Channeling 1986 Topps Baseball with its design, a reported 5,000 sets were made making this card relatively hard to find. I have a Bunch of Upper Deck loss cards including a Ken Griffey Jr card that I cannot find the value of. While thats hurt values to a certain extent, thats about all it hurts. Youll see a photo of Junior holding a bat on the front of the card. Thanks for the thread and story on upper deck. Dont be afraid to go more in-depth in the subject? I remember when Upper Deck hit the shelves. This is a typical Donruss baseball card you wont find any flashy graphics or other eye candy. (or at minimum, put a bid on it as these cards will have a higher ROI vs. the standard PSA 10, BGS 9.5. MikesMagazines. The reverse of the card gives some interesting projections for his different rookie cards and even shows an image of his Donruss rookie in the upper right corner. As you read this now, its hard to imagine those five key innovations all happening overnight in one product. As more collectors come to recognize just how iconic Griffey was and they look to reconnect with the cards they used to chase, these have grown exponentially. The value of an ungraded 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card eventually climbed over $100. Their designs take thought and creativity. But we all know a good look means nothing without collectible content. Within the hobby, there have many important and more valuable rookie cards since 1989. As the one that started the craze, the 1989 UD rookie will bring back a lot of memories to many current and former collectors. Ken Griffey Jr. [Star Rookie] prices (Baseball Cards 1989 Upper Deck) are updated daily for each source listed above. Upper Deck came out at $1.00 a pack. The number of Ken Griffey Jr. Its one of the most iconic baseball cards of all-time. A PSA 10 would easily fetch five figures. -A Vermont in 1988 was cut short by a back injury. @Todd Misprints like what youve described dont generally generate a lot of interest. Visually, the 1989 Fleer Glossy Ken Griffey Jr. is the same as his main card. FREE shipping Add to Favorites 1994 Upper Deck All-Star Jumbos Ken Griffey Jr. Promo #P48, Mariners . Hobbyists we spoke with differ on the exact reason. I doubt it, though.. So that leads us to the question, how many are out there? I cant verify yes or no. 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). As of May 2021, there are ~1,800 PSA 10 Ken Griffey Jr. Donruss Rated Rookie cards and the card value is ~$400. The color scheme makes the card pop, as does the great shot of Griffey taking a massive cut. We also delve into some of his other 1989 releases that might not be quite as well known. The 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Donruss RC wont put a dent in your wallet thats the good news the bad is the ROI wont be a juicy vs the next few cards on this list.. The front of the card shows a young Junior getting ready to swing for the fences. 1989 Scoremasters, which is a Score release, was available through a mail-in offer as well as hobby shops. Those were the days of photo airbrushing to make uniform and logo changes. In a bit of irony, Griffey is actually allergic to chocolate. Rookie card has two versions: a paper card and a glossy Tiffany card. A great-looking card with a high-end price guide at high grades but worth it for the return on investment. its original I assure you! 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. His 1989 Upper Deck rookie is the crown jewel of Upper Deck's groundbreaking inaugural baseball set. Here are a few Ken Griffey Jr. baseball cards we love regarding return on investment (ROI) that are not rookie. Is it all about the grading and condition? As a brand, Classic was never quite in the oddball territory for cards but it wasnt exactly mainstream either. 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 . We are user supported. Free shipping for many products! In doing research for this piece, there were stories published that estimated the initial print run of Upper Deck Series I at 1 million of each card. The Upper Deck was a card shop in Southern California before it was a card company. Griffey made the Mariners opening day starting line-up after a spring training batting average of .359. These are quite easy to find but in pristine condition they can still go for over $30 making them among the more affordable mainstream Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards. There were so many different ones produced by so many different companies that it was hard to pick a favorite. Tom Geideman remained at Upper Deck through 1994. But we dont stop there. 1989 Topps was selling for $0.45 a pack. Much like the Bowman and Topps Tiffany releases, Fleer also produced a premium version of their cards that year. When you get the Gem Mint version, you have one of the best Ken Griffey, Jr. rookie sleeper cards. Its speculated that 150,000 of these sets were made, which helps to further illustrate how scarce the 1989 Bowman Tiffany Griffeys are. Another rookie card features a photo of Junior without his most fearsome asset his bat. Collectors could find other big names of the era like Don Mattingly, Mark McGwire, Ryne Sandberg and others but the Griffey is by far and away the most valuable in the set. 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. 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. Try not to confuse the 1989 Topps Traded rookie cards with the Topps Tiffany version. Other than a few exceptions, most of Juniors early cards sell for a fraction of what they once did. The Tiffany card has a glossy front compared to the regular version. The card features the classic Donruss "Rated Rookie" logo which increases the appeal for many collectors and investors. Rookie Card #41T shows a boyish-looking Junior holding a bat. The dark borders do no favors to the shadowed, smile-less photo. The 1989 Score, Masters Griffey Jr. RC artwork, is impressive and captures his trademark swing in a unique format. He will probably begin the 89 campaign at Triple-A Calgary since his projected half-season at Double-A Vermont in 1988 was cut short by a back injury. We credit that partly to the white borders and glossy finish. While it isnt as rare as the 1989 Star Ken Griffey, Jr. 1 thru 799. Equally important was the price. The front of the card shows a young Junior getting ready to swing for the fences. Griffey is shown following through on a swing in a great action shot. Once upon a time, a Ken Griffey Jr. The orange version was the first of the two and is fairly straightforward in design. Can you look up all baseball cards and players on that website? I have some Star promo cards from his early days. (see chart below). Rookie Cards. 1980s Baseball Cards, Beckett Grading Services, Collecting Tips. 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). Rookie Card #33 should give you an excellent return after a few years. Because its believed to be slightly short printed, card #2 the one where hes holding a ball might cost a little more. Rookie Cards Are Worth Grading. Right now you can get a Ken Griffey Jr. 1989 Upper Deck rookie card for 12.50. Copyright 2023, Beckett Collectibles, LLC. Griffey was also a 10-time American League Gold Glove Award winner, a seven-time Silver Slugger Award winner, and the 1992 All-Star Game MVP during his tenure in Seattle. Besides the regular Ken Griffey Jr. card, 1989 Bowman Baseball has a separate card picturing the young outfielder with his famous father. I've always liked the artwork of the 1989 Score Masters design. Years later, the rest of the set became almost irrelevant. Not to be confused with the four-card set dedicated to the rookie, this one was given out as part of a stadium-issue team set. Making things tougher for those looking for top-condition cards is the fact that the Griffey is often found with rough centering. Info on Beckett Grading can be found at beckett.com/grading. Raw copies of the 1989 Upper Deck Griffey below can be found for under $10. 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. Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards are one of the top investments in the hobby from an ROI perspective. But something happened along the way. Ask a dealer for a box that first weekend of release and its $35 for 36 packs. Just wondering if Ken Griffey Jr 1998 Ultra fleer card #1 has any value? We strive to provide simple, straightforward advice that is objective, independent, and honest, helping you get the most for your money in the sports card investment world. And they chose wisely in making Griffey Jr. card #1 in the set. The grey pinstripe background is instantly recognizable but it's just a bit boring, in my opinion. Trending: 10 Rookie Cards That Could Double Your Money | 10 Best Prizm Hobby Boxes To Buy Now | 10 Brilliant Joe Burrow Rookie Card Investments. 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. And if you wonder if being the #1 card maters? On the other hand, the former commands a heftier price on the market. 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? Father and son played in a total of 51 games for the Mariners from 1990 to 1991. Score 1990 1989 3 rising star rookie Ken Griffey jr card? Tallying 1,000 X your investment just rolls off the tongue nicely. Still, many agreed that the COVID-19 virus had much to do with it as collectors had ample time to sit around and browse baseball card listing on eBay (the stimulus check didnt hurt either). Food issues are typically not as popular as mainstream cards since they were typically only released in certain regions. Selling for $ 0.45 a pack card company Fleer also produced a premium version of their cards that.. 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