The 1989 baseball card season was a transitional year in the hobby. The junk wax era of the late 1980s had saturated the market with mass-produced cards and driven down the value of common cards. Several high-profile rookies from this season would go on to have exceptional careers and their rookie cards are now highly sought after by collectors.
One of the most valuable 1989 cards is the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. Griffey was one of the most exciting young players to enter the league in decades and was poised for superstardom from the beginning. His upper deck rookie card is the most coveted and can sell for thousands of dollars in near-mint condition to gem mint. The standard Griffey rookie from Donruss and Fleer are also very valuable, ranging from several hundred to over $1000 depending on grade. Griffey would go on to have a Hall of Fame career and his rookie is a staple in virtually all vintage baseball card collections.
Another monster rookie from 1989 was Barry Larkin of the Cincinnati Reds. Larkin was a superb all-around shortstop who brought excitement and defense to the position. He collected over 1900 hits and won an MVP during his career. The Larkin rookie card available in packs that year was produced by Topps and Donruss. High grade versions can sell for $300-600. Like Griffey, Larkin had a long and productive career that helped his rookie card retain value over decades.
While Griffey and Larkin had the highest profile rookie cards, there were other young talents that year that hold significance for collectors. The Derek Jeter rookie from Topps is highly sought after for the longtime Yankee shortstop. Chad Mottola’s rookie reveals he was a can’t-miss prospect who didn’t pan out as expected. Tom Glavine rookie cards hint he would become a premier left-handed pitcher. And the Chipper Jones rookie reveals his potential as a switch hitting third baseman for the Atlanta Braves. Each of these players had Hall of Fame caliber careers and their rookie cards can still demand $100-300 depending on condition.
In terms of star veterans, the most valuable 1989 cards tend to revolve around all-time greats in pristine condition. A near-mint T206 Honus Wagner can sell for over $1 million. A gem mint NNOF Jackie Robinson from 1948 traded hands recently for $480,000. Even late-career legends from 1989 have retained value. A PSA 10 graded Ken Griffey Sr. card sold at auction for over $1000. A flawless Nolan Ryan sold for around $2000 given his statistical milestones that year. At the time, these veterans didn’t seem exceptionally rare, but years of appreciation and pop culture significance have boosted their prices.
Outside of the headliners, there are also 1989 cards that hold value due to unusual variations, limited print runs, or because they depict championship moments. The Frank Thomas Rookie Award Card is valued around $100-300 because it was inserted randomly instead of in packs. The NNOF 1989 Blockbuster Kirby Puckett is prized around $500 since it commemorated his World Series heroics. And the illusory Narron Chace Purple Refractor with an print run under 100 copies frequently auctions above $1000.
While much of the 1989 offerings were considered “junk wax” by later standards, savvy collectors understood even then that rookie cards of future legends like Griffey and Larkin would retain long term value. Coupled with the inherent scarcity of select parallels, inserts or stars in pristine condition, today the 1989 season offers vintage collectors plenty of intriguing options at various price points to invest in the origins of some all-time great careers. The combination of high-quality young talent with established veterans makes it one of the most balanced rookie classes in the modern era.
