The 1989 Topps baseball card set is considered a key vintage set from the late 1980s. It was the 67th annual set issued by Topps and contains 528 cards in the base set. Some of the key rookie cards included in the 1989 Topps set are Barry Larkin, Gregg Olson, and Ruben Sierra. With it being a major release from over 30 years ago, the condition and particular players featured on individual cards can have a large influence on their valuation today.
Common cards from the 1989 Topps baseball set in poorly graded near-mint or worse condition are valued around 25 cents to $1 each. There are some standout rookie cards and cards of star players that can be worth notably more, especially in top mint condition grades. For example, the Barry Larkin rookie card is usually valued around $15-30 in raw near-mint to mint condition but can fetch over $100 if graded and encapsulated by a reputable company in gem mint 10 condition. The Gregg Olson rookie similarly is valued around $10-20 raw but could reach $50+ in a PSA 10 grade.
Outside of rookie cards, the most valuable standard issue cards from the 1989 Topps set tend to feature all-time great players who were in their primes during that season. Cards like Ken Griffey Jr., Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson, and Roger Clemens routinely sell for $5-15 each in top-graded mint condition. particularly in-focus, well-centered examples could command over $50 on the enthusiast market. Other star players like Wade Boggs, Ozzie Smith, Tony Gwynn, and Kirby Puckett have mint flagship cards valued around $3-10.
Some of the most expensive individual standard cards in the 1989 Topps baseball set are the Frank Thomas rookie/debut and Griffey Jr. Update cards. TheFrank Thomas is very highly sought after, as it was one of the earliest cards issued showing him as a member of the Chicago White Sox after being called up late in 1988. Examples in PSA 9-10 grade routinely sell for $100-300 each on auction sites due to his eventual Hall of Fame career. Meanwhile, the Griffey Jr. Update replaces his photo on the original issue and is considered a key “chase” card – with mint copies valued around $150-500.
There are several memorable insert cards found throughout 1989 Topps packs that can hold significant value as well. This includes stars like Nolan Ryan’s “5000 Strikeouts” acknowledgement card and Orel Hershiser’s “59 Scoreless Innings” recognition for breaking Don Drysdale’s record. High quality versions of inserts like these focused on memorable single-season achievements are often valued between $30-150 depending on the player and condition.
When assessing conditions, the most coveted grades for vintage 1989 Topps cards among serious collectors are PSA 9 and PSA 10. While there are other respected third-party graders, PSA remains the gold standard. Even still, raw near-mint or better condition examples can satisfy most casual collectors. But for the true enthusiasts, only pristine, flawless specimens in the coveted PSA 10 “gem mint” holders will do. While common cards may have minimal value, the right rookie cards, stars, and inserts from the iconic 1989 Topps set can be quite valuable – especially in impeccable condition.
