One of the most valuable and sought after rookie cards from the 1989 Donruss set is the Ken Griffey Jr. card. Griffey Jr. went on to have a legendary Hall of Fame career and is widely considered one of the greatest players of all time. His lively swing and highlight reel catches made him hugely popular with fans. In near mint to mint condition, Griffey’s rookie card can fetch thousands of dollars today. A PSA 10 graded Griffey Jr. rookie recently sold for over $25,000, showing just how desirable this card remains among collectors.
Another extremely valuable rookie card from the 1989 Donruss set is the Frank Thomas card. Thomas enjoyed a dominant, 19-year career largely spent with the Chicago White Sox. He won two MVP awards and racked up over 500 home runs and 1900 RBIs in his career. Thomas was one of the purest hitters of his generation with prodigious power to all fields. His rookie card remains one of the key rookie cards from the late 1980s/early 1990s. A PSA 9 Thomas rookie sold for over $11,000 in 2022, while a PSA 10 grade copy could likely sell for $20,000 or more given its rarity and Thomas’ Hall of Fame profile.
Beyond rookie cards, players with impressive careers and championships under their belt also yield desirable cards from 1989 Donruss. For example, the Kirby Puckett card has value given his 12 accomplished seasons patrolling centerfield for the Minnesota Twins. Puckett led the Twins to World Series victories in 1987 and 1991 and was known for his elite defense, clutch hitting and winning demeanor. A PSA 9 Puckett from 1989 Donruss recently sold for over $6,500 showing there is strong demand for cards featuring impactful star players even after they’ve had their rookie seasons.
Another established star card with high value is the Jose Canseco issue from 1989 Donruss. Canseco broke into the majors in 1985 and was already a two-time All-Star and home run champion by 1989 following his stellar rookie campaign the prior year. He went on to win the MVP that season and help spark the late 1980s/early 1990s power surge in Major League Baseball thanks to his prodigious pull power. While Canseco’s career and reputation have been controversial, his on-field heroics mean his 1989 Donruss still garners over $500 PSA graded.
Beyond the obvious star rookies and veterans, there are also valuable short prints from the 1989 Donruss set that collectors target. These include cards like the Dwight Gooden SP which features an action photo and hits over $100 PSA graded despite Gooden already being an established star by 1989. Other tough-to-find short prints like Will Clark, Bo Jackson and Ozzie Smith typically sell for $50-$150 per card depending on grade and condition from PSA or BGS. Even lesser known players who happen to have scarce short prints can pique collector interest like Bill Gullickson’s 1989 Donruss SP which sold for around $80 graded recently.
Lastly, autographed and memorabilia cards from 1989 Donruss hold immense value given how long ago the set was issued. For example, a Ken Griffey Jr. autographed rookie card recently sold for nearly $11,000. A Frank Thomas autographed rookie exceeded $2,000. Even autographs of role players have value, such as a Rickey Henderson autograph that fetched over $500. Memorabilia cards are especially prized, like a Jose Canseco dual bat/jersey relic that sold for $850. With inserts, parallels and oddball parallel short prints included, there remains no shortage of valuable1989 Donruss collectors chase at shows, on eBay and through other platforms in the thriving vintage collecting scene today. The 1989 Donruss set released at the peak of the junk wax era still has plenty of jewels that retain or gain value decades later.
