One of the most desirable and valuable 1991 Fleer baseball cards is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was one of the biggest young stars in baseball at the time and his rookie card is considered one of the best and most sought after of the modern era. In gem mint condition, Griffey’s 1991 Fleer rookie currently sells for thousands of dollars, often reaching into the five-figure price range depending on the exact grade. Even well-worn copies still command hundreds due to the iconic status of this card and Griffey’s legendary career. The card features fantastic artwork of a young Griffey grinning in his Mariners uniform and remains one of the crown jewels for any baseball card collection from the early 1990s.
Another extremely valuable card from the 1991 Fleer set is the Chipper Jones rookie card. Like Griffey, Jones went on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is a hugely important piece of memorabilia from that era. Chipper’s rookie card tends to sell for far less than Griffey’s on average since he was not quite as huge of a star right away, but mint and near-mint examples can still reach four-figure prices. The Jones rookie is equally iconic in its own right though and is essential for any Atlanta Braves or 1991 Fleer collection. The card depicts Chipper in his distinctive batting stance during his early years with the Braves organization. Continued strong demand keeps values high for this legendary first-year card.
In addition to rookies of future stars, the 1991 Fleer set is also home to valuable cards showing then-current greats like Nolan Ryan and Kirby Puckett. The Nolan Ryan card does not portray his iconic Astros or Angels days but rather sees him as a Ranger near the end of his career. However, Ryan’s legendary status and the significance of his career stats and accomplishments make any card from his 27-year career highly sought after. Graded mint copies of the 1991 Fleer Ryan have sold for well over $1000. Kirby Puckett also appeared during his late-1980s/early-1990s Twins heyday that saw him help lead Minnesota teams favored by many collectors. Higher-grade versions of Puckett’s 1991 Fleer card can reach the $500-700 range. Both Ryan and Puckett remain hugely popular veterans from the past and their inclusion in this classic set adds to its importance.
While rookie and star cards tend to overshadow others, there are also some less-hyped 1991 Fleer cards that can still hold substantial value depending on condition. For example, the very last card in the base set is dedicated to Nolan Ryan’s record-setting 5,000th career strikeout. Him achieving that milestone was a huge story in sports, and the commemorative card capitalizes on that history. Those discovered in immaculate mint have sold in the $800 range. Anotherhistorical 1991 Fleer card portrays Dave Stewart after he won the Cy Young Award with the A’s in that previous season. Stewart is a lesser-known name now but that accomplishment sparked strong collector interest at the time. Higher-grade versions can reach $500-$700 today.
Perhaps the single rarest and most valuable card from the entire 1991 Fleer baseball set lies hidden amongst the basic commons – the Griffey Airbrushed Error card. Only a small number are believed to still even exist due to the airbrushed paint on Griffey’s face. While not truly an “error,” the card stands out significantly from the standard rookie variant. Those that have surfaced at auction have sold alarmingly – one PSA 9 copy went for nearly $50,000 back in 2016. The extreme rarity and mystique surrounding this anomalous variation makes it arguably the single finest card to emerge from the 1991 Fleer release when discussing solely collectible and monetary value.
While the entire 1991 Fleer baseball set remains a vital part of card collecting history from the early 1990s, it is the rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Ken Griffey Jr. and Chipper Jones that take top billing as the most financially significant cards to look out for. High-grade specimens carrying these young superstars before they reached stardom will usually command the highest prices. Cards honoring then-active legends and milestones as well as elusive errors can still hold immense worth depending on condition and circumstances. The 1991 Fleer set played a monumental role in the early 90s boom and is rightfully remembered as one of the most important releases from that era.
