We recommend investing as much as 15% of your investment into high-end sports cards. Cards measure 2.5 x 3.75, a quarter-inch length than the post-1957 standard-size trading card. If you want to add the number one Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card to your collection, be sure and buy a card that is graded and authenticated by PSA. The cards are rare with no single variation having more than 20 PSA 10 cards as of May 2021. Griffey Jr. batted left-handed in addition to throwing left-handed. center fielders in the history of professional baseball. The 1988 Cal League set features 50 of the top players in the California League 1988. The card is extremely rare and iconic which both contribute to driving up the price. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Once again, the mass production of this base set keeps the value down. However, there is no base set Topps Griffey rookie card. Griffey Jr. played 22 seasons primarily with the Mariners and Reds. Due to the cheap cardstock, many cards have uneven borders, soft corners, or chipping ink on the edges. 1 draft pick, its rare that a players on-field accomplishments live up to the hype. He ended the year playing for the Vermont Mariners, a Class AA Eastern League. Sorry about that. ROOKIE CARD USA 10 GEM MT. Dont take a chance buying a raw Ken Griffey Jr. RC, as the odds of it grading high are not great, The 1989 Upper Deck RC #1 and the 1989 Bowman Tiffany RC are tops regarding return on investment (ROI), If you can find an SGC Gold 100 or Black Label Ken Griffey Jr. RC, BUY IT! His 1989 Upper Deck Rookie Card is one of the most famous cards in the hobby, ranking right up there with Jordan, Jeter, and Brady regarding popularity search on Google. The following list highlights the most valuable 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. cards. Griffey signed a nine-year, $112.5 million deal with the Reds. The latters Gem Mint versions sell for roughly $25. As of May 2021, there are ~3,900 PSA 10 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck Star rookie cards and the card value is ~$2,200. Moreover, the image and design make this an iconic Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card, which helps add value and longevity to its collectibility. As of May 2021, there are ~1,700 PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr. Donruss The Rookies cards and the card value is ~$225. I updated it. I like the card and it is a relatively safe buy given the popularity among collectors and investors. Father and son played in a total of 51 games for the Mariners from 1990 to 1991. The only notable card in the set is the #26 Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card. 6. In fact, there are more than twice as many 89 Fleer cards graded in a PSA 10 as there are Donruss. Read the full disclosure here. 1988 Star (Nova Edition) cards have 500 sets and 40 promo cards for each player. Similar to the last card, the 1989 Pacific Cards & Comics Ken Griffey Jr. rookie superstars card is also extremely rare and hard to find. The rarity and condition-sensitive material allow the value of this card to stay competitive. $1.09. The Ken Griffey Jr Score Traded rookie card is an ideal starter card for kids or new collectors not looking to spend hundreds. However, due to the unusual way Donruss distributed this product, none of these are considered true rookie cards. Little wonder Junior was a 13-time All-Star, the 1997 American League MVP, and a National Baseball Hall of Fame member. Father and son played in a total of 51 games for the Mariners from 1990 to 1991. Card Number: #1. Like the Tiffany editions, this premium version of its standard card has a glossy finish and higher quality card stock. As you can see, condition plays a huge role in determining the value of the card. Of those sent in, 118 graded gem mint 10 and 637 mint 9. Everything comes together. Griffey Jr. is about to make contact (or just made contact) with the baseball and is framed by a brightly lit background of pinks, reds, yellows, and oranges. However, prepare to shell out at least three digits for this one. This leaves the supply low and forces the price up. Rookie Card #33 should give you an excellent return after a few years. Griffey makes up a 34-card set for Seattles Single-A team. Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards are one of the top investments in the hobby from an ROI perspective. Sign in to check out. PSA graded 3,867 of Griffeys Baseball Best cards with 477 grading gem mint 10. GET FREE SPORTS CARD INVESTING TIPS BY EMAIL. This is due to many factors, including poor cutting techniques, whitening on the dark borders, cheap cardstock, and overall cheap manufacturing techniques. Ken Griffey Jr.'s baseball cards are available in at least 43 sets. 1989 Score Traded #100T Estimated PSA 10 Value: $100 Like Donruss "The Rookies" and Topps Traded, Score also released this smaller box set outside of their main release. This is due to the much lower population count: ~150 for the Bowman Tiffany compared to ~2,000 for the Bowman, and the glossy finish of the Bowman Tiffany card. Of the 15,000 sets made, 3,441 have made their way into PSA for grading. This is the best Bowman Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie card on the market. As of May 2021, there are 250 PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr. Classic Travel Update II rookie cards and the card value is ~$185. Buy Ken Griffey Jr. baseball trading cards from Baseball Card Stars, the player collector's supersite. PSA 10 examples of the Platinum have sold for as much as $13,000, while PSA 9s have soared over $1,000. Blue versions are said to have at most 5,000. Unfortunately, there is no set formula for calculating card values, but historical prices typically give you a good indicator of future price in the short-term. As you can see, the card has gained roughly 45% since 1/1/2017, while the S&P 500 is at 9.39%. He played high school baseball for two years, hitting .478 and 17 home runs during that span. Hobby dealers received one regular (non-Tiffany) Topps Traded set for each Tiffany set ordered. However, prepare to shell out at least three digits for this one. He was one of the rare players who excelled in both offense and defense. I wasnt aware of any card from 1991 being considered a rookie card! With such a massive supply, the price stays suppressed. Limited information is available for population count and price, but a PSA 10 card like the one pictured below sold for ~$900 in April 2021. 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck Rookie Card, 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck rookie cards, Despite hundreds of Juniors rookie cards on the market, the, top-quality version is virtually flawless . This was Bowmans first year of production since 1955, the year Topps bought it to eliminate competition. PSA has graded just 2,166 of the 6,000, with 333 grading gem mint 10. Griffey is a lefty, so youll notice his glove is on his right hand. Ken Griffey Jr. was my favorite player growing up and I am fortunate to own several Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards valued at ~$2,000 in 2021. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. For example, Topps made approximately 15,000 of the 89 Topps Trade sets. - 1991 Post Collector Card 134458195204 Rookie Card 1989 Bowman #220 . The value of a PSA 10 is between $8,000 $10,000. This card isnt on the radar of most collectors but is a true beauty and is very underrated. It is always best to buy cards graded and authenticated by a third-party grading company such as PSA, BGS, or SGC. The card features the classic Donruss Rated Rookie logo which increases the appeal for many collectors and investors. Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards are one of the top investments in the hobby from an ROI perspective. The glossy sheen on the front and blue ink on the back. 1989 boxes are emerald green, similar to 1990. $12.95. Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. Not only can he hit a baseball a mile away, but he can also frustrate the opposition with his defense. Furthermore, the Update II appears rarer than the first series card. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. The 1989 Classic Travel Update I is among the more common Griffey Jr. rookie cards and as a result, is also relatively affordable. Moreover, there are 14,482 graded PSA 9. The classic Bowman Logo is plastered in the top left-hand corner, while his autograph is PRINTED at the center bottom (i.e., this is not an actual Ken Groffey Jr. Autograph as it is printed). Notables include Ken Griffey, Jr., Gary Sheffield, Tino Martinez, and John Smoltz. Griffey poses in the standard baseball card stance with the bat over his shoulder and smiling for the camera. It was during this time that this photo was taken for the team set. This top-quality version is virtually flawless near-perfect centering, sharp corners and edges, and a stain-free surface. Rookie Cards (2021). One of the most popular, if not the most, is Ken Griffey Jr.s non-rookie card. There were reportedly only 6,000 sets printed. Each card includes a descriptor (e.g., Career Stats) which appears at the bottom of the card, as well as a unique image. Topps Project 70 Companion Chase Card By DJ Skee #931C $4,500 This striking design (pardon the pun!) He spent two years in the minors before the Mariners called him up to the majors on April 3, 1989. The 1988 Cal Cards Ken Griffey Jr. card is a prospect card from his 1988 season, one year after he was drafted and one year before his rookie year in 1989. Even Griffey Jr. himself reportedly owns more than 100 of this iconic card, which helps define the modern era of collecting. Ken Griffey Jr RCs came off the presses in 1989 with a crazy amount of cards to choose from as they were released during the 'junk wax era'. The 1988 Cal League All-Stars Griffey Jr. prospect card is also extremely rare and relatively expensive. He was also won the American League MVP in 1997. Grown men and kids were paying big money collecting these with the expectation that in 30 years, they would get an excellent return. As of May 2021, there are ~750 PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr Bellingham prospect cards and the card value is ~$1,000. Of those graded, 939 are in gem mint condition. Beckett hasnt given any grades of 10 for this card, but there are 86 cards that have received a 9.5. Remember, this set is from the junk wax era and has a massive supply. It gives Fleer, Topps, and Upper Deck a severe run for their money. While PSA received around 1,800 copies of this card for grading, only over 300 copies received the elusive Gem Mint rating. Rookie Card Estimated PSA 10 Value: $400 Check Prices On: Amazon The hype surrounding Griffey in 1989 was incredible and everyone was after this and his other rookie cards of the day. Show details His rookie cards are coveted by collectors across the globe and have been in the dreams of kids since 1989, particularly the legendary 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck Rookie Card. SHOP PSA 10 GRADED 1989 KEN GRIFFEY JR. UPPER DECK RC #1 ON EBAY. Back in 1955, Bowman designed a set of cards with players filling a TV screen. On September 14 that year, they hit consecutive home runs in the first inning against the California Angels. Just because an auction says, Tiffany in the title does not mean the card came from a Tiffany set. This card can be a cornerstone of any Ken Griffey Jr. card collection, but it will cost your more than $2,000 for a PSA 10 card. As of May 2021, there are ~2,000 PSA 10 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. A sure way to know if the set has one is if they contain 50 cards. Similar to the Topps Traded sets, these are in small, palm-sized boxes. The price has fluctuated quite a bit lately with a PSA 10 selling for ~$700 in March and then the price dropping to ~$185 in April. Griffey was also a 10-time American League Gold Glov, made MLB history by becoming the first father and son t. andem to play in the same game in 1990. These numbers are much lower than most of his other rookies, which is why they sell for so much. Another rookie card features a photo of Junior without his most fearsome asset his bat. Shop COMC's extensive selection of ken griffey jr. rookie related baseball cards from 1989. Keep your eyes peeled for factory-sealed tins. The Bowman cards were more significant than usual, measuring 2 1/2 x 3 3/4, and featured a full-color photo of Ken on one knee (see below for a rarer version). Remember to always keep a lookout for fakes and reprints. Having 19 PSA 10s makes this one of Griffeys rarest rookie cards and most valuable. While over 40,000 copies of the Ken Griffey Jr. rated rookie card have been graded by PSA, fewer than 2,000 have been graded PSA 10.