After all …

In many ways, the 1980s were the golden era of baseball card collecting.

What started as a relatively barren landscape with just one manufacturer (Topps) and one major set a year in 1980 ballooned to five card-makers and an almost countless array of issues by 1989.

Along the way, card collecting boomed in popularity, and card values — old and new — blew up right along with all the new people coming into the hobby.

Of course, bubbles are made to burst, and the hobby bubble did — the mountains of cardboard that once fueled our dreams of college educations, fancy cars, and early retirements turned into tainted memories nearly overnight.

But a funny thing happened on the way to oblivion … all us “old” guys started dusting off our cards once we got settled, and we discovered that we still loved them (most of us, anyway).

And that made them invaluable for the memories they evoked and the weepy-eyed nostalgia they stirred.

That wasn’t the end of the value those dusty old cards brought to the table, though.

Enough of us returned, in fact, that even 1980s cards have retained or regained much of their monetary value.

But which are the most valuable 1980s baseball cards?

Well, that’s what we’re here to answer …

So, with the help of the PSA Sports Market Report (SMR) price guide, below are the ten most valuable 1980s baseball cards based on PSA 9 listings in the SMR, presented in chronological order … and also with PSA 10 prices added, for a little extra WOW!

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. Also note that Tiffany sets were excluded from these listings since those cards were not widely available to collectors at the time of issue.)

1980 Topps Rickey Henderson Rookie Card (#482)

This Rickey Henderson rookie card wasn’t always the most valuable swath of cardboard from the hobby boom decade of the 1980s. Indeed, in the early years of his career, many fans and collectors still regarded Henderson as something of a curiosity — lightning fast, yes, but also a strange sort who would just as soon take a walk as get a hit.

Looking back now, of course, we can see that Rickey brought all kinds of value to his teams. He was a Sabermetrics darling before many people even knew what a Sabermetrics darling looked like.

But even before the onslaught of the Age of Analytics, Henderson won over the hobby by adding some power to his game, smashing just about every stolen base record in the books, winning the 1990 AL MVP award, and basically playing forever.

Today, after the dust of the boom and bust and recovery has mostly settled, Rickey sits atop the Eighties baseball card world with an RC that SMR lists at $2500 in PSA 9 and … get this … nearly $125,000 in PSA 10.

Wow!

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1980 Topps Nolan Ryan (#580)

Speaking of the top of the baseball card world … Nolan Ryan rocketed to the upper reaches of cardboard popularity during his late-career stint with the Texas Rangers, and he never really came back down.

In fact, you can just about bet that Ryan will be in the top two or three cards, value-wise, in pretty much every set where he appears, regardless of decade or competition.

That certainly holds true for the 1980 Topps set, where The Ryan Express checks in at $300 in PSA 9 and nearly $8000 in PSA 10.

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1982 Topps Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card (#21)

Cal Ripken, Jr., made his Major League debut during the strike-shortened season of 1981 while Fernando Valenzuela was stirring up his very own Mania for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thanks in part to Valenzuela’s success, fans and collectors were ready for more rookie excitement when 1982 rolled around, and they happily hyped Ripken as one of the youngsters to follow.

While many rooks fall short of expectations, though, Cal met and exceeded all the projections heaped upon him.

First, he won the 1982 American League Rookie of the Year award.

Next, he copped the 1983 AL MVP award while helping the Baltimore Orioles win the World Series.

Eight years later, when many thought he was over the hill, Cal snagged another MVP award.

And, oh yeah … he put together that interesting little Streak along the way to the Hall of Fame and a “meeting” with Lou Gehrig, the man he surpassed.

No surprise that Ripken’s 1982 Topps rookie card has been a hobby mainstay for more than 40 years, or that SMR has it pegged at $135 (PSA 9) and $1800 (PSA 10).

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1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken Jr. Rookie Card (#98T)

Of course, the real heavyweight among Ripken rookies is his 1982 Topps Traded card, issued after that ROY performance was in the books.

Part of the appeal is that this is Rip’s first solo Topps card after having shared his base card with Bob Bonner and Jeff Schneider.

The other main factor in the Traded card’s favor is that it was available only as part of the complete boxed set of 132 cards, making it scarcer than the more widely distributed base card.

Put it all together and you have a hobby heavyweight that lists for $500 (PSA 9) and $5500 (PSA 10).

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1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie Card (#248)

With apologies to every other card on this list and maybe every other baseball card ever outside of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle (faux) rookie, the 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card is the most important hunk of cardboard ever issued.

Simply put, if Mattingly and Donruss did not come together the way they did in 1984, with Mattingly exploding onto the scene and Donruss stepping up their game dramatically, hobby history would be completely different.

Maybe we still would have seen a boom … maybe a company like Upper Deck still would have sprung up … maybe Topps still would have found the fortitude and innovation to squash the competition (again).

Maybe.

But even if all those things had happened, they would have happened later. Probably much later.

As it stands, the ’84 Donruss Mattingly ignited the hobby fire for thousands of new collectors and revved up the imaginations of would-be cardboard speculators. So, whether you love the hobby post-1984 and what it’s become today, or whether you hate it, thanks (or blame) can be laid at the feet of one little 2-1/2″ x 3-1/2″ rectangle.

Among the most valuable 1980s baseball cards, it’s the one that played the biggest role in changing our (cardboard) world forever.

Even though Mattingly’s bad back robbed us all of the full extent of his potential glory, this classic card still sits at $100 (PSA 9) and $1000 (PSA 10).

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1984 Fleer Update Roger Clemens Rookie Card (#U-27)

Judging by his numbers, Roger Clemens is one of the five or so greatest pitchers who ever lived.

Judging by his lack of Hall of Fame votes, Roger Clemens is some sort of baseball pariah.

Still, his raw numbers are hard to ignore, and so are the memories of a young Rocket rocketing out of nowhere to capture the 1986 AL MVP and Cy Young awards with a 24-4, 2.48 ERA showing for the World Series-bound 1986 Boston Red Sox.

Couple that with his presence in the relatively scarce 1984 Fleer Update set — their debut end-of-year issue — and it’s not too surprising that this first-ever Clemens card still sits at $400+ and $2000+ for PSA 9 and 10 copies, respectively.

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1984 Fleer Update Dwight Gooden Rookie Card (#U-43)

While most collectors didn’t even know who Clemens was when he made his cardboard debut via the 1984 Fleer Update set, we could hardly stand the wait for Dwight Gooden’s first cards that fall.

After all, Dr. K had blazed through his rookie season with the New York Mets to the tune of 17-9, 2.60 ERA, 276 strikeouts en route to the NL ROY award.

Gooden was even better the next season in going 24-4, 1.53 to win the NL Cy Young award.

In between, his Traded/Update cards and 1985 base cards were just about the hottest in the hobby.

And, while Gooden fell off the table in a much different way than Clemens did, it’s hard to shake the memories of how spectacular Doc was early in his career.

Hence, this all-time great card comes in at $150 (PSA 9) and $450 (PSA 10).

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1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett Rookie Card (#U-93)

Like Clemens, Kirby Puckett was pretty much an unknown when he showed up in our 1984 Fleer Update sets (if you were lucky enough to score one of the sets, that is).

It didn’t take long for the Minnesota Twins spark-plug-fire-hydrant to start raking once he made it to the Majors, though. By the time he finished 1986 with a .328 batting average and 31 homers, collectors had taken notice.

Off we went to figure out where Puckett’s rookies lay — 1985 Donruss, 1985 Fleer, 1985 Topps, and — yes, thank you cardboard gods! — 1984 Fleer Update. By that point, we already knew the set was scarce, and it was already rocketing into the price stratosphere thanks to Clemens and Gooden.

Puckett soon joined those two in three-figure land, and that’s where he remains today: $200+ for PSA 9; $1000 or more for PSA 10.

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1985 Topps Mark McGwire Rookie Card (#401)

McGwire falls into the same general PED-tarnished bucket with Clemens and Barry Bonds, and his Hall of Fame chances have suffered because of it.

But while Big Mac’s statistical case for Cooperstown might not be as strong as those two gents’, he seems to be a much more sympathetic figure in general.

Amazing what a little humility and contrition can do.

At any rate, it’s tough for collectors to forget the magic of pulling a 1985 Topps Olympic McGwire card, whether from a pack, a set, or just a pile of cards. Whenever McGwire was on fire, so was this card.

Today, it’s a bit soft but still comes in at $75 (PSA 9) and $1100+ (PSA 10) according to SMR.

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1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#1)

If that 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly rookie card had never existed, the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey, Jr., rookie card may have been the one to ignite the hobby.

(That’s assuming you suspend your disbelief when it comes to the existence of UD in the absence of ’84 D Mattingly.)

It was a stroke of genius for the company who wanted to change the cardboard world to make the game’s premier prospect — the best we’d seen in a generation — their very first card. The marriage was magical and became even more so as both UD and Junior took off over the next decade.

While you can bicker about whether Upper Deck was ultimately good or bad for the hobby, and while you can deride Griffey’s late-career “achievements” with the Reds and White Sox (I know I have), there is no denying that the Griffey rookie card is an absolute hobby legend.

Today, it’s an under-$250 item in PSA 9, probably because so many have been thusly graded (92,000+), but a PSA 10 will set you back $2000 or more (according to SMR).

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—

So, which of these most valuable 1980s baseball cards is your favorite? And which pasteboards not included here do you think should be counted among the most valuable 1980s baseball cards?

I’d love to hear your thoughts!

(Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)

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Consider …

In the National League West, the Los Angeles Dodgers took down the Big Red Machine Cincinnati Reds to continue a run of success that began in 1974 and would last through the late 1980s, with six division titles, five pennants, and two World Series championships.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies would win their second NL East crown in a row en route to three straight before winning the 1980 World Series and losing the 1983 Fall Classic to the Baltimore Orioles.

In the AL West, the Kansas City Royals were a near-mirror-image of the Phils, logging their second of three straight division titles en route to a World Series loss in 1980, another division title in 1984, and a world championship in 1985.

In the AL East the New York Yankees were on the cusp of their second AL pennant, which would lead to the first of two Series titles in a row. They would also win another division title in 1980 and then squeeze through to the World Series in 1981 after exploiting the fouled-up playoff scheme of the strike-shortened 1981 season.

And what’s the best way to reminisce about all this royalty (Royalty?)?

Why, with 1977 Topps baseball cards, of course!

To celebrate this underrated classic, here are the ten most valuable cards from the set, culled from recent eBay sales of specimens in PSA 8 condition and starting at the bottom (well, at #10).

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed.

1977 Topps George Brett (#580)

When the 1977 Topps set debuted, George Brett was still just 23 years old, but he’d already won a batting title (.333 in 1976), made an All-Star team (1976), and garnered MVP votes for two years running.

The best was yet to come, of course, and Brett would pretty much cement his status as a first-ballot Hall of Famer before the 1980s were through.

Although not quite as iconic as his first two issues, the 1977 Topps card of this Kansas City Royals legend still sells regularly on eBay (and through other avenues) — less than $10 for raw copies, but a good hunk more in PSA 8.

Value: $60-80

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1977 Topps Reggie Jackson (#10)

When this 1977 Topps Reggie Jackson card was issued, Reggie was already something of a legend from his years with the Oakland A’s.

But it wasn’t until that fall, his first with the New York Yankees, when Reggie would really become Mr. October.

This card features a pretty bad airbrush job, but Topps did a rush job to get Reggie in his new togs after one year with the Baltimore Orioles — proof of their late change exists in the form of an almost mythical Reggie-with-Orioles proof card.

This “normal” Reggie is popular in its own right, pulling in about $5 in raw condition.

Value: $65-80

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1977 Topps Pete Rose (#450)

Pete played all over the diamond for the Reds, but he was at third base for the peak of the Big Red Machine in 1975 and 1976. That’s were we find him on his 1977 Topps cards, too, fresh off a .323 campaign that netted him one of his many All-Star appearances and a fourth-place finish in NL MVP balloting.

This dandy will set you back less than ten bucks raw most of the time, but a PSA 8 ramps up the stakes.

Value: $70-75

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1977 Topps Mark Fidrych Rookie Card (#265)

In many ways, Mark Fidrych helped to lay the groundwork for the modern game and chart the course of the hobby.

When he exploded onto the scene for the Detroit Tigers in 1976 with a 19-9 record and 2.34 ERA, “The Bird” infected an entire nation with his big personality, love for the game, and generally joyous outlook.

The next spring, collectors everywhere tried their best to lay their hands on the 1977 Topps Fidrych rookie card in a preview of the rookie card mania that would grip the hobby a decade later.

Though The Bird found himself grounded by injuries within just a few years, and though a freak accident claimed his life way too early (in 2009), Fidrych remains a popular character today.

His rookie card, available for under $10 ungraded most of the time, but several times that in PSA 8.

Value: $80-85

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1977 Topps Dale Murphy Rookie Card (#476)

For most of the years that Andre Dawson (below) was making hay with the Expos, Dale Murphy was sowing his own grain with the Atlanta Braves.

After a slow start to Major League life as a catcher, Murph moved to center field and became an All-Star … and then a two-time NL MVP (1982, 1983).

Murphy’s decline was steep in the latter stages of his career, but there were few better during his 1980s peak, timing that helped his 1977 Topps rookie card hang in their with the big boys for most of the decade.

Today, it’s a $10 buy ungraded, with PSA 8 copies bringing …

Value: $80-90

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1977 Topps Bruce Sutter Rookie Card (#144)

If you look at Sabermetrics numbers like WAR, Bruce Sutter’s election to the Hall of Fame in 2006 was spurious at best.

But Sutter was one of the premier closers of the 1970s and 1980s when the position was evolving into the specialist role it is today.

He also was one of the first to reach 300 career saves and helped to pioneer the split-fingered fastball, still a major force in today’s game.

Throw in the fact that this 1977 Topps rookie card features Sutter with the Chicago Cubs, and it’s little wonder that it can fetch $5-10 raw, with PSA 8s trading at …

Value: $80-90

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1977 Topps Tom Seaver (#150)

For just over a decade, Tom Seaver dominated National League hitters as a member of the New York Mets rotation, helping the Amazin’s to two World Series appearances and one championship in his first seven seasons.

But by June of 1977, the Mets were rebuilding, while the Cincinnati Reds were trying to rev up their Big Red Machine one more time. A match was made, and New York sent Seaver to the Riverfront in exchange for Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Pat Zachry.

Though the Reds didn’t make the playoffs that season, Seaver plugged along as one of the game’s best for several more campaigns and then made a late-career return to Queens.

For most of the summer of 1977, though, Seaver’s then-current Topps card was a thorn in the side of Mets fans — they could see Tom Terrific there in his NYM pinstripes despite the fact that he was long gone.

It’s one in a long line of great Seaver cards, one that today brings less than $10 ungraded.

Value: $90-110

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1977 Topps Andre Dawson Rookie Card (#473)

For the first several years of his career, Andre Dawson was always near the top of the list whenever baseball fans debated the greatest players in the game.

Perennially flirting with MVP honors, Dawson brought serious power and speed to the Montreal Expos and helped the franchise develop one of the most exciting teams in the game by the early 1980s.

By the time the hobby started to really boom, Dawson’s 1977 Topps rookie card was among the most coveted of the decade, right up there with the Mike Schmidt (1973), George Brett (1975), and Eddie Murray (1978) rookies.

Alas, years of Astroturf poundings took their toll on The Hawk’s knees, and he slowed down to the extent that no teams came calling when he became a free agent after the 1986 season. Of course, we later learned that collusion was likely a factor in his languishing, but the immediate result was that the Chicago Cubs signed him for a song in the spring of 1987.

Forty-nine home runs and an NL MVP award later, though, and Dawson was back on top, and his rookie card was, too.

These days, this Hall of Fame RC regularly changes hands at less than $20 ungraded but stretches well beyond that level in PSA 8.

Value: $100-125

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1977 Topps Nolan Ryan (#650)

In 1976, Nolan Ryan went 17-18 for the California Angels and failed to throw a no-hitter for the first time since 1972. Could it be that whatever magic Ryan had in his right arm had run out as he approached his 30th birthday?

Nah …

Ryan “bounced back” to 19-16 with a league-leading 22 complete games and 341 strikeouts in 1977, then won two more K titles before signing a free agent deal with the Houston Astros before the 1980 season.

A no-hitter ensued in 1981.

Then, when most of his contemporaries were in their rocking chairs, Ryan signed another free agent deal, this one with the Texas Rangers, prior to the 1989 season.

Two more no-hitters.

5714 strikeouts.

The Ryan Express.

Legend.

And card prices to match, including a 1977 Topps card that sells for $10-15 raw.

Value: $115-150

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1977 Topps Thurman Munson (#170)

In 1977, Thurman Munson was coming off his most decorated season, leading the New York Yankees to the World Series and earning American League Most Valuable Player honors in 1976.

It’s fitting, then, that the Yanks’ captain sports a big smile on his 1977 Topps card, don’t you think?

Of course, just over two years after this card was issued, Munson was gone, killed in a plane crash.

Though taken from his family and the game way too soon, Munson left behind a legacy of gritty play and a raving fan base that keeps his cards alive and well all these decades later.

He’s already number one on this list, and you can expect him to put more distance between him and the field if Cooperstown ever comes calling.

You can usually find the 1977 Topps Thurman Munson under $10 raw, but not so much for a PSA 8 copy.

Value: $125-150

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—

Did your favorite 1977 Topps baseball cards make this list? If not, maybe you’re in for some bargains!

(Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)

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A (probably) incomplete listing of his pasteboards from that year include:

• 1983 Fleer #81
• 1983 Fleer Star Stickers #26
• 1983 Donruss #90
• 1983 Donruss Action All-Stars #38
• 1983 Topps #200
• 1983 Topps #201 – Super Veteran
• 1983 Topps #386 – All-Star
• 1983 Topps #651 California Angels Team Leaders
• 1983 Topps Glossy Send-Ins #29
• 1983 Topps Stickers #39

Before that summer, I was only vaguely aware of Carew — or any other player — but these cards made me feel like I knew who he was, at least a little.

The Donruss and Topps base issues told me this was a man serious about fielding his position, even though his lithe body and in-the-dirt crouch made me think he was a second baseman.

I would later find out that he did, indeed, man the middle of the infield during his most productive years.

The base Fleer card, Topps Glossy, and Donruss All-Star inset told me that he was a focused batsman.

And, holy cow, the Topps Angels Team Leaders card and the backs of all his base cards, showed me the result of that focus. It didn’t take me long to realize that the cardboard I held in my chubby little hands depicted a living legend who could bang out 200 hits a season like he was mowing the lawn.

But Carew’s Topps All-Star card told me it didn’t all come easy.

There he is, rounding the bin toward 40 years old, wrapped up in a foil-lined sweatsuit with his Angels jersey overtop and armed with both his fielding cap and his batting helmet. This was a man clearly ready to battle age and pitchers with equal ferocity as he mounted his assault on 3000 hits and a Cooperstown plaque.

Through it all, there was an ease in his posture and a flame in his eyes that told me he loved what he was doing, that he didn’t want to be anywhere else.

And, every once in a while, as on that All-Star card or in profile as the Angels’ batting leader from 1982, Carew would flash his big, happy grin. 

“Can you believe I get to play baseball for a living?” he seemed to be asking the photographer.

To my 11-year-old eyes, nothing seemed more natural. Judging by the backs of his baseball cards, Rod Carew had been playing baseball forever.

And judging by the fronts of his baseball cards, Rod Carew would go on playing baseball forever.

Of course, we’re all human, even our Wax Pack Gods.

Sometimes, forever doesn’t last nearly as long as we thought it would, or as we had hoped.

Rod Carew only played two more seasons after that barrage of 1983 cards, and he never did hit .300 again.

He did collect his 3000th Big League hit in 1985, though.

He played his final game four days after his 40th birthday.

Carew was voted into the Hall of Fame in 1991, and more or less disappeared from public life until his recent health problems reminded us of how great he was and how human we all are.

We stop being great in our chosen fields. We get old. Sometimes, we get sick.

But for a generation of collectors, Rod Carew will always be out there in the field, turning the gears on the baseball fountain of youth under the California sun.

Just like he is in our cardboard dreams.

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Consider …

Mike Schmidt is the greatest third baseman of all-time and one of the greatest overall players in the history of Major League Baseball. For several years in the 1980s, Mike Schmidt baseball cards were among the hottest in the hobby, too, as Iron Mike racked up three MVP awards and more than 500 career home runs.

But it’s been more than 30 years now since Schmidt retired, and a lot has happened in that time.

Pete Rose was banned from baseball.

The game almost imploded due to the players’ strike in 1994 and 1995.

Home run records fell like Seattle rain during the so-called Steroid Era as bashers like Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Barry Bonds and — ahem — Brady Anderson rewrote the record books.

The hobby boomed and busted.

The hobby boomed again when the pandemic wrecked the rest of the world.

Along the way, Schmidt fell out of the public spotlight and mostly slid from collectors minds.

But Schmidt is still around, a living monument to better times in Phillies land … at least when times are rough, which seems to be plenty often.

And Schmidt’s cards are still around, too, testaments to the wonders of the hobby’s glory years.

What follows is a rundown of every regular-issue Mike Schmidt baseball card produced by the major card companies during a storied career.

So sit back and enjoy the pasteboard show of the guy that Bill James once said was not that far off from the conversation for “best player ever.”

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1973 Topps Mike Schmidt Rookie Card (#615)

If you could own only one Mike Schmidt card, this would be the one to target.

Not only is it the rookie card of a top-tier Hall of Famer, but it’s also part of the 1973 Topps high series — the very last time Topps issued sets in parts before ushering in the modern era with an all-at-once 1974 series.

The Mike Schmidt rookie card is no aesthetic masterpiece, and it relegates Mike to the last third of the real estate, but he does share rookie honors with John Hilton. Ron Cey is there, too, though technically his rookie card comes in the 1972 set.

No matter its shortcomings the 1973 Topps Mike Schmidt rookie card is a must-have for any serious vintage collector, and it carries a price tag befitting its status as a hobby legend (values for copies in PSA 7 condition).

Value: $400-475 (PSA 7)

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1974 Topps Mike Schmidt (#283)

There was a time in the late 1980s and early 1990s when “second-year cards” were all the rage, and they owed their fling with the spotlight largely to Schmidt and other players of his ilk.

It made some sense.

After all, this 1974 Topps pasteboard was the first to picture Schmidt all by himself, and it is still a very early card of a Hall of Famer.

This card in raw condition generally won’t sell for anywhere near the $100 or so it brought at its peak, but copies in really nice graded condition still carry a heavy price tag today.

Value: $140-160 (PSA 8)

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1975 Topps Mike Schmidt (#70)

By the time this 1975 Topps card was issued, Schmidt had led the league in home runs for the first time, with 36 in 1974. He was a legitimate power hitter with a bright future ahead of him, so it would have been great to see his big swing on this card.

Instead, collectors got an awkward head shot that didn’t tell them much about the quiet man with the monster bat.

But these 1975 cards were mostly about the design, and few things make a veteran collector’s tummy flutter like a stack of these Chiclet-colored beauties. And if that stack has a legend — like Mike Schmidt — nestled inside?

All the better.

Value: $140-150 (PSA 8)

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1976 Topps Mike Schmidt (#480)

At first glance, this photo seems even worse than the 1975 Topps version — Mike Schmidt bunting?

On closer examination, I prefer to think that Schmitty has just slammed a bomb and is preparing to discard his bat and round the bases.

This was one of the first pre-1981 cards that I added to my own collection, so it holds a special place in my collector’s heart.

Value: $65-80 (PSA 8)

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1977 Topps Mike Schmidt (#140)

Compared to the sets around it, 1977 Topps featured a pretty crisp card design, and this spring shot of Iron Mike adds to the fresh feel.

Solid card of a legend still ramping up against a perfect blue-and-fluffy-white-cloud sky and Shea Stadium gearing up for a division matchup in the background.

Value: $40-60 (PSA 8)

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1978 Topps Mike Schmidt (#360)

The 1978 Topps set features a minimalist design that is somewhat reminiscent of the classic 1957 Topps set.

Too bad Topps chose to use all that photo real estate for a fairly boring head shot here on the sixth-year Schmidt card.

Even with no “action” and an indecisive looking Schmitty, though, this is a solid offering of a soon-to-be legend.

Value: $20-25 (PSA 8)

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1979 Topps Mike Schmidt (#610)

Was Schmidt ever happy on a baseball card early in his career?

He doesn’t look too thrilled here on his 1979 Topps cards, for sure, but the color scheme works well and the overall design is clean. And, maybe that serious face is because Schmidt is in his “office” – the batting cage.

Value: $25-30 (PSA 8)

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1980 Topps Mike Schmidt (#270)

Schmidt’s Topps offering got a little snazzier just in time for his first MVP campaign.

He was already 30 years old by the time this card came out, but his superb conditioning and key role on the contending Phils would keep him in his prime for several more years.

This batting-practice pose shows Schmidt’s intensity even in game prep and is nicely framed by the banner-laden 1980 Topps design and the “N.L. ALL-STAR” designation.

Value: $15-25 (PSA 8)

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1981 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#11)

Schmidt didn’t break into a smile for his first non-Topps cards, either, but collectors were happy to see both Donruss and Fleer join The Old Gum Company on store shelves in 1981.

Donruss card stock was thin as tissue paper, but this is a decent looking glamor shot of Iron Mike.

Value: $15-30 (PSA 9)

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1981 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#5)

The overall quality of the 1981 Fleer set was a smidge better than its Donruss counterpart, but it looks like they used the same photographer, on the same day.

Same warm-up suit.

Same hair.

(Of course, Fleer also produced another version of #5, with Schmidt at bat – value is about the same, though the portrait version appears to me a bit more scarce. )

Value: $15-30 (PSA 9)

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1981 Topps Mike Schmidt (#540)

This is the first Schmidt card I remember pulling from a pack, and it still stokes the collector’s fire in me every time I see it.

One of the few cards to feature Mike live in the field, this 1981 Topps beauty makes you believe he could stop a train with his glove and grit.

Value: $40-50 (PSA 9)

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1982 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#294)

The 1982 Donruss set featured crisper photos and thicker card stock than the 1981 set, but Schmidt looks about the same.

Same warm-up suit.

Same hair.

Same scowl.

Value: $15-35 (PSA 9)

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1982 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#258)

Is that a smile on Mike Schmidt’s 1982 Fleer card?

He must have just won an award or something.

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1982 Topps Mike Schmidt (#100)

While not quite as toothy as his Fleer offering, the 1982 Topps Schmidt card came about as close to showing a smile as any Topps Schmitty pasteboard before it.

Ah, the joys of being in your prime, huh?

Value: $35-55 (PSA 9)

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1983 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#168)

Strong follow-through from Mike on his 1983 Donruss card, with a design nearly identical to the 1982 set.

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1983 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#173)

Schmidt must have really mellowed as the 1980s wore on because you can almost see an upturned corner of the mouth as he talks to an unidentified Montreal Expo on this 1983 Fleer card.

Who is that masked man?

Looks like either Tim Raines or Al Oliver, both of whom were on the 1982 NL All-Star roster. Could have also been Andre Dawson … those 1980s Expos teams were loaded!

Value: $15-20 (PSA 9)

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1983 Topps Mike Schmidt (#300)

Schmidt looks off-balance on his 1983 Topps card, but the power in his follow-through and the stunning card design make this one a winner all the way around.

Value: $30-35 (PSA 9)

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1984 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#183)

The 1984 Donruss set established a new standard for card design and (perceived) scarcity.

It’s a classic issue that never goes out of style, and Donruss even managed to get Schmidt in a fielding shot.

Good on you, pre-Panini.

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1984 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#48)

Maybe it’s because the company was based in his adopted hometown of Philadelphia, but Schmidt seemed to love Fleer’s camera.

How else to explain all the smiles and near-smiles, as on this solid 1984 Fleer offering?

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1984 Topps Mike Schmidt (#700)

This is the first card I ever paid a premium for while I could still (or soon) pull it from a pack.

This beauty cost me 40 cents in March of 1984, purchased from a favorite dealer who used to set up at a local (Indianapolis) flea market.

Not a perfect card by any means, but not bad either.

And priceless in terms of nostalgia.

Value: $25-40 (PSA 9)

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1985 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#61)

Donruss got in on the Smiling Schmidt craze with its 1985 offering.

Pretty sure Mike could have swung all three of those bats at once and slammed a dinger with each one.

Value: $15-20 (PSA 9)

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1985 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#265)

This 1985 Fleer card broke the string of Schmidt head shots, but the sacrifice was worth it.

Just look at those colors and that awesome home run follow-through!

Value: $15-20 (PSA 9)

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1985 Topps Mike Schmidt (#500)

You may not realize it, but Schmidt could run pretty well throughout a large chunk of his career.

Even by 1984, when this photo for his 1985 Topps card was snapped, he still had some wheels — though they weren’t as good as he thought.

That season, he stole five bases … and was thrown out seven times.

Value: $20-25 (PSA 9)

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1986 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#61)

Iron Mike is channeling Ted Kluszewski on this 1986 Donruss card.

Welcome to the gun show!

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1986 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#450)

After several years of smiles and one at-bat action shot, Fleer treated collectors with this unusual pre-game shot of Schmidt in 1986.

Should there be air quotes around “treated”?

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1986 Sportflics Mike Schmidt (#44)

Sportflics had impenetrable Mylar packs (take that, “innovator” Upper Deck)!

Sportflics had Magic Motion!

Sportflics had 3-D!

Sportflics had clean card backs!

Sportflics had thick card stock!

Sportflics had indecipherable images.

Value: $5-10 (PSA 9)

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1986 Topps Mike Schmidt (#200)

Ho hum. Another vicious follow-through on another Topps card during another MVP season for Big Mike Schmidt.

Value: $20-25 (PSA 9)

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1987 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#139)

Mike Schmidt was 37 years old when this 1987 Donruss card was issued and, though he’d just come off an MVP campaign, his face was showing his age.

Iron Mike would get lost in the shuffle of young sluggers in 1987 and would finish 14th in MVP voting even though he had a better year than many of those ahead of him.

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1987 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#187)

Schmitty in a sunny ballpark watching the flight of a home run (?) ball.

Pretty heady stuff.

Value: $10-15 (PSA 9)

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1987 Sportflics Mike Schmidt (#30)

The 1987 Sportflics set featured all of the same goodies as the 1986 inaugural set, but they added a color photo to card backs.

Doesn’t sound like much now, maybe, but it was awesome at the time.

Value: $5-10 (PSA 9)

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1987 Topps Mike Schmidt (#430)

The 1987 Topps set is a love-it-or-hate-it type of proposition.

Personally, I love it … one of my favorite sets of all-time.

Here, Schmidt looks on, apparently trying to decide how far he should hit the next pitch.

Value: $15-25 (PSA 9)

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1988 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#330)

Did a ball just fly through the zone so fast that Mike Schmidt can’t figure out what happened?

Is he watching a bug crawl across the infield grass toward him?

Or is this a Starting Lineup Schmidt figurine?

Those are the mysteries of the 1988 Donruss Mike Schmidt card.

Value: $25-35 (PSA 10)

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1988 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#315)

I always thought of 1988 Fleer as the Little Debbie set because the design reminds me of an icing-laden snack cake.

Photos are crowded out by busy border elements, but this image of Schmidt is a pretty solid action shot nonetheless.

And looks like he generated a pretty good breeze with that swing-and-miss.

Value: $25-35 (PSA 10)

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1988 Score Mike Schmidt (#16)

The 1988 Score set pushed the limits for baseball card technology at the time and had collectors excited by its quality white card stock, solid photography, and comprehensive card backs — complete with another (fairly large) color photo.

The Schmidt card features the HOFer on his toes at third base, ready for whatever might come his way.

Value: $80-90 (PSA 10)

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1988 Sportflics Mike Schmidt (#35)

Sportflics was back in 1988 with a heavier card design and an even larger photo on the reverse.

I still have no idea what Schmitty is up to on the card front, though.

Value: $20-25 (PSA 10)

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1988 Topps Mike Schmidt (#600)

Schmidt’s warming up for his second-to-last season on this card, and Topps celebrated by capturing him still in his pajamas, and with his hair on backwards.

Mornings can be rough.

Value: $50-60 (PSA 10)

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1989 Bowman Mike Schmidt (#402)

The 1989 Bowman set was widely panned by collectors, mainly because the cards were too big to fit in with all our other little rectangles.

We also didn’t really ask for a revival of the dead brand, and many saw it as a money grab by Topps. That was true, of course, but it was still pretty cool to get a shot of reinvigorated hobby history if you were a fan of such nostalgia (guilty as charged).

And, boy, does this Schmidt card look great, with an almost-end-of-the-road Michael Jack watching the flight of some poor baseball he just demolished, his seldom-seen burgundy Phillies jersey fairly glistening in the eternal sunshine of the diamond.

Value: $20-25 (PSA 10)

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1989 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#193)

Schmidt’s last regular Donruss card treats collectors to one final classy follow-through.

Value: $30-35 (PSA 10)

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1989 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#582)

Schmidt checks his swing and his career aspirations on this 1989 Fleer card.

Value: $30-35 (PSA 10)

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1989 Score Mike Schmidt (#149)

Of all the regular-issue cards of Mike Schmidt over his storied career, it took until 1989 for a card company to capture him in the midst of his powerful swing.

Thanks, 1989 Score!

Value: $15-25 (PSA 10)

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1989 Sportflics Mike Schmidt (#21)

By this point, Sportflics was all about the back-of-card photo.

Value: $5-10 (PSA 10)

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1989 Topps Mike Schmidt (#100)

Mike Schmidt, running for first one last time on his 1989 Topps card.

Value: $40-55 (PSA 10)

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1989 Upper Deck Mike Schmidt (#406)

Upper Deck changed almost everything about the hobby in 1989, and they were lucky enough to get in one Schmidt card before the legend hung up his spikes.

I would have been OK if they switched the front and back photos, but it’s a great piece of hobby history no matter how you flip it.

Value: $75-85 (PSA 10)

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1990 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#643)

I’m breaking my own rules by including this 1990 Donruss card here because it’s a tribute card, not really a regular-issue pasteboard.

But back in the late 1980s and early 1990s, companies just didn’t issue cards of non-active players, no matter how great.

Granting Schmidt this capstone offering that shows his entire career stats roll gets Donruss an extra feather in its cap.

Value: $20-30 (PSA 10)

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1990 Upper Deck Mike Schmidt (#20)

Like the Donruss card above, this 1990 Upper Deck issue breaks my rules.

But Schmidt’s retirement deserved cardboard commemoration, and this artistic number does the trick.

Value: $45-55 (PSA 10)

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There were a few reasons for that …

After an initial perceived shortage, it became clear 1988 Fleer was part of the burgeoning Junk Wax Era — these cards were pretty much everywhere.

The 1988 rookie card class was pretty weak, especially compared to the stellar 1987s.

The cards looked like Little Debbie Snack Cakes.

So, not all that inspiring.

Even so, as we sit here three-plus decades later, these cards are old and a few of them still hold a decent amount of collector appeal. (There was even a “glossy” version of this set that was much more limited but still pretty plentiful by today’s standards. Generally speaking, you might see a slight premium for the glossies, but it’s not all that dramatic.)

With that in mind, here are the most valuable 1988 Fleer baseball cards, using eBay sales for PSA 10 copies as our guide (note that raw copies of all these cards can generally be found for much MUCH less).

Let’s dig in …

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)

25) 1988 Fleer Matt Williams Rookie Card (#101)

There was a time when Matt Williams was just about the most feared slugger in the game and the odds-on favorite to lead the charge toward Roger Maris‘ single-season home run mark of 61.

Way back in 1994, Williams sat at 43 home runs through 112 games with the San Francisco Giants, and the press and hobby were gearing up for what promised to be a historic run.

Then diamond tragedy struck — The Strike.

Not only did the The Strike wipe out the rest of 1994 (including the playoffs and World Series) and the beginning of 1995, it stopped Williams’ march in its tracks.

He was a prime-time 28 years old in 1994 and never found quite the same power stroke after the game came back online in ’95.

Even so, Williams played until 2003 and amassed 378 home runs over his 17 year career.

That power and his subsequent stint as Washington Nationals manager in 2014-2015 have kept Williams from fading completely into obscurity.

Value: $15-20

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24) 1988 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#315)

After Schmidt won his third National League MVP award in 1986, he mustered a final power surge in 1987, smashing 35 home runs to join the vaunted 500-homer club.

A rotator cuff injury sapped his power in 1988, though, and he retired early in 1989 when he couldn’t get back on track, but his legend was sealed by then.

Today, all of Schmidt’s cards remain among the most popular 1970s and 1980s cardboard, and his dramatic 1988 Fleer is no exception.

Value: $15-25

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23) 1988 Fleer Reggie Jackson (#283)

After a storied career that produced more than 500 home runs and five World Series rings, Reggie Jackson returned “home” to the Oakland A’s for one last go-round in 1987.

But, even though Reggie was one of the most beloved (or at least talked-about) players of his generation, only Fleer produced a career-capper card for Mr. October in 1988.

Value: $15-25

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22) 1988 Fleer Dale Murphy (#544)

After four straight seasons of hitting 36-plus home runs each summer, Dale Murphy dipped to “just” 29 in 1986 while also watching his batting average dip to .265.

Reports of his diamond demise were greatly exaggerated, though, as the Braves legend roared back to hit .295 with 44 dingers and drive in 105 runs in 1987. He also scored 115 times himself and even swiped 16 bases, his most since 1984.

It would be Murph’s last true superstar-level season, but it was enough to boost his cards yet again and further cement his status as a future Hall of Famer (though some of that surefire case crumbled away in subsequent years).

Value: $15-25

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21) 1988 Fleer Greg Maddux (#423)

Greg Maddux made his Major League debut for the Chicago Cubs in 1986 but failed to win more than a third of his decisions or score an ERA below 5.50 in his first two go-rounds with the Wrigley denizens.

That all changed in 1988 when the 22-year-old put together an 18-8 record with a 3.18 ERA and garnered his first All-Star appearance. That performance was enough for collectors to start taking notice of Maddux’s 1987 rookie cards, especially his Donruss Rated Rookie.

Another few mostly successful seasons in Chicago had us thinking he was a solid rotation piece until Maddux reeled off a 20-11, 2.18 line in 1992 to cop his first National League Cy Young Award.

Fast forward a quarter century, and we can look back to see Maddux’s scorched earth — a free agent deal with the Atlanta Braves after that CYA campaign led to three more CYs in a row and a 23-year career that ended with an amazing 355-227 record, 3.16 ERA, and first-ballot election to Cooperstown in 2014.

Along the way, of course, Maddux also became a collector favorite, and his 1988 Fleer second-year card is no exception.

Value: $20-25

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20) 1988 Fleer Roger Clemens (#347)

Clemens won his second consecutive American League Cy Young Award in 1987, proving that his amazing 1986 was no fluke and guaranteeing that his 1988 cards would be among the most popular in the hobby.

And, by the time Clemens hung up his spikes with seven Cy Youngs and more than 350 career victories, he was bona fide hobby royalty.

Of course, the passing years and PED stain have greatly diminished Rocket’s legacy, but there are still plenty of collectors who chase his cardboard even today.

Value: $20-30

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19) 1988 Fleer Gregg Jefferies Rookie Card (#137)

While we all knew the 1988 cards would have trouble living up to the rookie-card swagger of 1987, we held out one hope for greatness: Gregg Jefferies.

All indications were that Jefferies was going to be a superstar who could hit for average, run well, and eventually develop Big League power.

And … well, he played for the New York Mets.

All that hype and the big spotlight sent Jefferies’ rookie cards soaring before the 20-year-old could ever get his feet under him. By the time he actually stuck in the Big Leagues, in 1989, we were already sort of disappointed that he hadn’t become Mickey Mantle.

The truth is, though, that Jefferies put together a star-level 14-year career that included two All-Star appearances for the St. Louis Cardinals, nearly 1600 hits, 126 home runs, and a solid .289 lifetime batting average.

I suspect it’s the memories of the hype, though, and the hobby’s “good old days” that keep his 1988 Fleer rookie card perking along today.

Value: $25-35

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18) 1988 Fleer Mark McGwire (#286)

Mark McGwire obliterated the rookie home run record in 1987, crushing 49 long balls to far outdistance the 38 hit decades before by Frank Robinson and Wally Berger.

And, even though Aaron Judge and Pete Alonso have since passed Big Mac’s mark, neither one of them quite captured the magic that McGwire conjured up during that long-ago summer.

Suffice it to say, then, that McGwire’s cards were royalty when wax packs started hitting shelves in 1988, and they still maintain some hobby swagger all these years later, even after his run at Roger Maris’ record and the steroid scandal that followed.

Value: $25-35

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17) 1988 Fleer Mark McGwire Record Setter (#629)

McGwire surpassed the previous rookie record for home runs in August of 1987, leaving him more than a month to add to the total.

And boy, did he ever! By the end of the season, McGwire stood atop the Major League leaderboard with 49 long balls, 11 more than first-year mark that Wally Berger and Frank Robinson had shared for decades.

No way were card companies going to miss the opportunity to squeeze another Big Mac card into their 1988 sets, and no way were collectors going to pass on this record breaker, which still has plenty of fans even after all these years and all the scandal.

Value: $25-35

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16) 1988 Fleer Tony Gwynn (#585)

If anyone thought Tony Gwynn was “merely” a .320 hitter after a couple of seasons at that level, he more than set the record straight with his second National League batting title in 1987 … a .370 batting average is hard to ignore.

No surprise, then, that Gwynn’s cards were hot commodities once again in the spring of 1988 and pretty much remained that way as Mr. Padre marched toward 3000 hits and six more batting crowns.

Value: $25-35

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15) 1988 Fleer Wade Boggs (#345)

After winning three batting titles in the four seasons leading up to 1987, Wade Boggs did it again – he won another crown in ‘87.

But he ALSO smacked 24 long balls in that summer of the home run.

So the question entering 1988 was, would Boggs continue his assault on Babe Ruth in the coming seasons?

And the answer came on quickly, in the form of five dingers in 1988. Boggs did do a pretty good Ty Cobb impression, though, hitting .366 to win his fifth and final batting title and cement his place in the hobby firmament.

Value: $25-35

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14) 1988 Fleer Mark Grace Rookie Card (#641)

Aside from Greg Jefferies, Mark Grace was about the best that 1988 Fleer had to offer us in terms of rookies in the moment.

Three decades on, Grace has been surpassed by a few others from this set — Glavine and Martinez, for example — but the fact remains that he turned in a stellar career: 2400+ hits, more than 500 doubles, a lifetime .303 batting average.

Had Grace been able to tack on another 100 home runs or so to his total of 173, he might have been a Hall of Fame lock.

As it is, Grace is popular with fans of the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Diamondbacks, and his best cards still enjoy nice collector interest in pockets.

This 1988 Fleer Major League Prospects card — which Grace shares with Darrin Jackson — has enjoyed the 2020s boom right along with most other cards.

Value: $30-35

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13) 1988 Fleer Cal Ripken Jr. (#570)

The Baltimore Orioles were an all-time terrible team in 1988, eventually finishing with a 54-107 record.

Even great players like Cal Ripken, Jr., struggled that summer, with the Iron Man hitting just .264 with 23 home runs and 81 RBI.

But Cal was already a legend by that point, having copped the 1982 AL Rookie of the Year Award and the 1983 AL MVP while also building some buzz around his still-youthful streak.

These days, the Hall of Famer’s cards aren’t “hot,” exactly, but they’re always popular and collectible.

Value: $30-40

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12) 1988 Fleer Gary Carter and Mike Schmidt (#636)

What do Mike Schmidt and Gary Carter have in common that would warrant their appearing on this 1988 Fleer card together?

Well, they were both the best at their positions during the 1980s (roughly).

And they were both, um, “tried & true sluggers.”

Really, though, we should just revel in the glory of this card and forget trying to impose any rhyme or reason.

Value: $30-40

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11) 1988 Fleer Rickey Henderson (#209)

After rounding out his game with a serious power stroke and big batting averages during his first few seasons with the Yankees, Rickey Henderson sort of went back to his baseball roots in 1988.

To wit, Rickey swiped 93 bases that summer, the first time he stole more than 90 since the 108 he posed for the A’s in 1983.

Fitting, then, that Henderson’s 1988 Fleer card shows him slinking toward yet another bit of larceny on the basepaths.

Value: $30-40

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10) 1988 Fleer Barry Bonds (#322)

In 1988, Barry Bonds was still just a budding superstar with a world of potential — great speed, good batting eye, developing power, supreme family pedigree.

But collectors honestly weren’t all that excited by the complete package that Bonds offered up because the Pittsburgh Pirates weren’t winning anything, Bonds wasn’t hitting monster (or a lot of) home runs, and there were other players who were clubbing homers left and right.

It was hard to keep up with Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and the likes back then, and even Bonds’ teammate Bobby Bonilla was more highly regarded in some circles (see New York Mets, circa 1992).

Uh, yeah.

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny that Bonds developed into one of the absolute greatest players that game has ever seen.

Value: $25-50

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9) 1988 Fleer Nolan Ryan (#455)

In 1987, Nolan Ryan put together a rather remarkable pitching line — his 2.76 ERA and 270 strikeouts in just shy of 212 innings left him with an 8-16 record.

That, at 40 years of age and pitching for a Houston Astros team that had romped to a division title in 1986. Wow!

For his efforts, Ryan finished fifth in the NL Cy Young vote and then walked in free agency after the 1988 season … all the way to the Texas Rangers.

In Arlington, of course, Ryan cemented his legend and became something of a superhuman figure in the game, one whose cards always rise to the top of whatever issue they appear in.

In the case of his 1988 Fleer card, that amounts to enough to make this list.

Value: $35-40

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8) 1988 Fleer Tom Glavine Rookie Card (#539)

While Maddux was finding his place in the Friendly Confines, Tom Glavine was taking his lumps with the awful Atlanta Braves teams of the late 1990s.

By the time Maddux joined him in 1993, Glavine was a two-time 20-game winner (with a third on the runway) and the 1991 Cy Young recipient.

Together with John Smoltz, Glavine and Maddux would form the backbone of an Atlanta pitching staff that would rack up division title after division title all through the 1990s.

Glavine’s 1988 Fleer rookie card is an understandably popular hunk of cardboard, even if it’s a the Hall of Fame cupcake issue.

Value: $30-45

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7) 1988 Fleer Kirby Puckett (#19)

By 1988, Kirby Puckett was well on his way to the Hall of Fame, having garnered two All-Star appearances, plenty of MVP votes, and Rookie of the Year consideration during his four-year career.

He was always a threat to win the batting title, won a Gold Glove in center field in 1986 and 1987, and had started to show some power, too.

Oh, and then there was that 1987 World Series he helped his Minnesota Twins win.

Yep, Kirby was a fan and collector favorite whose star hardly seemed to dim at all when his career was curtailed by health problems or even when domestic issues came to light after his untimely death in 2006.

Even in this mass-produced set, Kirby stands out, with PSA 10 copies of his 1988 Fleer hammering down for hefty sums.

Value: $30-50

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6) 1988 Fleer Edgar Martinez Rookie Card (#378)

Edgar Martinez got a late start on his Big League life — he didn’t debut for the Seattle Mariners until 1987, when he was nearly 25 years old, and he didn’t log his first full season in the Majors until 1990, when he was 27.

From that point on, Edgar spent more than a decade as one of the best hitters in the game, garnering two batting titles, two doubles titles, and one RBI crown.

In all, his 18 years in the Bigs yielded 2247 hits, 309 home runs, and a .312 batting average.

But … among the 2000+ games he played with Seattle, more than 1400 of them were logged as a designated hitter.

Will Martinez become the first — or second, if you count Frank Thomas — career DH to make the Cooperstown cut?

After being named on 70.4% of ballots in 2018, Martinez pushed through to Hall of Fame election in 2019.

And, as always, he’s a Seattle legend and hobby favorite whose 1988 Fleer rookie card continues to draw plenty of collector interest.

Value: $35-45

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5) 1988 Fleer Don Mattingly (#214)

When this card was issued, Mattingly was coming off his fourth straight MVP-caliber season, but what we didn’t know then was that it would be his last truly standout campaign.

A bad back sapped his power in 1988, ,knocking nearly 100 points off his slugging percentage, and, though he rebounded slightly in 1989, the slippage marked the beginning of a downward spiral that would lead to Mattingly’s early retirement at age 34 in 1995.

Still, the magnitude of his impact on the hobby cannot be overstated, and a hefty dose of that afterglow remains even decades later.

Value: $45-`

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4) 1988 Fleer George Brett (#254)

After leading the Royals to their first World Series championship in 1985 on the back of an MVP-caliber season, Brett settled in as “merely” an uppercrust All-Star in 1986 and 1987.

Brett bumped his game up again in 1988, though, treating fans and collectors to a Silver Slugger season to accompany his sort of suspicious-looking Fleer base card.

Value: $35-40

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3) 1988 Fleer Ryne Sandberg (#431)

Sandberg entered a bit of an offensive lull during the middle 1980s after winning the National League MVP award in 1984, but he remained a Gold Glove second baseman and more than capable with the bat … even if no longer Morganesque.

When Ryno turned on the power starting in 1989, though, all of his cards jumped forward again, including this nifty fielding shot.

Value: $35-40

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2) 1988 Fleer Jose Canseco and Mark McGwire (#624)

After Canseco smashed 33 home runs to light up the baseball world in 1986, McGwire upstaged him with 49 of his own the next summer.

But, while there may have been a budding rivalry between the teammates, the real excitement was about to erupt on the field, as the Bash Brothers would lead the A’s to a string of World Series appearances over the next three seasons.

And, though the actual “bash” didn’t come about until the new season began, Fleer got the jump on everyone else by featuring the Bros on this dandy Super Star Special.

Value: $40-45

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1) 1988 Fleer Bo Jackson (#260)

By the spring of 1988, Bo Jackson had long since captured collectors’ imaginations, thanks to his prowess on the football field and his growing adeptness on the diamond.

And, after smacking 22 home runs in 1987, Bo served notice that even better days lay ahead – he delivered on that promise with 25 dingers in 1988 and 32 in 1989, when he made it to his only All-Star Game.

Today, Bo Jackson cards are as popular as ever as the hobby continues to ponder what might have been had a hip injury suffered on the gridiron not (ultimately) ended his run in both sports.

Value: $40-45

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1988 Fleer Update

By 1988, Fleer Update had become an annual part of the hobby landscape, joining Topps Traded and, later Donruss The Rookies, as fodder to feed our collective rookie card craze.

This particular version featured a few standout cards right off the bat, and some that took awhile to warm up.

Here are the cream of the crop more than three decades later.

5) 1988 Fleer Update John Smoltz Rookie Card (#U-74)

Back in 1988 when this card was issued, Smoltz was sort of a sore spot for some Braves fans – after all, he had cost Atlanta Doyle Alexander, who went on to help the Tigers win a division title in 1987.

The good news was that Smoltz had made his big league debut by the time the Fleer Update set was issued.

The bad news was that he went 2-7 with a 5.48 ERA in Atlanta.

The perception began to turn around the next summer, though, when Smoltz made his first All-Star cut on the way to a Cy Young Award (1996), a World Series ring, and a Hall of Fame plaque.

Value: $75-125

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4) 1988 Fleer Update Craig Biggio Rookie Card (#U-89)

Fleer was late to the Biggio show, as Donruss and Score had already scooped them on the Astros’ young catcher.

But at least they squeezed in a Bidge rookie card before the backstop broke out his first Silver Slugger performance in 1989 on his way to Cooperstown.

Value: $30-50

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3) 1988 Fleer Update Mark Grace Rookie Card (#U-77)

At 24, Grace was sort of old for a “prospect” in 1988, but he stepped into the Cubs lineup like a veteran, batting .295 and finishing second in voting for the National League Rookie of the Year award.

He bumped that average over .300 in 1989 as the Cubs won their second-ever division title, and he pretty much stayed there for the rest of a 16-year career that produced more than 2400 hits and a devoted swath of collectors who still chase his cards.

Value: $30-40

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2) 1988 Fleer Update Roberto Alomar Rookie Card (#U-122)

In some circles, Roberto Alomar suffered in comparisons with his brother, Sandy, whom many pundits pegged as a future Rookie-of-the-Year, MVP-type of player.

And, while Sandy did eventually cop ROY honors with the Indians, it was the younger Robbie who made his mark in the majors first, and who eventually made it all the way to Cooperstown.

Little wonder, then, that Alomar’s rookie cards (Roberto’s, that is) are among the most popular of all 1988s.

Value: $25-30

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1) 1988 Fleer Update Chris Sabo Rookie Card (#U-87)

At age 26, Chris Sabo was a longshot – to say the least – to even make the Cincinnati Reds roster in 1988.

But thanks to his hustle and pluck, Sabo made a fan of manager Pete Rose and then took advantage of every opportunity he could find, scratching out a .271 batting average, 11 home runs, 44 RBI, 74 runs scored, and an impressive 46 stolen bases.

Along the way, Spuds gained legions of fans and copped 1988 NL ROY honors, helping his 1988 Fleer Update RC debut as one of the hottest cards of the fall.

Value: $25-30

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The perception of scarcity plagued these cards for years, but by the mid 1990s, we knew the truth — there were plenty to go around, and then some.

But, while 1987 Donruss never climbed through the stratosphere from a value standpoint, that doesn’t mean they’re worthless.

In fact, just about every ’87 Donruss has something going for it, and we’ve had fun with several of them over the years.

And, even with the overproduction of a set heading into the Junk Wax Era, a handful of these black-bordered classics still trade for decent prices on a regular basis.

What follows, then, is a list of the most valuable 1987 Donruss baseball cards in PSA 9 condition, as culled from actual recent sales as listed in PSA’s Auction Prices Realized tool.

Let’s dig in!

(Note: The sections below contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. Check out our full series of posts on the history of Donruss baseball cards.)

25) 1987 Donruss Barry Larkin Rookie Card (#492)

Barry Larkin came to the Cincinnati Reds among a flurry of young players who were going to lead Cincy to a string of World Series titles …

Eric Davis …

Kal Daniels …

Tom Browning …

Kurt Stillwell/Jeff Treadway …

Paul O’Neill …

And on and on.

They would bring glory back to the Riverfront and ride into Cooperstown together.

That never really panned out, but Lark sure did, collecting more than 2300 hits in a 19-year career spent entirely with the Reds.

Oh, and the 1995 NL MVP award.

Oh, and the Reds won the 1990 Fall Classic with Larkin at shortstop.

Oh, and Larkin made the Hall of Fame cut in 2012.

So, what does a 1987 Donruss rookie card with that kind of pedigree behind it bring these days?

Well…

Value: $8-12

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24) 1987 Donruss David Cone Rookie Card (#502)

Aside from being a rookie card in a pretty snazzy set just as rookie card mania *really* started to heat up, this Cone card didn’t really inspire a ton of collector interest when it was issued.

That began to change a couple years down the road, after a trade to the Mets and a 20-3 record in 1988 revealed the young strikeout artist to be a Cy Young candidate.

And, though, Cone’s greatness came at us in fits and starts over the years, the fact remains that he was one of the top starters of his generation with an outside shot to still make the Hall of Fame cut.

If he ever does, his RCs will see a resurgence.

Value: $8-12

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23) 1987 Donruss Reggie Jackson (#210)

In December of 1986, Reggie Jackson signed a free agent contract with the Oakland A’s.

Proud owner of 548 career home runs and the well-deserved title of Mr. October, Reggie had nothing left to prove.

Still, winding down his career with Oakland provided Jackson a fitting homecoming for his farewell tour, and gave collectors another round of cards to pull from our wax packs.

Value: $8-12

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22) 1987 Donruss Kirby Puckett (#149)

If Puckett got collectors excited with his 31 HR/96 RBI/.328 breakout in 1986 – and he did – then he had us absolutely giddy by the end of 1987.

In that storied season, Puck was the sparkplug firing the Twins’ incredible run to a World Series title and forever reserved his parking spot in dealer cases across the land.

Value: $10-12

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21) 1987 Donruss Will Clark Rookie Card (#66)

One of the more vocal critics of the dudes who rollicked through the so-called “Steroid Era” was Will Clark.

You might call it sour grapes, but the truth is that Will the Thrill put up some pretty hefty numbers of his own early in his career with the San Francisco Giants.

How hefty?

Try 35 home runs in 1987, plus 29 in 1988 and 23 in 1989, with bells and whistles that included lots of walks, climbing RBI totals, and one of the most beautiful lefty swings of his era.

Those were big tallies in Candlestick Park in the 1980s, and then Clark’s power started to decline.

He stuck around until 2000, long enough to see oldsters like McGwire and Barry Bonds start to actually pick up their homer pace as they aged.

And Clark was quick to point out their shenigans.

In the end, Clark pounded out 284 home runs among his 2176 hits — a great career, but shy of the big-bopper stats we’ve come to expect from Hall of Fame first basemen.

Value: $10-15

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20) 1987 Donruss Pete Rose (#186)

Pete Rose sort of falls into the same bucket as Nolan Ryan — if Pete’s in a set, he’s probably going to be among the most valuable cards.

Whether this is true despite the controversy around his sports betting and lifetime suspension from baseball, or because of it, is open for debate.

What’s not up in the air is that Pete Rose remains one of the most talked-about athletes of all-time, and thousands of collectors still clamor for his cardboard.

Value: $10-15

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19) 1987 Donruss Jose Canseco (#97)

Jose Canseco entered the 1986 season with all sorts of hype swirling around him, thanks to a stellar minor league showing and five home runs during a 29-game cup of coffee to end the 1985 season.

The young slugger more than lived up to those lofty expectations, though, bashing 33 homers and driving in 117 runs for the A’s to overtake wunderkind Wally Joyner and nab AL Rookie of the Year honors.

Needless to say, Canseco’s cards were among the hottest in the 1987 sets, even though he had rookie cards in the 1986 Fleer and 1986 Donruss issues.

And, though Jose’s bright star eventually fizzled in the heat of the steroid scandal (and some ridiculousness on his own part), he maintains enough hobby swagger to appear on lists like this one.

Value: $10-15

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18) 1987 Donruss Eric Davis (#265)

After struggling to stick in the majors in 1984 and 1985, Eric Davis burst onto the Cincinnati summer like a bowl of radioactive chili during the summer of 1986.

In just 132 games, Davis hit 27 home runs and stole 80 bases to leave Reds fans fantasizing about what the slender young man might do over the course of a full season.

And, all these years later, we’re still wondering the same thing – only once did Davis play in more games than he had in that breakout season, and, even then, he mustered just 135 appearances in 1988.

Still, Davis was a monster when he WAS on the field, even copping a trio of Gold Gloves for his work in centerfield.

For all the great things he accomplished on a baseball diamond, and for all the grandiose “what ifs” that his name conjers, Eric the Red maintains a strong hobby following even today.

Value: $10-15

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17) 1987 Donruss Jose Canseco Diamond King (#6)

There were few players who lit up the hobby during the ‘80s like Canseco did, and he was for sure the hottest name around coming into 1987 (with the possible exception of Don Mattingly in some circles).

So, if you were a baseball card company still trying to get your footing and chip away at the market leader, wouldn’t YOU want to capitalize on that hype wave any way you could?

I sure would.

And Donruss wanted the same.

For Big D, part of “any way you could” included the stellar paintings of Dick Perez, so *of course* they made Jose one of their Diamond Kings.

This one still feels special today, even after the slugger’s fall from grace.

Value: $10-15

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16) 1987 Donruss Wade Boggs (#252)

Boggs won his third batting title in four seasons in 1986, hitting a fairly outrageous .357 while also drawing a majors-leading 105 walks.

In 1987, Chicken Man joined the power brigade, smashing a career-high 24 dingers and driving in 89 runs while still managing to raise his average to .363 to cop yet another crown.

So, yeah, Wade Boggs was popular with collectors … still is! You’ll regularly find cards from his prime – like this black-bordered beauty – on lists like this one.

Value: $10-15

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15) 1987 Donruss George Brett (#54)

After leading the Royals to a World Series title in 1985, George Brett found himself worse for the wear of that 155-game season topped off by a long October.

To wit, he managed just 124 and 115 appearances in 1986 and 1987, respectively, and his batting average “slipped” to .290 both years.

Not of that mattered a bit to collectors, though, as Mullet had long since established himself as a hobby icon, and even then-new cards like his 1987 Donruss were popular pulls.

Still are.

Value: $10-15

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14) 1987 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#139)

After a few years of being merely a great, All-Star-type player following his back-to-back MVP seasons in 1980 and 1981, 36-year-old Mike Schmidt cranked up his game again in 1986.

That summer, he led the National League with 37 home runs and 119 RBI, and that fall, he collected his third MVP award.

He’d follow up with 35 taters in 1987, more than enough to keep his cards in the “nice pull” category season long … and for decades on end.

Value: $10-15

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13) 1987 Donruss Ryne Sandberg (#77)

Sandberg copped the 1984 NL MVP award for his role in leading the Cubs to their first division title, immediately establishing himself as a hobby darling.

The next few years weren’t quite as bright for the future Hall of Famer, as his offensive production slid more toward league-average than superstar even as he maintained his status as a perennial All-Star and Gold Glove second basemen.

The combination – and the promise of more – was enough to keep his cards simmering along until the Cubs started winning again in the late 1980s.

Then, when Ryno led the NL with 40 homers in 1990, his legend was forever cemented.

Value: $10-15

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12) 1987 Donruss Mark McGwire Rated Rookie (#46)

Nobody knew anything about androstenedione in 1987, and very few fans knew anything at all about steroids.

If you ever saw “PED,” chances are it was just a misspelling for everyone’s favorite funky candy, PEZ.

What we did know in that long-ago summer was that Mark McGwire could hit the stuffing out of a baseball.

All told, he went deep 49 times in 1987 to set the rookie record that stood until Aaron Judge undid it in 2017. Along the way, Big Mac’s cards rose to the top of the hobby Hot List, and this Donruss Rated Rookie beauty trailed only McGwire’s 1985 Topps Team USA issue in value and popularity.

Value: $15-20

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11) 1987 Donruss Roberto Clemente Puzzle Card (#612)

Donruss cards didn’t come with bubble gum — they came with puzzle cards.

As in, each wax pack had three pieces of a puzzle, and if you collected enough pieces, you could put the whole thing together to see a Perez-Steele rendering of a baseball great.

And they don’t come a whole lot greater than 1987’s subject, Roberto Clemente, whose legend and hobby sway seem to grow with each passing year.

But you didn’t have to collect all the puzzle pieces to get a gander of the full Clemente painting in 1987 — all you had to do was score card #612.

Value: $15-20

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10) 1987 Donruss Tony Gwynn (#64)

When is a .329 batting average a disappointment?

Hardly ever, really, but you can be sure Tony Gwynn and his fans were hoping for more in 1986, when that BA lost out on a hitting crown to Tim Raines (.334).

Never fear, though, because Mr. Padre hit .370 in ‘87, good enough for the second of eight National League batting titles, and more than enough to ensure his cards would forever appear on lists like this one.

Value: $15-20

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9) 1987 Donruss Tom Seaver (#375)

The first time collectors caught sight of the Red Sox version of Tom Seaver in a wax pack, we were already looking at a career capper … even if we didn’t know it yet.

Indeed, Seaver pitched in the minors for his baseball-home Mets early in the summer of 1987 before calling it a career in June.

And, suddenly, not only was this Donruss card super strange looking, plunking down an all-time great in a very unfamiliar uniform, but it was also a bona fide cardboard hunk of history.

Value: $15-20

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8) 1987 Donruss Benito Santiago Rated Rookie (#31)

Plenty of Donruss’s Rated Rookies picks fell completely flat over the years, which isn’t at all surprising given the difficulty of predicting baseball futures and that Donruss was trying to peg twenty winners each year.

In 1987, though, they hit on all cylinders when it came to Benito Santiago, who went on to win the National League Rookie of the Year award that season and spent several years as one of the very best catchers in the majors.

Value: $15-20

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7) 1987 Donruss Don Mattingly (#52)

This was primetime Mattingly, and there was no hotter name in the game or the hobby than Donnie Baseball when this card debuted.

After winning a surprise batting title in 1984, Mattingly copped American League MVP honors in 1985 and was arguably even better in 1986. The summer of 1987 proved to be yet another banner season for the Yankees captain as he marched inexorably toward the Hall of Fame.

Of course, back troubles led to a steep decline phase that sapped his Cooperstown candidacy, but Mattingly’s legacy in the hobby was already well secured.

Value: $15-25

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6) 1987 Donruss Cal Ripken (#89)

The 1987 Donruss Cal Ripken is not a blazing rookie card.

It’s not from an “important” year, such as an MVP campaign, or the year Ripken broke Lou Gehrig‘s consecutive games-played streak.

All this card is, is a mid-career card of a gosh-darn living legend and one of the greatest players of all-time.

Value: $20-25

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5) 1987 Donruss Barry Bonds Rookie Card (#361)

Yeah, you knew Barry Bonds would make this list, right?

Look, you’ve heard it all before, but Bonds did stuff in the 2000s that were pretty much unfathomable … and still are.

Right, I know — PEDs. But (and you’ve heard this before, too), Bonds was a Hall of Famer before he ever took aim on Roger Maris, Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Babe Ruth, and, ultimately, Hank Aaron.

Bonds’ first Donruss card was in The Rookies from 1986, but this one is his base RC.

Value: $20-25

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4) 1987 Donruss Rickey Henderson (#228)

Henderson was already the premier speedburner and leadoff hitter in the game by the mid-1980s, but he added a power element to his game once he settled into the Yankees lineup.

And that’s where we find the Man of Steal on this card, fresh off a new career high in home runs (28, a total he matched in 1990, yet still a threat to swipe 100 bases in any given season.

No wonder this card – and pretty much every other Rickey – stands near the top of the value heap.

Value: $20-25

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3) 1987 Donruss Nolan Ryan (#138)

If you’ve ready any of my other articles on card values, then you’ve heard this before, but …

When Nolan Ryan appears in a baseball card set issued pretty much any time from 1968 through the mid-1990s, you can bet he’s going to make the list of most valuable cards in that set.

This 1987 Donruss card, issue during Ryan’s last year with the Houston Astros, is no exception.

Though he turned 40 that year and plenty of folks had written him off, The Ryan Express had plenty of gas left in his tank.

Value: $20-30

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2) 1987 Donruss Greg Maddux Rated Rookie (#36)

Greg Maddux look like Ferris Bueller with a mascara mustache, or maybe your local pizza delivery boy, on his 1987 Donruss Rated Rookie card.

But even then, the future Hall of Famer was starting to make waves in the hobby.

For starters, he was a Rated Rookie, and that was enough to get us thinking hard about a guy back in those days.

For another thing, Maddux had just landed a spot in the Chicago Cubs rotation and was a year out from turning in his first big season — 18-8, 3.18 ERA, an All-Star selection for the 1988 Cubs club that played the first night games at Wrigley Field.

After that, of course, it was pretty much a straight shot into Cooperstown for The Professor.

Value: $25-30

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1) 1987 Donruss Bo Jackson Rated Rookie (#35)

In the mid to late 1980s, there were few hotter athletes in the hobby than Bo Jackson.

Sure, in 1987, we had big-time sluggers like Mark McGwire and Jose Canseco lighting up the boards, all-around greats like Don Mattingly and Ryne Sandberg wowing us with their excellence, and fireballers like Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan blowing our doors off.

But Bo Jackson could do, like, anything on the diamond. And on the gridiron.

Ultimately, a football injury curtailed his career in both sports, but Bo’s cards remain popular items among collectors who remember how exciting it was to watch a guy we thought just might make the Hall of Fame … twice!

Value: $30-40

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This post is part of a series — check out our full list of posts about valuable Donruss baseball cards!

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Well, if you said, “yes” — hmmm, you just might be alone in that opinion.

The good news in that case would be that you won’t have much trouble laying your hands on plenty of these beauties. Because, truth is, 1989 Donruss was produced in HUGE quantities that make them pretty easy to find even 30+ years later.

But that doesn’t mean every 1989 Donruss baseball card is worthless. In fact, the cards below can fetch decent prices on eBay, provided you’re aiming for copies in top-notch graded condition.

Without further adieu, then, here is the rundown of the most valuable 1989 Donruss baseball cards, based on actual sales prices for PSA 9 specimens.

(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to Amazon and eBay listings for the cards being discussed. Check out our full series of posts on the history of Donruss baseball cards.)

26) 1989 Donruss Robin Yount (#55)

Robin Yount sort of slid into the background among his fellow superstars after the glow of his 1982 MVP campaign wore off.

That all changed in the summer of 1989, though, when Yount – having moved from shortstop to centerfield – once again put up a monster season that eventually landed him more MVP hardware.

It was enough to get his cardboard moving again as collectors realized that this man was headed toward 3000 career hits … and the Hall of Fame.

Value: $5-10

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25) 1989 Donruss Bo Jackson (#208)

Bo Jackson could do pretty much whatever he wanted on the baseball diamond once he set his mind to it.

So Donruss went with him … sneaking around for a bunt attempt.

Not extremely awe-inspiring or majestic, but different, at least.

Value: $8-10

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24) 1989 Donruss Kirby Puckett (#182)

After helping the Twins to a World Series title in 1987, Kirby Puckett upped his personal game in 1988, batting .356 with 24 home runs and 121 RBI.

Suffice it to say, Puck was one of the most popular cards in the 1989 sets, and he nailed down that honor by winning his only American League batting crown that summer.

It was just one more step on his path to the Hall of Fame and hobby immortality.

Value: $8-10

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23) 1989 Donruss Roberto Alomar (#246)

The son of a former major leaguer and the brother of a top catching prospect, Roberto Alomar entered the 1989 season fresh off a solid rookie season and with plenty of hype surrounding him.

He’d eventually pretty much live up to expectations, crafting a Hall of Fame career and ensuring that his cards maintain a strong collector base for decades to come.

Value: $8-10

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22) 1989 Donruss Mark McGwire (#95)

You don’t hit 49 home runs as a rookie without causing quite a stir among collectors.

But Big Mac didn’t just *stir* the hobby – he toppled the whole darn applecart on the strength of his Ruthian home runs and sun-hot rookie cards from 1985 and 1987.

And, even though his power took a step back in 1988, his cards were still huge deals when the 1989 sets debuted.

They still are, regardless of the PED stain that seems likely to keep him out of the Hall of Fame forever.

Value: $8-12

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21) 1989 Donruss Jose Canseco (#91)

Canseco saw a big hunk of his limelight sucked up by rookie teammate Mark McGwire in 1987, but he didn’t let that get him down.

Instead, Jose went out and recorded the first 40-40 season ever in 1988, copping AL MVP honors in the process and leading the A’s to a championship.

To say his cards were on fire is an understatement of “coffee is good” proportions … and some of that halo remains all these years later.

Value: $8-12

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20) 1989 Donruss Edgar Martinez (#645)

After much hand-wringing, hemming and hawing, and staring at his name on the ballot for 10 years, the BBWAA finally elected Edgar Martinez to the Hall of Fame in 2019.

Thirty years earlier, Martinez made his base Donruss debut with this card that shows him in the field. That’s significant because the knock on Edgar has always been that he was a designated hitter almost his entire career, diminishing his .312 average, 2247 hits, and 309 HR in at least some eyes.

Enough folks believe in Martinez’s greatness, though, to keep his base Donruss debut in the upper echelons of the set.

Value: $8-12

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19) 1989 Donruss Randy Johnson Rookie Card (#42)

Once upon a time, Randy Johnson was a mystery — a raw talent who scraped the sky when he pitched. A firebrand who could scorch the air with his fastball but had trouble finding the strike zone on a consistent basis.

Things started to gel for The Big Unit, though, when the Montreal Expos sent him along with Gene Harris and Brian Holman to the Seattle Mariners in 1989 in exchange for Mike Campbell and Mark Langston.

Twenty years, 300 wins, 4800 strikeouts, five Cy Young Awards, and one comic All-Star incident with John Kruk later, and Johnson was a legend.

Certainly among the top handful of lefthanders ever, Johnson was a cinch for Hall of Fame election when his name came up in 2015, and his 1989 Donruss rookie card was a cinch to appear near the top of this list.

Value: $10-15

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18) 1989 Donruss Curt Schilling Rookie Card (#635)

Love him or hate him, it’s hard to deny the stats that Curt Schilling put up during his Major League career — 20 years, 216-146 record, 3.46 ERA, plus an 11-2, 2.23 ERA in the postseason. Oh, and he was a key member of that 2004 Boston Red Sox team that broke the Curse of the Bambino.

If you’re more of a Sabermetrics sort, Schilling checks in with an ERA+ of 127 and 79.6 WAR, which lands him 27th all-time among starting pitchers according to JAWS.

All of that has Schilling looking like an eventual Hall of Famer, having collected 60.9% of the vote in his seventh shot at Cooperstown in 2019.

And all of that makes this 1989 Donruss rookie card a popular piece, despite grumbling about Schilling’s attitude, his post-career shenanigans, and the flood of ’89s that still wash over the hobby.

Value: $10-15

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17) 1989 Donruss Craig Biggio Rookie Card (#561)

It may look a little funny to see Craig Biggio in the tools of excellence here on his 1989 Donruss rookie card, but he started his professional baseball life as a catcher before transitioning to second base and the outfield.

In fact, Biggio garnered Silver Slugger and All-Star honors behind the plate before making a position move in 1992. But anything the Houston Astros lost by swapping in Ed Taubensee for Biggio was made up in spades by adding years to Biggio’s Hall of Fame career.

Teaming with Jeff Bagwell and (I guess) Derek Bell to form Houston’s Killer Bs, Biggio ended up with 3060 hits, 291 home runs, 414 stolen bases, and a Cooperstown plaque.

And, of course, one of the most valuable cards in the 1989 Donruss set.

Value: $10-15

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16) 1989 Donruss John Smoltz Rookie Card (#642)

John Smoltz took an unusual route to Cooperstown, but that doesn’t really matter — he still got there.

One of the original members of the Atlanta Braves‘ vaunted rotation of the 1990s, Smoltz didn’t find the full-blown success of teammates like Tom Glavine, Steve Avery, or Greg Maddux right away, but he finally nabbed his own Cy Young Award in 1996, at age 29.

By 2000, though, the flamethrower had blown out his elbow and required Tommy John surgery, then came back in 2001 — as a reliever.

After three+ seasons as a lock-down closer Smoltz returned to the Braves rotation before finishing out his career with the Boston Red Sox and St. Louis Cardinals, one season each.

In the end, Smoltz ended with the unusual but stellar line of 213-155, 3.33 ERA, 154 saves, and 3084 strikeouts … an amazing Hall of Fame resume that bumps his rookie card toward the top of its set, value-wise.

Value: $10-15

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15) 1989 Donruss Gary Sheffield Rookie Card (#31)

Once upon a time, Gary Sheffield was the most talented young player in the game, with a pedigree as Dwight Gooden‘s nephew that virtually guaranteed success in the Major Leagues.

Then came his season(s) of discontent, when Sheffield was unhappy with the Milwaukee Brewers. And Gooden started to slide, performance-wise, too — suddenly, Sheffield wasn’t so can’t-miss.

But a funny thing happened on the way to the scrapheap …

First, Sheffield was traded to the San Diego Padres, along with Geoff Kellogg, in exchange for Ricky Bones, Matt Mieske, and Jose Valentin, in 1992.

Then, it was off to the expansion Florida Marlins in 1993, part of the deal that brought Trevor Hoffman to the Friars.

In San Diego, and then in Miami, Sheffield found the stroke he was supposed to have, and he became an MVP candidate.

Never one to be warm and fuzzy with teammates or locals, Sheffield sort of bounced around for the next decade+ after he helped the Marlins win a World Series in 1997 — Los Angeles Dodgers, Atlanta Braves, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, New York Mets.

Along the way, Sheffield put up Hall of Fame numbers that included 2689 hits, 509 home runs, 1676 RBI, 253 stolen bases, and 60.5 career WAR.

He has found the Cooperstown voting a hard row to hoe, but Sheffield still holds enough hobby sway to make this list.

Value: $10-15

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14) 1989 Donruss Don Mattingly (#74)

It’s true that Don Mattingly’s best baseball days (as a player) were behind him by 1989, but he did manage to play a full season that summer and rebound in his offensive performance a bit from what was considered a down year in 1988.

It’s also true that Mattingly was the face of the hobby in the 1980s, and the boom could not have happened, at least to the extent it did, without his emergence in 1984 — and the fact that you could pull his Topps, Fleer, and Donruss cards from fresh packs even as he battled with Yankees teammate Dave Winfield for the American League batting crown.

Mattingly falls short of Hall of Fame standards by most reckonings, but his baseball cards still feel special even 30 years on. This one is no exception.

Value: $10-15

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13) 1989 Donruss Barry Bonds (#92)

By 1989, Barry Bonds had established himself as a star for the Pittsburgh Pirates, but his well-rounded skill set wasn’t flashy enough to really light his cards on fire.

Not when his cardboard was fighting for shelf space with bashers like Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, and plenty of others.

Of course, it turned out that the scouting reports were right – Bonds could do pretty much anything he wanted to on the diamond, and he ended up actually doing most of it.

Eventually, his cards pretty much caught up to his talent, and even today, after all the bad blood and the fall from grace, early-career entries like this 1989 Donruss Bonds still hold plenty of sway in the hobby.

Value: $10-15

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12) 1989 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#193)

Although Mike Schmidt looks as powerful and generally spectacular as ever on his 1989 Donruss card, this issue would quickly turn into a cardboard eulogy.

That’s because the greatest third baseman of all time hung up his spikes for good in late May of 1989, about a third of the way through the season.

For Schmitty fans (guilty as charged), every wax pack brought a sense of dread the rest of the summer as the specter of the Phil’s great loomed just beyond the next Ed Hearn or Jose Oquendo.

Value: $10-15

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11) 1989 Donruss Rickey Henderson (#245)

Rickey Henderson returned to the Oakland A’s for the 1989 season, which makes this Donruss card one of the last to feature him with the Yankees.

And, even though Donruss missed out on showing Hednerson in the fabled pinstripes, this is still one of the most popular cards in the set.

Value: $10-15

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10) 1989 Donruss Wade Boggs (#68)

Wade Boggs fell off a cliff in 1989.

I mean, after four straight American League batting titles from 1985 through 1988 and batting *at least* .357 in each of those seasons, the Chicken Man fell aaallll the way to .330 in 1989.

Of course, that’s still an otherworldly number among mere mortals, and Boggs was still a plenty popular pull from wax packs across the land that summer.

Still is today, thanks to those 3010 lifetime hits, .328 career batting average, and that nifty Hall of Fame plaque of his.

Value: $10-15

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9) 1989 Donruss Greg Maddux (#373)

Maddux posted his first winning record in 1988 (18-8), a fact that hardly registered with collectors thanks to his toiling for the fourth-place Cubs, and to the paltry records he put up in his first two campaigns.

When The Professor followed up with 19 victories and helped bring a division title to the northside, though, his profile started to climb … and it never looked back.

Today, Greg Maddux cards are hobby royalty pretty much across the board, a status befitting the pasteboards featuring one of the handful of greatest pitchers of the last 50 years.

Value: $10-15

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8) 1989 Donruss Tony Gwynn (#128)

After a jaw-dropping .370 batting average in 1987, Tony Gwynn slid all the way to .313 in 1988 … and still won a batting title.

He’d win another (.336) in 1989, on his way to eight total crowns, 3000+ hits, and a place in history as a Padres legend and a Hall of Famer.

Not surprising, then, that this mid-career card – like pretty much all of Mr. Padre’s cards – makes the cut on our list.

Value: $10-15

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7) 1989 Donruss Don Mattingly Diamond King (#26)

Everything that goes for the base Mattingly card above goes for his Diamond King, too. This was Mattingly’s second DK (1985 was the other), and it’s another Dick Perez masterpiece.

We couldn’t get enough of Mattingly in the 80s, though, so no one was complaining about an extra Donnie Baseball card, and this one still brings interest on eBay and in other venues.

Value: $10-15

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6) 1989 Donruss Ozzie Smith (#63)

You could make an argument that Ozzie Smith was, in many ways, the face of baseball in the 1980s.

Here you had a guy who redefined defensive play at a position already known for fielding prowess, and a key member of perennial contenders and frequent champs (of one sort or another) in St. Louis.

Ozzie even upped his offensive game as the decade proceeded, leaving no doubt that he’d eventually take his rightful place in Cooperstown.

So, all in all, how could the last Donruss card of the Wizard from the decade he helped define *not* make our list??

Value: $10-15

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5) 1989 Donruss Nolan Ryan (#154)

If Nolan Ryan appears in a baseball card set, that Ryan card has a 99.9999999999% chance* of being one of the most valuable cards in the set. (*possibly a slight exaggeration)

This particular card has the added bonus of being the last regular Donruss issue to show him as a member of the Astros. It’s a great action shot, too.

What’s not to love? And collectors still do.

Value: $15-20

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4) 1989 Donruss Cal Ripken Jr. (#51)

The Orioles of the late 1980s were terrible, and that taint extended even to their franchise icon.

Were Cal Ripken’s tanking numbers from 1987 through 1990 responsible for Baltimore’s struggles, or did the bad teams around him drag down Iron Cal?

It’s a classic oriole-and-egg conundrum that turned out not to matter too much by the time Ripken put up one of his greatest all-around seasons in 1991.

With his second MVP award in-tow, Ripken could get back to the business of chasing down Lou Gehrig, and collectors could smile on his late-80s cards again, happy to airbrush the bad seasons from our memory and focus on the beauty of Junk Wax Cal.

Value: $15-20

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3) 1989 Donruss George Brett (#204)

After two years at .290, Brett had pushed his batting average back above .300 (.306) in 1988.

That surge might have helped the popularity of his 1989 Donruss card out of the pack, but the truth is, none of Brett’s cardboard needed much help by that point.

The man was a legend, a status he reinforced with a third batting title, at age 37, in 1990 … and his 3000th hit in 1992 … and a Hall of Fame plaque in 1999.

Value: $15-20

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2) 1989 Donruss John Kruk Rookie Card (#86)

John Kruk wasn’t just Randy Johnson’s comic crutch in interleague play.

Indeed, for most of his 10-year Big League career, Kruk was a constant threat to hit .300, and he crafted his exit to make sure he landed exactly on that number.

Along the way, through stops with the Padres, Philadelphia Phillies, and Chicago White Sox, Kruk also showed some power finishing with 100 home runs among his 1170 hits. He was also a key member of that 1993 Phils crew that made it all the way to the World Series, only to be dispatched by Joe Carter‘s historic Game 6 homer.

Still a popular analyst, Kruk is also a college baseball coach who maintains a high enough profile to keep his cards on lists like this one.

Value: $15-20

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1) 1989 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card (#33)

Any time you see the words “Ken Griffey”, “Jr.”, and “Rookie Card” in a card description, you can be sure it’s going to sit at the top of the value heap for whichever set it’s in. The 1989 Donruss Junior rookie is certainly no exception.

The only question surrounding Griffey when he retired was whether he would be the first-ever unanimous Hall of Famer. The fact that he didn’t quite clear that bar (even though Mariano Rivera did in 2019) doesn’t diminish Griffey’s hobby cachet one whit.

This card may not be Upper Deck #1, but it’s still an iconic hunk of Junk Wax cardboard.

Value: $25-30

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Up until that point, most collectors were willing to look the other way as the supply of new cards inched up every year. After all, more and more folks were flocking to the hobby all the time, so we could absorb anything manufacturers spit out.

Besides, Donruss and Fleer, at least, seemed to have throttled production in 1987, seeing as how those cards were hard to come by … early on, anyway.

But, man, 1988 Donruss baseball was everywhere almost from the very first days of the new year. It was as if they had been planted as seeds on store shelves across America and blossomed into full bloom when the champagne flowed on New Year’s Eve.

Three decades has done little to attenuate the blue, red, black, white flow of 1988 Donruss cards into the market, and they’re still among the cheapest “old” cards ever issued.

Still, that doesn’t mean the ’88s are completely worthless. Donruss rolled out a pretty decent rookie card class that year, and there are several Hall of Famers in the set who will always have their supporters.

So, with that in mind, here are the ten most valuable 1988 Donruss baseball cards, presented in numerical order. Unless otherwise noted, you can pick up just about any of these babies for around $1 (or less) in raw condition, so we’ll be looking at the prices you might expect to pay for “perfect” PSA 10 copies.

(Check out our full series of posts on the history of Donruss baseball cards.)

1988 Donruss Roberto Alomar (#34)

Folks were only sort of excited about Roberto Alomar in the early stages of his career.

Sure, he was the son of a former Major Leaguer, but Sandy Alomar, Sr., was never a superstar, and Robbie seemed like he was destined to be a high-level middle infielder at best — great glove, possibly a high batting average, some speed, but not a ton more.

Many in the hobby were more anxious to see his brother, Sandy Alomar, Jr., who was a catcher with decent power potential.

As it turned out, of course, Robbie did all that stuff I mentioned above, but did it even better than we thought he might. Even added some decent power (210 home runs).

In the end, his even .300 batting average, 2700+ hits, nearly 500 stolen bases, and 10 Gold Gloves were enough to gain him Hall of Fame election in 2011.

Alomar’s 1988 Donruss Rated Rookie is pretty generic looking, but it can fetch more than $20 in PSA 10 condition.

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1988 Donruss Mark Grace (#40)

Truth be told, we were all grasping for great rookies to chase when the 1988 cards came out. After monstrous rookie-card classes from 1985 through 1987, Donruss had a lot to live up to.

The problem was, there just weren’t any of the usual big sluggers or power pitchers — Eric Davis, Mark McGwire, Jose Canseco, Roger Clemens, Dwight Gooden — to stoke our interest, so we latched onto other types.

Mark Grace was one of those “others,” an imperfect rookie target at best. I mean, first basemen are supposed to knock home runs all over the field (or at least pull them to one field), not challenge for a batting title.

But Grace played for the Chicago Cubs, so that helped, and he hit from the the beginning of his career to the end, to the tune of 2445 hits and a .303 lifetime batting average.

His lack of milestone numbers or a big power stroke will likely forever keep Grace out of Cooperstown, but his 1988 Rated Rookie pulls in $15-20 in PSA 10 anyway.

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1988 Donruss Al Leiter (#43)

Al Leiter was another guy we pulled into our fraternity of “hey, we don’t have any better” rookie cards to follow in 1988.

He did have a few things going for him — he was a second-round draft pick in 1984, he made his Major League debut at age 21, and, mostly, he pitched for the New York Yankees.

Nothing ever clicked for Leiter in the Bronx, though, and the Yanks traded him to the Toronto Blue Jays in exchange for Jesse Barfield in April of 1989.

After another four years of up-and-down minor/Major-league action, Leiter finally stuck in Toronto in 1993, just in time for the Jays’ second World Series title.

He went on to several solid seasons with the Jays,  Florida Marlins, and New York Mets, but you can lay much of the $10-15 price tag for his Donruss rookie card (in PSA 10) at the feet of his post-playing television career.

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1988 Donruss Nolan Ryan (#61)

You know all about Nolan Ryan, but one thing to point out about his 1988 baseball cards is that they were the last ones issued while he was still pitching for the Houston Astros.

The next summer, Ryan would still appear on Astros cards, but he was busy crafting his legend with the Texas Rangers in real life by that time.

This final Donruss-with-the-Astros-while-he-pitched-for-the-Astros card of The Ryan Express generally sells for $15-25 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Don Mattingly (#217)

Depending on how you look at things — through traditional or SABRose-colored glasses — Don Mattingly recorded his last truly great season in either 1986 or 1987.

As far as most of us were concerned, though, Mattingly was the man entering the 1988 campaign. Fresh off a season in which he hit .327 with 30 home runs and 115 RBI, he was a superstar among superstars and, as such, his cardboard was everywhere.

That power dropped dramatically in the summer of 1988, but many of us were too busy collecting his umpteen cards to really notice. Besides, we knew he would bounce back to 1985-86 levels, and better, in 1989.

That never happened, of course, but this blue-bordered 1988 Donruss Donnie Baseball still fetches around $25 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Bo Jackson (#220)

Bo Jackson played the entire 1988 season at 25 years of age, logging 124 games and 468 plate appearances for the Kansas City Royals. Those were both career highs, and we were starting to get a real handle on what type of player Bo would be — prodigious power, free-swinging, prone to highlight-reel catches but still rough in the field.

Even though he wasn’t a perfect player, though, the sheer potential rippling through Bo’s every move kept us coming back for more — more video clips, more speculation, more hand-wringing, more baseball cards.

All these years later, we’re still at it even though Jackson’s career was cut way too short, leaving his legacy shy of what it could have been.

This 1988 Donruss card, Bo’s second base issue from Big D, checks in at $10-15 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Barry Bonds (#326)

In 1988, Barry Bonds was young, lithe, cocky, and one of the best baseball players on the planet.

Thing is, he didn’t always get his due for that latter attribute, and folks threw around all sorts of trite phrases when speaking of him …

Lacks big-time power …

Maybe when his frame fills out …

Not really helping the Pirates win …

Great potential, but …

Not quite on par with teammate Bobby Bonilla …

I poop you not, these were real sentiments surrounding Bonds.

Well, the dude filled out (no one was happy about that, either), found his power, turned the Bucs and Giants into winners, became a legend.

And people still have all kinds of beefs with him.

Not enough beef, though, to prevent his 1988 Donruss card for selling at $10-20 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Mike Schmidt (#330)

Not many of us realized it at the time, but 1988 would be Mike Schmidt’s last sorta full-time season.

Guess we should have seen that coming when his games-played dropped from 160 in 1986 to 147 in 1987 to, eventually, 108 in 1988.

Schmitty managed only 12 dingers in that summer of 1988, but we (I, anyway) thought he’d be back at full-force in 1989.

Instead, he retired 42 games into the campaign.

No matter, though, because Schmidt stands as the game’s greatest third baseman, and even his overproduced 1988 Donruss card trades for around $15 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Tom Glavine (#644)

Among the non-Rated Rookies we tried to love from 1988 Donruss, Tom Glavine was maybe the top pitcher.

No one was too excited by the putrid Atlanta Braves teams of the era, but Glavine, at least, gave a glimmer of hope, with scouting reports that pegged him as a potential future rotation piece.

That worked out pretty well, even though early struggles (like a 7-17 record in 1988) may have made him think twice about that NHL career he turned down.

Soon enough, the Braves would turn things around thanks to guys like Glavine, John Smoltz, Sid Bream, Terry Pendleton, and, eventually, Greg Maddux and Chipper Jones.

Twenty years after this card was issued, Glavine finished up his 22-year run — including five with the New York Mets — as a 305-game winner and on beeline to the Hall of Fame (first-ballot inductee in 2014).

Today, his ’88 Donruss rookie sells for around $25 in PSA 10.

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1988 Donruss Gregg Jefferies (#657)

Now this was the guy everyone really wanted from among the 1988 baseball card rookies.

Gregg Jefferies had it all — youth (20), budding power (20 homers with the Double-A Jackson Mets in 1987), big batting average (.367), huge-market team (New York Mets).

After his six-game cup of coffee with the Sheas in 1987, the hobby was convinced Jefferies was the second coming of Mickey Mantle, the Infield Version.

In reality, it took Jefferies most of another season before he stuck in the Big Leagues for good and, when he did, it was a bit of a struggle.

Low batting average (.258 in 1989), low-to-middling power (12 homers), no catchy nickname.

Eventually, Jefferies settled in and, though he was never as hot as the initial expectations surrounding him had been, he turned in an All-Star level career split among six different franchises over 14 years.

He’ll never make the Cooperstown cut, but the warm memories of Phenom Jefferies keep his Donruss rookie card at the $15-20 level (PSA 10) all these decades later.

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(Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)

The answer to that question depends on how you define “old,” of course, and there’s a good chance the answer is incremental.

For instance, I clearly remember hauling in a 1980 Topps Tony Scott card as part of a trade with a friend at school in the spring of 1983. I had never owned any card issued prior to 1981, so that thing was ancient (and priceless) to me.

Not long after, though, my family and I began frequenting antique shops, flea markets, and even card shows, and I started to get a taste of what old cards really were.

In particular, they were cards that neither I nor my friends could have ever pulled from a pack at the store. They were cards that our dads might have pulled from packs. They were cards that featured dusty photos, archaic drawings or paintings, crude designs, defunct teams.

I had a new standard.

My first step backward from Mr. Scott was a 1971 Topps Boots Day card I found in a ten-cent box at one of those flea markets in the summer of 1983. It was pretty old, issued right before I was born, and it looked like it came from another century. Boots probably was my first old card, but he was really more just “dated” at that point — some of my friends older siblings could have easily pulled him from a pack and handed him down.

I didn’t have to wait long, though, to get hold of a couple cards that checked all the boxes for my definition of “old” and passed the sibling test in just about every case.

At one of those same monthly flea markets that same summer, I ran across a bona fide baseball card dealer who had cards in cases, cards in sleeves, cards in 700-count boxes, cards in wax, cello, and rack packs. He had everything, it seemed, including a small box of “old” cards that were bargain priced for one reason or another.

I had to have one.

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But as I shuffled through the box, it quickly became apparent that I had to have two …

First was a horizontally-oriented card that looked like an old wood-grained TV set and featured a young player identified as KALINE in a batting stance with a huge light tower over his right shoulder.

The guy wanted five bucks for it, but I pulled out my trusty pocket price guide and showed my dad that a 1955 Bowman Al Kaline card was worth considerably more — I don’t remember for sure how much — $10, $15, $20?

Whatever it was, Dad agreed it seemed like a good enough deal. (Only later on did I realize that the photo being detached from the card back actually dinged the value. Oh well.)

The other card didn’t look like anything I could find in my price guide or anything I had seen before. It was in the standard vertical format and started with a big red SENATORS pennant at the top, complete with team logo. Underneath was a photo of an old, old man who looked like he should be coaching Rocky or something.

The color shot seemed not quite real, and I thought it might even be a painting.

And underneath, in alternating red and blue letters, the guy’s impossible name clinched the deal for me: COOKIE LAVAGETTO. He was identified as “MANAGER * WASHINGTON.”

The back of the card was all cartoon, detailing Cookie’s careers as a player and a manager, and mentioning long-ago, unheard of years like “1947” and “1939.”

Here was the old card I’d been looking for, and at just a buck, it was going to be mine. And it was.

As the years passed, I pulled plenty of manager cards from packs and accumulated probably hundreds more as I grew my collection as fast as humanly possible. But none ever quite compared to that first memorable one of the guy named “Cookie.”

Dude just looked like a manager, even if his time in the dugout would end after the 1961 season with a career record of 271-384 … and even if he was only 46 years old in the picture on that 1960 Topps card of his.

Doesn’t matter … Cookie is always the one I think of first when I hear, or type, “manager card.”

So, when I laid out my 2019 Spring Training Baseball Card Challenge and slotted a manager card here on Day 39, there could really only be one choice.

Check out the entire series of 2019 Spring Training Challenge posts here.

As a kid, Spring Break brings the obvious advantage of being out of school for a week. When you were still too young for a Florida trip or whatever, that likely meant more time to play, more time to goof off, more time to fiddle with your baseball cards.

Indeed, all through my childhood, Spring Break fell in the second or third week of March, and that was plenty late most years for me to get my mitts on at least a few packs of new baseball cards for the year. Most years, that was also late enough to knock off the deep chill of our Indiana winters and give us at least a hint of sunshine a few days during that week off.

And by the time we got to Easter, the cards were flowing freely, and you could rightly expect some sweet Spring-y weather on a more or less regular basis. And, the Easter Bunny — or E.B., as I called him — always left some packs in my basket.

So it’s not surprising at all that any hint of Spring elicits a huge, mixed-up hairball of memories from my addled brain that is roughly equal parts blue sky, baseball cards, Easter candy, and goof-off.

Oh, and Spring Training.Because nothing ties it all together like Spring Training, when everything is possible.

I knew, then, that I’d have to include a baseball card that showcases a beautiful blue baseball sky when I was laying out my 2019 Spring Training Baseball Card Challenge, so I’m here to do that on Day 36.

Now, there are hundreds and hundreds — probably more like thousands and thousands — of great baseball cards that have featured blue sky over the many decades that baseball cards have blessed this earth.

How to choose just one?

Well, I fell back on the theme of this whole series — Spring Training, with an emphasis on Spring.

And an extended emphasis on Spring Break.

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One of my earliest memories that combines my growing love of baseball with Spring Break came in 1983. I was riding around with my parents — Dad took the week off to spend with me — and we had to take our old blue bomb of a Dodge pickup truck to the shop for some reason. First, though, we stopped at a grocery store, where I plucked one of those “Who’s Who”-type preview magazines from the newsstand.

While we waited for the truck to get well, I read every word and every stat, and I came away with the impression that the two greatest players in the game in the upcoming season would be Andre Dawson and Pedro Guerrero.

I was enamored of both players, and The Hawk turned out to be a Hall of Famer, but somehow Guerrero struck my fancy to a greater degree. I remained an admirer throughout his career, even though it seemed like he was always pounding Reds pitching.

Given that Guerrero played in Los Angeles, with the Dodgers, it’s natural that I associate him with sunshine, and I’d bet — without checking — that plenty of his cards feature our coveted blue sky.

But one of my goals for this series was to dig into some of the issues I haven’t thought about for awhile, and that some newer collectors may not remember at all. Topps and Fleer and Donruss base sets were (and are) great, but there’s a whole lot more to appreciate in the big, wide cardboard world than just the same old same old.

Luckily, I wasn’t the only one who appreciated Guerrero’s power-speed combination, as he was a regular inhabitant of All-Star and MVP-candidate rosters for several years there in the 1980s. That meant he also found his way into many of the oddball sets that kept the hobby interesting while rookie cards and speculators started to drive base-card prices skyward.

For example, Ralston Purina teamed with Topps in 1984 to issue a 33-card set in packages of Cookie Crisp and Donkey Kong cereal, and guess who was included?

Yes, Bill Madlock and Ted Simmons, of course … but also Pedro Guerrero, on card number 30.

Now, these cards were not the most beautiful ever produced, and they were heavily branded for Ralston Purina, including a couple of prominent displays of their famed red-and-white checked logo.

What was beautiful, though, was the perfect blue sky and wispy white clouds above deep green trees, with a smiling Guerrero in the foreground. The man was in his prime, happy and healthy in his Dodger Blue, and he came at you from a pile of sugary goodness that only 80s cereals could supply.

It’s an eternal reminder of Spring and hope … and baseball.

Check out the entire series of 2019 Spring Training Challenge posts here.