The 1990 Topps baseball card set featured some of the iconic players and rookie cards from that era that are highly valuable today. The 1990s brought dominance from players like Ken Griffey Jr., Frank Thomas, and Roberto Alomar still in the early stages of their Hall of Fame careers. While 1990 wasn’t tops in the boom of the late 80s and early 90s, the nostalgia and historic players featured make it a highly collectible set for vintage baseball card enthusiasts.
Perhaps the most valuable card in the 1990 Topps set is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Widely considered one of the best player prospects of all-time, Griffey lived up to the hype by winning back-to-back AL MVP awards in 1990 and 1997 on his way to induction into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2016. In pristine mint condition, a 1990 Griffey Jr. rookie card can fetch over $1000 with many auction sales topping $2000-3000 in recent years. The popularity of “The Kid” and his elegant left-handed swing have cemented this as one of the most iconic and desirable rookie cards in the hobby.
Another star outfielder rookie that has retained great value is the 1990 Frank Thomas card. Thomas went on to have one of the best and most underrated careers of any hitter in MLB history. He won back-to-back AL MVPs in 1993-1994 and accumulated over 500 home runs and a career .301 batting average when all was said and done. In a PSA Gem Mint 10 graded slab, a 1990 Thomas rookie has sold for over $800. Even in raw near mint to mint condition, examples can still sell for $200-400 with demand still high for the “Big Hurt.”
While the 1990 set lacked some of the true “superstars” of the time like Barry Bonds or Kirby Puckett who had established themselves in the late 80s, it did feature the rookie cards of future hall of famers like Craig Biggio and Larry Walker. Biggio emerged as the all-time leader in games played at catcher and second base, winning four Gold Gloves over his 20 year career spent entirely with the Houston Astros. Walker, meanwhile, hit .313 with 383 home runs and won three batting titles playing for Montreal and Colorado. Despite neither having the mass appeal and hype of Griffey Jr. or Thomas, gem mint examples of their 1990 rookie cards still hold value of $150-300.
The 1990 set is also seen by many collectors as one of the last true “vintage” designs before Upper Deck and Score entered the market in 1989 to radically change baseball card design trends of the 1990s. The classic white borders and team logo at the bottom give the cards a nostalgic look and feel that draws collectors to the set. The design also highlights the photography of Marc Doherty, known for capturing great action shots throughout the late 80s and early 90s Topps issues. This vintage aesthetic adds to the collectibility for vintage and nostalgia-oriented collectors.
In addition to rookies, the 1990 Topps set features many established baseball stars entering their primes like Roberto Alomar, Barry Larkin, and Kevin Mitchell. Alomar won the first of his 10 Gold Gloves and hit .310 as a 23 year old for the Blue Jays, emerging as one of the game’s greatest second basemen. As such, even higher grade versions of his base card can sell for $20-30 in the current market. Larkin, meanwhile, hit .301 and became the first “starting” shortstop ever for the National League All-Star team at just 25 years old. In PSA 10 condition, his 1990 card can sell for $75-100.
Power-hitting outfielder Kevin Mitchell also had a monster 1990 season, hitting .291 with 47 home runs and 125 RBI to win the National League MVP award at age 28. High grade versions remain quite valuable for collectors today, ranging between $40-75 even in raw/ungraded condition. The mix of emerging stars, established veterans, and Hall of Fame rookies have contributed to the enduring collectibility of cards from the 1990 Topps set over 30 years later. While maybe not as big of a hitter on the vintage card market as the late 80s, demand is still strong outpacing many other 90s issues.
When factoring in the incredible seasons and careers had by players like Griffey Jr., Thomas, Alomar, Biggio, and Walker, it is easy to see why their 1990 rookie cards command such a strong premium in the hobby even decades later. Nostalgia also plays a big role with many current collectors first experiencing the baseball card boom as kids opening packs of the 1990 set. Condition is critical, as always, with PSA/BGS Gem Mint 10 examples being the true blue chip investments. But overall, the 1990 Topps set established itself as one of the most recognized issues that is still widely collected today for its blend of future Hall of Famers, budding superstars, and vintage Topps design aesthetic.
