photo and printing variations like the Thomas error and Griffey “icker” are true prizes. High-grade examples of the top rookies and stars or unique parallels from the set have the most potential to hold long-term collector interest and value among ’90s cardboard enthusiasts. For those hunting valuable 1993 Upper Deck cards, focusing on condition, scarcity and desirable players will serve collectors well in the quest for hangar-worthy additions.
