Other than a few exceptions, most of Juniors early cards sell for a fraction of what they once did. The 89 UD KG Jr. rookie card seems to do very well in times of distress as it rose in value while the S&P 500 tanked via the COVID-19 outbreak. Easily one of the most iconic cards in modern times, this card is a true classic that belongs in . As you read this now, its hard to imagine those five key innovations all happening overnight in one product. Donruss also released a "The Rookies" set in 1989 that was pretty much the same concept as Topps Traded. Historic sales data are completed sales with a buyer and a seller agreeing on a price. None of those companies, however, took much of a risk with who appeared on those cards. And to think, that box was considered a modern style TV set at the time. Hobbyists we spoke with differ on the exact reason. Once upon a time, a Ken Griffey Jr. While graded copies at the top of the scale can still bring in significant values, the card has suffered from a large supply. based in Fetus, MO, distributed these magnets that featured many different baseball and basketball players in individual plastic bags. Rarity? We credit that partly to the white borders and glossy finish. Most would argue the most iconic cards ever are the T-206 Honus Wagner and the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle. I have some Star promo cards from his early days. It was the object of affection for the golden age of baseball, and serious collectors rank it similar to the iconic T206 Honus Wagner and 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle baseball cards. Designed to promote a Ken Griffey Jr. chocolate bar, Pacifics first cards of the Hall of Famer come in three different versions. Please enter the verification code that you received on your email. I find them interesting. Vintage 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr ROOKIE card #1 EXMT RS ad vertisement by MikesMagazines. This particular card is one of the few from a major manufacturer to show Junior in action in 1989. One of the most iconic modern day baseball cards is arguably the Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck rookie card despite the big print runs. Off the top of my head, I am not familiar with the error. Have you ever seen an error version of the 1988 San Bernardino Spirit Best Platinum Ken Griffey Jr. #1 cards in which the word SPIRIT near Griffeys chest is printed in white, not blue? There weren't as many 1989 Topps Tiffany Griffeys printed as there were Bowman Tiffany Griffeys but that doesn't stop this card from being expensive. That said, with so much out there thats easy and affordable, it doesnt take much to go a step further with these Ken Griffey Jr. cards. #1, 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Read our, Ultimate Guide to Ken Griffey Jr. Fortunately, Sports Illustrated photographer V.J. 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. Taken together, the backs form a short biography of sorts for the soon-to-be superstar. Seattle eventually traded him to the Reds for pitcher Brett. The grey pinstripe background is instantly recognizable but it's just a bit boring, in my opinion. $135.00 1989 Upper Deck Baseball #1 Ken Griffey Jr Rookie Card Graded PSA 9 Mint $249.99 0 bids 1989 upper deck ken griffey jr rookie card psa 8 $62.01 13 bids And all of you will remember this: the fresh printing press smell of an Upper Deck pack being released as the wrapping was being torn. They also make the card susceptible to corner and edge damage. A total of 15,000 team sets were made. I swapped him for two cards of little value and made this young lads day, week, year, which was so worth it to see he could barely contain himself. While thats hurt values to a certain extent, thats about all it hurts. It's not hard to find but it does land a higher value than his other Score issues on this list. It was released separately as a late-issue promo. #1, 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card Graded BGS 9.5 Gem Mint #220, 1989 UPPER DECK KEN GRIFFEY JR. #1 ROOKIE RC BGS 9.5, 9.5, 9, 9 MINT! Sports Card Investing: Maximize Portfolio Returns (Ultimate Guide), 10 Best Football Card Packs to Buy in 2023, In-Depth Sports Card Market Trends and Statistics (2023). . Both PSA and BGS have graded about 2,400 9.5s or 10s. As far as rarity goes, this is the toughest Ken Griffey Jr. minor league card to find. We typically only invest in PSA 10, PSA 9, BGS 9.5, and SGC Gold 100. Info on Beckett Grading can be found at beckett.com/grading. Meanwhile, across the room there were single cards of card #1 being bought and sold quickly at $4-6 each. Having it in your hands felt like holding a golden ticket to the Wonka Factory. Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners 1989 Upper Deck No.1 PSA Graded 8 Rookie Card $199.99 Free shipping KEN GRIFFEY JR 1989 UPPER DECK #1 STAR ROOKIE RC NM-MINT PSA 8 MARINERS (45. Ken Griffey Jr. [Star Rookie] prices (Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck) are updated daily for each source listed above. I have a team metal card of Ken Griffey Jr. Plus, the Topps Traded version has a glossier surface. As far as visuals go, Griffey looks a little more at home batting as opposed to his posed Rated Rookie card. He played at San Bernardino and Vermont in 1988.. Most, though, are best enjoyed for what they are rather than what theyre worth early cards of a generational talent that sparked the imagination of many and gave baseball one its most exciting role models. I have the error version slabbed in a PSA 9 holder. The regular 1988 Vermont Mariners team set from ProCards has a silver border. FLAWLESS! However, the Tiffany version benefits from a relatively limited print run (although not confirmed like some other Topps Tiffany sets, it's believed to be 15,000 copies) and a glossy finish. I cant verify yes or no. When you get the Gem Mint version, you have one of the best Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie sleeper cards. SGC vs. BGS vs. PSA Grading: Who Is Best in 2023? That means a glossy front and a back thats a little more crisp. We use cookies to help personalize content, tailor and measure ads, and provide a safer experience. Rookie Card #41T shows a boyish-looking Junior holding a bat. Rookie RC Seattle Mariners HOF (a) #1, 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr (RC) #1 #1, Ken Griffey Jr. Filling in 664 of the 700 card set would be fairly easy. Copyright 2023, Beckett Collectibles, LLC. The dark borders do no favors to the shadowed, smile-less photo. The number of Ken Griffey Jr. minor league cards isnt big but they do offer an extension beyond traditional rookies, covering a time when The Kid really was still a kid. Rookie Card #11, its still valuable. Tom Geideman would go from high school and Rookie Card Stock Broker, to a card shop and card company executive in little over a year and a half. The front of the 1989 Topps Tiffany Ken Griffey, Jr. what do you need to have for all of this? Joining them to fill this role was a bright young local teenager who everyone knew as the baseball prospect wiz. No More Secrets Puzzle Game, 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. He was also won the American League MVP in 1997. The 1988 season of MLB card releases ended much like the seven before. The 1989 Griffey Jr. Like Donruss "The Rookies" and Topps Traded,Score also releasedthis smaller box set outside of their main release. Rookie Cards. The artistic look and colorful backgrounds have a definite Peter Max vibe to them. 1989 Fleer Glossy Ken Griffey Jr. #5484. That's twelve dollars and fifty cents. However, lets not forget he was also a 10-time American League Gold Glove Award winner. In top condition, and certified as such, select Ken Griffey Jr. sharp corners and edges, and a stain-free surface. Upper Deck could not use minor league photos, and none existed of Griffey in Mariners garb. Auth. And the rest is history. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. And with more people buying more packs, production numbers ballooned. Those box sets didnt stop there. I do recall a few times when they would joke, printed the Griffey sheets again today. Years later, the rest of the set became almost irrelevant. Just wondering if Ken Griffey Jr 1998 Ultra fleer card #1 has any value? Rated Rookie card is among the most common Griffey Jr. rookie cards. When I was a kid I always wanted a Ken Griffey jr. rookie card now I have almost all the rookie cards except a couple. Griffey was trading well over $10. Since 1981, Topps, Donruss, and Fleer had released standard card sets in wax packaging. Although he was the Mariners number one overall draft pick in 1987, he had never appeared above Doulble-A to that point. Rookie Card #11, its still valuable. The first 26 though, where chosen to be Upper Decks Star Rookie subset. Few, if any cards since 1985 had that value. is the son of former major league outfielder, of the younger Griffey) was a fixture in the. 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. Donruss is one of the most famous baseball card brands during Griffeys era. Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards are one of the top investments in the hobby from an ROI perspective. The paper card is cheap and can be obtained for about $5. 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #1 RC. Theyre extremely tough to get, even straight from a pack or factory set. Rookie Cards #1 . And for good reason. Rookie. By navigating the site, you agree to the use of cookies to collect information. Reduced: $2,40399. Make no mistake, 1988 was a huge year for cards. This is the largest of the other 1989 rookie cards of Griffey Jr. That whopping sum is before adding in a a total of 99 "+" grades and 105 "Q" grades. its original I assure you! Ken Griffey Jr. was the home-run leader in the American League in 1994, 1997, 1998, and 1999. (see chart below). Classic made a couple of different Ken Griffey Jr. cards in 1989. Hes a genuine icon, sitting in the top tier of baseballs legends and influencers. Was: $125.00. Could you possibly tell me something about these rarities, Can you tell me what is the value of ken griffeys baseball cards #18,#101,#110,#140 & #591. Rookie Card joins Fleer, Bowman and Upper Deck as being his only mainstream pack-inserted RCs, but it's all kinds of drab. , outfielder Mike Cameron, and minor league players Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer on February 10, 2000. Rookie Card joins Fleer, Bowman and Upper Deck as being his only mainstream pack-inserted RCs, but its all kinds of drab. It's not quite as valuable as his "Rated Rookie" but still has decent value in top condition. On September 14 that year, they hit consecutive home runs in the first inning against the California Angels. This is probably the most recognizable Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card of them all. As far as Rookie Cards go, this one is plain except for the fact of whos on it. It gives Fleer, Topps, and Upper Deck a severe run for their money. @Todd Misprints like what youve described dont generally generate a lot of interest. 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! And some collectors may even debate if they're truly rookie "cards" or not since they're actually magnets. @John The Griffey RCs you see selling for large amounts have likely been graded and received top-tier grades. These are highlighted by a glossy card stock thats easy to feel. Seattle eventually traded him to the Reds for pitcher Brett Tomko, outfielder Mike Cameron, and minor league players Antonio Perez and Jake Meyer on February 10, 2000. Rookie Card, which remains a part of 80s pop culture. He was named Northwest League Player of the Week, June 16-22, with 3 HR and 8 RBI.. Upper Deck made headlines whenthey entered the card market in 1989with a more premium quality product. 1 in June 87 out of Cincinnatis famed Moeller HS, and 17-year-old Ken broke in with .320 and 14 HR at Bellingham that season.. I have a factory pack of 1989 upperdeck baseball still in wrapping,never open. If you have any questions or need help buying a Griffey Jr. RC, please email us at info@goldcardauctions.com and title the email Griffey RC Advice, and we will expedite the response if you cite this write-up. It starts with the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Thanks to slamming Sosa and the big mack baseball rookie cards are worth nothen. Very little was different in the way of creativity, packaging, design, and player selection. Perfect!! Got a question, story idea or want to get in touch? @Christian If you go to Beckett.com, you can type in any set name or player in the search bar at the top and see whats cataloged. I have had them put up for the past 30 years I will take a look at them time after time. He spent two years in the minors before the Mariners called him up to the majors on April 3, 1989. Not surprisingly, this is one of the most valuable Ken Griffey Jr. cards released during his rookie season. My dad thought we paid way too much for the card:). SportsCardsPro 2019-2023 Maybe even a case, or ten. We may never know for certain, but we do know there is no shortage. Like the earlier Orange card, its off the radar of a lot of collectors. Its not uncommon to find lots of 5, 10, 30. Griffey is shown following through on a swing in a great action shot. Like they did with a lot of players over the years, Star produced a small set dedicated to then-rookie Ken Griffey Jr. in 1989. I have 2 Ken Griffey Jr. I'm not sure if they're necessarily more rare than the orange but they do command a higher price, on average. How many of those could your non-collector friends identify? Its one of four cards in the set that highlight MLB-playing fathers and sons. -A Vermont in 1988 was cut short by a back injury. By David Poole. Notice the hole in Griffey's cap--that's where the little suction cup would be used to secure him to a window or wall. Topps wasnt the only company to offer slightly slicker versions of their base cards in the form of a premium factory set. The No. The back shows his stats during his minor league days. We are user supported. $139.99 or Best Offer 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr RookieChamps 9.5- $169.99 0 bids $4.95 shipping 3d 7h or Best Offer . His rise to fame also came at a time when the hobby was hitting its mainstream high. Vintage 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr ROOKIE card #1 EXMT RS Ad vertisement by MikesMagazines. I have a set of five Ken Griffey Junior cards from the 90s I bought them from a local card store the guy said they were one of a kind and I cant find anything on it and I think they are one of a kind theyre a set of five cards with his three minor league totals and then a major league total it says year club, I have a Ken Griffey jr#192 its got a white line on the front? The 1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. do you have any pictures? Any thoughts? Theyre also much more common. Your Account has been confirmed and activated successfully. Griffey made the Mariners opening day starting line-up after a spring training batting average of .359. They will be out of business in one year!. The 1989 Classic Travel Orange came as part of a factory set that came in a blister pack. Ive got a couple of excellent Griffeys and would like to have them done but trust anymore is a big deal. @Char The price guide can be accessed here (subscription required): https://www.beckett.com/price-guides/baseball. Father and son played in a total of 51 games for the Mariners from 1990 to 1991. You will not regret purchasing this bad boy with high grades. Like Bowman Tiffany, the 1989 Topps Traded Tiffany Ken Griffey Jr. is a little nicer that its regular counterpart. Making things tougher for those looking for top-condition cards is the fact that the Griffey is often found with rough centering. The dark borders do no favors to. But Iv read somewhere on the internet ..awhile back that a guy had another one or 2 & was was saying it was a flaw in the printer?are you familiar. Food-issue sets were still common in 1989. As of May 2021, there are ~1,800 PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr. Donruss Rated Rookie cards and the card value is ~$400. Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 1990 Score 2022 Panini Capstone Baseball Checklist, Team Set Topps adds Yu Darvish, Richard Petty and others to 2012 Allen & Ginter autograph lineup, Ken Griffey Jr.'s first White Sox cards coming next month, Original 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. RC Polaroid Sells for Almost $14,000, Signed Slabbed Rookie Cards Becoming Newest Trend in the Hobby, https://www.beckett.com/price-guides/baseball, Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 2022 Topps Archives Snapshots Baseball, 2022 Panini Flawless Collegiate Basketball Checklist and Details, 2022 Panini Phoenix Football Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 2022 Topps Allen & Ginter Chrome Baseball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 2022-23 Donruss Elite Basketball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 2022-23 Donruss Basketball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 2022 Bowman Inception Baseball Checklist, Team Set Lists and Details, 2022 Fleer Ultra Avengers Checklist, Odds and Details. But how many of those are featured in mainstream sports publications and cable programs, TV commercials, web sites and music videos? That said, the exact worth of any Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card is tough to determine and can vary greatly, but we have attempted to put together a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card price guide below. Amazing Example. In fact, its far from it. Between BGS and PSA, more than 90,000 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards have been graded. Ken Griffey Jr Upper Deck Rookie Baseball Cards Best Selling Upper Deck Baseball 1991 Edition 31 Unopened Packs.15 Cards per Pack. And if you know anything about the controversy surrounding the Billy Ripken card in this set, you'll realize this is the only set in which Griffey's card isn't the major highlight. Miss Collecting. A year later, Topps gave Heads Up a full release that is much more common. And who could forget the 1990 Topps All-Star Rookie Trophy that sits proudly in the bottom left corner? Sadly, dont expect to pull them out in another 25 years to help you out with retirement either. Free shipping for many products! Reduced: $15,99599. And Griffey's card, in particular, really captured his trademark swing in a unique format. While the print run of 6,000 may seem like a large number by todays standards, it is tiny for the era in which it was made. To execute his hunch would not be easy. He moved on to Classic Games until 1998, when he started SA-GE Sportscards with Robert Sadlak. There is a 4 in upper left hand corner on back of card is it worth anything??? Rookie Card, a true hobby classic. But we all know a good look means nothing without collectible content. Pro Tips When Buying a Ken Griffey Jr. Autograph Rookie Card Buy PSA/BGS/SGC graded cards. The Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie #1 is one of the most iconic cards in the hobby especially for more modern baseball cards. On the other hand, the former commands a heftier price on the market. The scarcest of the Fleer Glossy baseball sets, its still estimated that about 30,000 were produced. Production estimates quickly doubled. There are only about 60 Wagners. It's been one of my favorite Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards and one of my favorite cards of the "junk era" in general ever since I started collecting as a kid in the late 1980's. The color scheme really makes the card pop as does the great shot of Griffey taking a huge cut. The 26-card Star Rookie subset photo call out asked for 50 players. But to touch it, the Glossy version has the added sheen. I so remember this card!!! Rookie Card #33 should give you an excellent return after a few years. Rookie Card seemed like a viable investment opportunity. The design is exactly the same as the base card but the card stock itself is higher quality with a glossy look and feel. A few years ago, you could find these in PSA 10 condition for less than $50. Rookie 1 update #700, 1989 Upper Deck - #1 Ken Griffey Jr (RC) FAIR CONDITION ICONIC CARD #1, 1989 Upper Deck KEN GRIFFEY JR. #1 Rookie RC Mariners MINT GRADING 8.5 NM-MT+ #1, 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr RC Star rookie card Seattle Mariners HOF Sharp, Ken Griffey Jr 1989 Upper Deck Baseball HOF Rookie Card RC #1 Mariners NMT/MNT+ #1, 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. This small oddball set contained just fifteen cards in the checklist and had a look and feel to them reminiscent of the 1964 Topps set. Rookie Cards can still bring in solid numbers. That tells you all you need to know about just how much the card market ballooned in the late 1980's with massive print runs. Every effort . Lovero was on assignment to capture Ken Griffey Sr. on a day off and was able to add Junior in the shoot. Ryan M, The 90 Topps is cut out from the top of the wax box that the card packs came in. Any ideas on value? Channeling 1986 Topps Baseball with its design, a reported 5,000 sets were made making this card relatively hard to find. Now lets take a look at some of the best Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie cards for investment purposes and consider some of these for your new investment strategy if you havent already. One thing is certain no matter how many are out there, the demand remains high. 1 overall pick in the 1987 draft. I never even got my grubby mitts on a pack of Upper Deck cards. Get my weekly newsletter with the latest hobby updates delivered straight to your inbox! Rookie Cards came out in 1989. 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. rookie PSA 9 Mint! ', He continued, Honestly, I never saw them. Within the hobby, there have many important and more valuable rookie cards since 1989. Unlike the majority of his Rookie Cards (without taking professional grading into account), sales are in the hundreds. The only different between them is the background color: white, yellow and blue. Your Account has been confirmed and activated successfully. That makes it stand out a little more than its value. Griffey is the obvious standout in this minor league team set from Best. Anyone find a Griffey Jr in a High Series Box? I have a Bunch of Upper Deck loss cards including a Ken Griffey Jr card that I cannot find the value of. Upper Deck knew how popular Ken Griffey Jr, was among MLB fans, so they made a great business decision and included the Mariners young star as the #1 card in their inaugural set. The design is much like the other Donruss issues that year but features a "The Rookies" logo in the upper right corner. Card backs on the Tiffany cards are also much brighter. The back of the card reads, Kens first professional hit was a home run for Bellingham vs. Everett, 6-17-87. However, prepare to shell out at least three digits for this one. It was one of the few times I would cross paths with the pressmen. A great-looking card with a high-end price guide at high grades but worth it for the return on investment. Another rookie card features a photo of Junior without his most fearsome asset his bat. Combined, the pair revitalized and industry. Griffeys minor league stats and some trivia. The eBay advanced search is our preferred option, or you can also drop us an email, and we will do the work for you (which is the easiest way, in our opinion).