The 1989 Bowman baseball card set is considered one of the most iconic releases from the late 1980s. While the majority of cards from this set hold relatively little value today, there are a select few that are highly sought after by collectors and can be worth a considerable amount of money depending on the player, grade, and condition of the card. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most valuable 1989 Bowman baseball cards:
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card – Without question, the crown jewel of the 1989 Bowman set is Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card. As one of the most hyped prospects in MLB history, Griffey lived up to expectations with a legendary 22-year career. His rookie card is arguably the greatest of all time and exemplifies the peak of the junk wax era in the late 80s/early 90s. PSA 10 pristine copies have sold for well over $100,000, with the highest publicly recorded sale being $255,500. Even well-centered PSA 9 examples can fetch $10,000+.
Roberto Alomar Rookie Card – Like Griffey, Roberto Alomar emerged as a future Hall of Famer and one of the best second basemen ever. His rookie card is the second most valuable from the ’89 Bowman set. High-grade PSA 10s have sold for $15,000-20,000, with PSA 9s in the $3,000-5,000 range depending on centering and edges. A true star talent, Alomar had a long, successful career and his rookie remains very popular.
Tom Glavine Rookie Card – As a 300-game winner and two-time Cy Young award recipient, Tom Glavine had a Hall of Fame career. His rookie card saw a bump in popularity and value after Cooperstown induction in 2014. PSA 10s have sold for up to $8,000, with PSA 9s averaging around $1,500 for a nice example. Not in the same league as Griffey or Alomar, but Glavine rookies hold steady demand.
Greg Maddux Rookie Card – Despite four Cy Youngs of his own and a likely first-ballot Hall induction, Greg Maddux’s rookie card isn’t quite as coveted as his HOF contemporaries. Still, high-grade PSA 10s can pull $3,000-5,000 with most PSA 9s selling in the $500-1,000 range. A solid investment grade rookie for the legendary pitcher.
Other Notable Rookies – Ozzie Smith, Craig Biggio, Gregg Jefferies rookie cards have all sold in the $500-1,000 range for PSA 9s depending on the individual player demand. Also, stars like Frank Thomas and David Justice had solid early careers that add value to their ’89 Bowman rookies graded 9-10.
While the 1989 Bowman set produced gems for collectors, the true blue chip valuable cards revolve around the rookies of future Hall of Famers like Griffey, Alomar, Glavine and Maddux. Top grades in pristine condition can command five-figure prices or higher for the elite rookie stars from this iconic release that defined the late 80s baseball card boom. For collectors, lower-end copies of these valuable cards can still hold steady long-term value well above typical junk wax era products.
