The 1990 baseball card season was a pivotal year in the history of the hobby. While wax packs were still readily available on store shelves, the boom of the late 1980s was subsiding. Many kids who fueled the craze in the late ’80s were getting older and losing interest in collecting. This created an opportunity for certain rare and valuable rookie cards from 1990 to gain prominence in the decades since as the original fan base aged into adulthood.
One of the most infamous and valuable rookie cards from 1990 is the Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck card. Griffey was already considered a blue-chip prospect in the Seattle Mariners organization and his rookie season in 1990 lived up to the hype as he hit .284 with 22 home runs and 61 RBI in 113 games. The true rarity and demand for this card comes from it only being available in the high-end Upper Deck brand. While Topps, Donruss and Score all featured Griffey rookie cards in 1990, the Upper Deck version has always been considered the premium issue due to Upper Deck’s superior technologically advanced card stock and design at the time. In high grade and especially in gem mint condition, a 1990 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck rookie card can be worth over $500 today and has even sold for as much as $2,500 in mint condition slabs. The Griffey Upper Deck rookie is undoubtedly one of the key rookie cards collectors search for from the entire 1990 season.
Another incredibly valuable rookie card from 1990 is the Frank Thomas ’90 Leaf card. Like Griffey, Thomas was on the fast track in the Chicago White Sox organization in 1990 and he won the American League Rookie of the Year after batting .317 with 21 home runs and 78 RBI. His rookie card was not included in the flagship Topps, Donruss or Score sets that year which makes the ’90 Leaf card his truest rookie. Leaf was a much smaller regional brand compared to the ‘big three’ of Topps, Donruss and Score which contributes to the card’s rarity today. A PSA Gem Mint 10 graded version of this Thomas rookie recently sold for $3,500. Even in lower, raw condition a 1990 Frank Thomas Leaf rookie in good shape can command $200+. This highlights how powerful having the sole true rookie card designation can be to a card’s long term collectibility and value.
While the Griffey and Thomas rookies understandably get the big publicity, there are other valuable 1990 rookies worth bringing up as well. The 1990 Upper Deck Chipper Jones rookie card stands out for historically being one of the scarcest UD rookies ever produced. The rarity doesn’t seem to correlate to Jones’ status as a superstar either – it remains scarce because Upper Deck simply didn’t make many copies. In gem condition a Chipper Jones 1990 UD RC has sold for over $1,000. The Javy Lopez rookie is also rare considering he emerged as a star power-hitting catcher for the Atlanta Braves. The 1990 Score Javy Lopez rookie in high grade can reach the $200-300 range. Another key rookie at a surprisingly affordable price point is the 1992 Pinnacle Kevin Young card. He enjoyed two very good seasons in 1990-1991 which makes his 1992 Pinnacle card a usable rookie for the skilled third baseman. This RC can be acquired in respectable condition for under $50.
While 1991 is considered the pinnacle sports card year of the 1990s boom, 1990 had its fair share of valuable rookie cards released as well. Savvy collectors understand the long term value locked inside key upper-end brands like Upper Deck and vintage regional issues like the 1990 Leaf Frank Thomas. The Hall of Fame talents of Griffey, Thomas, and even Chipper Jones ensure their 1990 rookie cards will retain relevance in the hobby for decades to come. Keeping an eye out for these select rookies from the 1990 season can yield great rewards both in price appreciation and nostalgia for anyone who enjoyed the baseball card phenomenon of the early ’90s.
