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).

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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.)

Want to see a video version of this article?

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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Sure, there was the Ozzie Smith rookie card, but Ozzie was “just” a defensive whiz and would never make the Hall of Fame … right?

Then there were a few lesser rookies like Carney Lansford and Bob Horner, and some fun but sorta gimmicky All-Time Leaders cards, but …

This thing was going nowhere.

Except …

Ozzie became a legend on a beeline to Cooperstown.

Paul Molitor found a way to overcome his injuries and off-field problems to put together an unbelievable late-career run, making his second-year card a hot item.

And we woke up one day to find that this set was 30+ years old and not mass-produced like stuff from the Junk Wax Era.

Suddenly, 1979 Topps was a winner — with some cards being more winning than others.

With that in mind, here are the 15 most valuable cards from the 1979 Topps baseball card set based on PSA 9 selling prices as reported in the Auction Prices Realized (APR) tool.

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

15) 1979 Topps Eddie Murray (#640)

Murray followed up his Rookie of the Year showing in 1977 with an even stronger 1978.

By the end of 1979, the young, slugging first baseman was a key member of yet another Orioles pennant-winner.

Eventually, of course, Eddie would accumulate more than 3000 hits and 500 home runs en route to Cooperstown.

And, of course, all his cards — and especially early ones like this 1979 — are hobby heavyweights.

Value: $85-95

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14) 1979 Topps Mike Schmidt (#610)

Schmidt entered 1979 as a three-time home run champ, but coming off a relatively paltry showing in 1978 that produced just 21 dingers and 78 RBI.

With his 30th birthday looming that September, there were fears Schmidt’s best days were behind him.

He quieted that noise pretty quickly, thanks to his first 40-homer season, then followed up by winning NL MVP awards in both 1980 and 1981, then again in 1986.

Today, this 1979 Topps card — with no All-Star banner — is just another of Schmitty’s classic issues that always makes collectors happy.

Value: $90-100

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13) 1979 Topps Rod Carew (#300)

Carew won his seventh and final American League batting title, just a year after hitting an unreal .388.

His place in Cooperstown was all but wrapped up by the time this card hit shelves in the spring of 1979, and, like the Reggie, it sports the All-Star banner … what’s not to love?

Value: $90-110

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12) 1979 Topps Thurman Munson (#310)

Every year as summer wanes, the baseball world pauses to remember the legacy of Thurman Munson, the Yankees captain and superstar catcher killed in a plane crash on August 2, 1979.

He was one of the few active baseball players to be taken from us during the season and remains one of the greatest catchers not enshrined in Cooperstown.

Will Munson ever make the Hall of Fame cut?

Hard to say, but his 1979 Topps issue is also his last major-brand card as an active player, and it’s become something of a classic.

Value: $90-120

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11) 1979 Topps Jim Palmer (#340)

Jim Palmer was sort of like the 1970s baseball version of Tom Brady — part of a tremendously successful franchise, sickeningly good looking, and damn good at his job.

How good?

From 1970 through 1978, Palmer won 20 or more games eight times, nabbed three AL Cy Young Awards, and helped the Orioles to four AL East titles, two AL pennants, and one World Series championship (with pennants in 1969 and 1979 thrown in for good measure).

And he was an underwear model.

After all that, you might have expected all of his baseball cards to have been destroyed in a mass-hysteria jealous rage, but his solid 1979 Topps issue lives on just fine.

Value: $90-125

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10) 1979 Topps Reggie Jackson (#700)

Jackson and the Yankees were coming off their second straight World Series title when this card was issued, and Reggie had definitley cemented himself as “Mr. October.”

This is a pasteboard fitting of the hot dog it features, complete with black shades and the blingy Topps All-Star banner.

Collectors have loved this thing for more than four decades.

Value: $100-125

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9) 1979 Topps Dave Winfield (#30)

Dave Winfield could probably have excelled as a professional in any sport he chose and was in fact drafted by the Atlanta Haws (NBA), Utah Stars (ABA), and Minnesota Vikings (NFL).

To the eventual delight of baseball fans everywhere, though, Winfield signed with the San Diego Padres after they made him the the fourth overall pick in the 1973 Major League Baseball draft.

Winfield made his MLB debut that summer without ever suiting up in the minors, and the next 22 years would be a flurry of greatness that eventually landed him in Cooperstown.

In 1979, he was nearing the end of his time with the Padres, as the New York Yankees would snag him in free agency prior to the 1981 season.

This late-Padres Winfield Topps card is still popular with collectors

Value: $125-175

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8) 1979 Topps Dale Murphy (#39)

By 1979, Dale Murphy had flashed some good power — he clubbed 23 home runs in 1978 — but was still struggling to find a position in the Majors.

After starting professional life as a catcher, Murph spent most of ’78 at first base and would sort of split 1979 — with reduced overall playing time — between the two.

It wasn’t until the Atlanta Braves shifted him to the outfield in 1980 that Murphy’s career really began to take off.

Before any of that happened, though, he took his hacks on this 1979 Topps card, his third issue and first solo card.

Value: $150-175

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7) 1979 Topps George Brett (#330)

By 1979, George Brett was a perennial All-Star and sometimes MVP candidate for the ever-competitive Kansas City Royals, but he had yet to become GEORGE BRETT.

You know, the .400-chasing, .390-hitting, hemorrhoid-suffering, mind-losing-pine-tar-using legend who personified baseball as well as anyone from his generation.

Even so, his 1979 Topps baseball card is awesome, showing a waiting Brett ready to pounce on any ball hit his way at third base, and adorned with the All-Star banner.

Value: $200-225

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6) 1979 Topps Willie Stargell (#55)

At 39, Willie Stargell was well past his prime in 1979, but he mustered one last inspiring run to help his “We Are Family” Pittsburgh Pirates win a World Series over the vaunted Baltimore Orioles.

For his efforts, Stargell snagged a share of the National League Most Valuable Player award, along with St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Keith Hernandez.

Thanks to Pops’ big season (even if his co-MVP merit was debatable) and subsequent retrospective MVP sets like the 1982 Kmart 20th Anniversary boxed deal, this card has become an iconic symbol of late 1970s baseball.

Value: $200-230

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5) 1979 Topps Nolan Ryan (#115)

Nolan Ryan would leave the Californian Angels to sign the richest free agent pact to that point (with the Houston Astros) after the 1979 season. In that final season with the Halos, though, Ryan did what he always did — led the league in strikeouts (223), led the league in fewest hits allowed (6.8 per nine innings), and sported a good but not great record (16-14, 3.60 ERA).

Of course, over then next 15 seasons, The Ryan Express would become a bona fide legend, rocketing all his cards into the stratosphere.

His 1979 Topps issue falls right in line.

Value: $250-300

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4) 1979 Topps Paul Molitor (#24)

Paul Molitor was always an exciting player with plenty of upside, but injuries and off-field issues lessened his impact during the early years of his career.

Beginning in the early 1990s, though, the Milwaukee Brewers installed The Ignitor as their more-or-less regular DH, and he held that role through the rest of his career, including stints with the Toronto Blue Jays and his hometown Minnesota Twins.

The result was an incredible late-career surge that left Molitor with 3319 hits, more than 200 home runs, 500+ steals, a .306 lifetime batting average, and a Hall of Fame plaque.

This second-year Molitor card is the first to picture him alone — he had to share his 1978 Topps rookie card with some dude named Alan Trammell. The ’79 is a great card but really hard to find well-centered.

Value: $325-350

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3) 1979 Topps Pete Rose (#650)

Pete Rose left the Cincinnati Reds after the 1978 season, a development which pretty much ended any idea that the Big Red Machine had another lap left in her.

But while Charlie Hustle was helping lay the groundwork for a 1980 World Series title with the Philadelphia Phillies, fans and collectors were still seeing Red — as in Pete’s last Reds card.

Of course, this 1979 Topps classic would lose that designation when Rose returned to the Riverfront five years later, but it’s still a collector favorite that can bring good money in high grades

Value: $400-440

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2) 1979 Topps Dennis Eckersley (#40)

By the time this 1979 Topps Dennis Eckersley first made its way to collectors’ hands, the young righty was coming off his breakout season — 20-8, 2.99 ERA, a fourth place finish in American League Cy Young voting for the Boston Red Sox.

It was a rocky ride for Eckersley from there through the middle 1980s as he struggled with off-field problems and spotty on-field results that saw him traded to the Chicago Cubs in 1984 and the Oakland A’s in 1987.

And that was the turning point, as A’s skipper Tony La Russa and pitching coach Dave Duncan moved Eckersley to the bullpen, where he became a dominant member of the Bash Brothers teams and stamped his own ticket to Cooperstown.

Along the way, Eck’s cards climbed toward the top of whatever set they appeared in, and his 1979 Topps issue — the first to show him with the BoSox after three pasteboards with the Cleveland Indians — is no exception.

Value: $450-500

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1) 1979 Topps Ozzie Smith Rookie Card (#116)

This one needs no introdcuction since I already mentioned The Wizard above and because his rookie card is so far ahead of all the other 1979 Topps cards.

Add in Ozzie’s legend, a solo-player rookie, and condition scarcity thanks to tilting and centering problems, and you have a card that knows few bounds when it comes to price limits.

Value: $2100-2400

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But the truth is, even the junkiest of junk wax products spits out a sorta gem every now and then — cards that sell for a few bucks online or at shows. Or a decent bit more if they’re slabbed in high grades.

So, with that in mind, here are the 10 most valuable 1989 Topps baseball cards as gauged by eBay sales.

1989 Topps Randy Johnson Rookie Card (#647)

When this card was issued, Montreal Expos hurler Randy Johnson was something of a curiosity. At 6’10”, he was certainly huge, and his fastball scared the crap out of hitters from coast to coast … but he was also wild and unpolished. And, at age 25, he was sorta old to be a prospect. A May 25 trade to the Seattle Mariners changed all that, of course, and Johnson finished 1989 looking like a real pitcher before blossoming into a Hall of Fame lock over the next 20 years.

Johnson’s 1989 Topps rookie card is not scarce by any means, and you can pick up nice raw copies for a few bucks. A PSA 10 copy will cost a bit more — generally still less than $75, though.

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1989 Topps Nolan Ryan (#530)

Nolan Ryan was at the other end of his career from Johnson when he made his last Topps appearance for the Houston Astros in 1989. Of course, it turns out Ryan wasn’t quite done, as he used his five seasons with the Texas Rangers to pick up his 300th victory, 5000th strikeout, and seventh no-hitter to cement his status as an absolute legend. While his 1989 Topps base card fetches about $1 ungraded, it stretches 70 bucks or more in PSA 10.

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1989 Topps Cal Ripken, Jr. (#250)

The Baltimore Orioles were just awful in 1988, finishing 54-107, but their Iron Man, Cal Ripken played every game — as usual. Even Cal’s performance was a bit soft that summer, though, at least by his standards. With a slash line of .264/.372/.431, along with 23 home runs and 81 RBI, Ripken was an All-Star but not the lead-pipe superstar he had been a few years earlier. So when this 1989 Topps card hit store shelves, it was accompanied by whispers that maybe it was time for Cal to sit.

It wasn’t, and Ripken turned on the gas over the next few years to cement his status as a baseball legend, and you can usually pick up this mid-career card for a relative song — ungraded, that is. In PSA 10, expect prices close to $70.

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Sign on the 1989 Topps dotted line …

While 1989 Topps baseball cards may not be the most exciting issue of all time, a little authentic history from the moment can spice things up.

Enter this one-of-a-kind baseball card contract, entered between Topps and Minnesota Twins pitcher Roy Smith in 1989, and covering Smith’s cards through 1992.

This one came from the Topps Vault and is available for a relative song on SportsMemorabilia.com.

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1989 Topps Mike Schmidt (#100)

Schmidt is the greatest third baseman to ever set foot on a Major League Baseball diamond, and this is his last Topps card, issued just months before his retirement in the spring of 1989.

Little wonder, then, that Schmitty appears on this list, huh?

While not a career-capper, this final Topps card of the Phillies legend still checks in north of $60 in PSA 10 condition.

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1989 Topps Rickey Henderson (#380)

Like Schmidt, Rickey is one of the all-time greats — greatest base stealer, greatest leadoff man, greatest hot dog (though Reggie Jackson might have something to say about that).

Rickey also got on base like a Sabermetrics fiend, way before any of us even knew what that meant.

This great-looking Henderson card shows the Green-and-Gold to good effect in the Oakland sunshine and sells for $60 or so in slabbed GEM MINT condition.

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1989 Topps Jim Abbott Rookie Card (#573)

Abbott inspired by excelling on the baseball diamond despite being born without a right hand and then just simply inspired by excelling on the diamond by any measure.

A standout college career and stardom in the 1988 Summer Olympics led to being picked in the first round by the California Angels in 1988, and then a solid-to-star-level ten-year Major League career.

An instant hit with collectors, Abbott’s rookie card still draws plenty of interest these days, particularly in top-notch condition.

Expect prices in the $50 range for PSA 10 copies.

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1989 Topps Greg Maddux (#240)

This is no rookie card, but you don’t need first-year gold to carry you onto a list like this when you’re one of the two three greatest pitchers of your generation.

The four-time Cy Young and eight-time All-Star was not the most overpowering pitcher on those great Atlanta Braves teams, but we he was the ace — and his 355 career victories rank eighth all time.

Today, this action shot against the Wrigley Field ivy reminds Cubs fans about what might have been and sells for about $50 in PSA 10 condition.

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1989 Topps John Smoltz Rookie Card (#382)

John Smoltz is more than three years younger than The Big Unit, and the Atlanta Braves prospect already had some solid minor league work under his belt in the spring of 1989. As a result, collectors were a bit more eager to jump on his rookie card. He rewarded us with several solid years as a member of the Braves vaunted rotation before breaking out with a Cy Young season in 1996. Smoltz missed the 200 season with an injury and then returned in 2001 as a lockdown closer before finishing up in the rotation for several more seasons. It was an unorthodox route to the Hall of Fame, but one that still netted Smoltz his Cooperstown bust and 1989 Topps prices that are edging close to $50.

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1989 Topps Mark McGwire (#70)

As 1989 dawned, collectors were hoping for a rebound from Mark McGwire, the young slugger who followed up his 49-homer ROY season in 1987 with “just” 32 homers in 1988. Things got worse for Big Mac over the next few years before his renaissance in the mid-1990s, but he cut a fine figure on his 1989 baseball cards, including this Topps gem. There is an awful lot of power parked on that cardboard, and it can be yours for about $45 in PSA 10 condition most of the time.

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1989 Topps Gary Sheffield Rookie Card (#343)

Collectors were hungry for big-name rookie cards as the 1989 season dawned — after a bumper crop in 1987, the 1988 sets were pretty sparse in terms of first-year cards, especially when it came to power potential. One of the guys who stoked our imaginations for ’89 was Gary Sheffield, a 20-year-old shortstop with muscle for the Milwaukee Brewers, who just also happened to be Dwight Gooden‘s nephew. Sheffield took awhile to get his homer stroke warmed up in the Majors, and he wore out his welcome with a few clubs, but he eventually developed into pretty much the monster bat we always imagined he would. Thanks partly to more than 500 career home runs, his Topps rookie card will run you about $45 in PSA 10 but just about a dollar raw.

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1989 Topps Craig Biggio (#49)

In 1989, Biggio took a first step toward the Hall of Fame by winning his Silver Slugger award. Of course, the fact that he won that hardware as a catcher may seem hard to believe now, considering he became a superstar with the Houston Astros as a second baseman, but it’s all just part of Biggio’s hard-nosed athletic legacy. Even with all that horsehide greatness, you can usually find this second-year Biggio card for under a buck. A perfect 10 can bring $40 or more, though.

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1989 Topps Gregg Jefferies Rookie Card (#233)

Like Sheffield, Gregg Jefferies was one of the hitters we were banking on to really light a fire under our rookie cards (oh, the horror!). Unlike Sheffield, though, Jefferies had appeared in a few 1988 base sets (Donruss, Fleer, Score), so this 1989 Topps card wasn’t really a “rookie” so much as a “First Topps Card.” Still, it was a popular issue that struggled right along with Jefferies as he couldn’t quite hit the expectations set for him. In the end, Jefferies turned in a very good, All-Star caliber career, and his 1989 Topps rookie card (yes, I said it), checks in at about $35 in “perfect” graded condition.

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1989 Topps Tom Glavine (#157)

Like his Braves teammate, Smoltzie, Tom Glavine took a few years in the Majors before he really got things in gear. By the time Atlanta was ready to start winning, though, so was Glavine — his 20-11, 2.55 ERA in 1991 was good enough to nab the National League Cy Young award as the Braves captured their first division title of 1990s. But back when collectors first got our mitts on Glavine’s 1989 Topps card — not a rookie — he was still trying to find his place in the game. As it turned out, that place was Cooperstown, which makes this card look pretty good for a buck or so (with PSA 10 copies bringing $30 or more).

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1989 Topps Roberto Alomar (#206)

Like a lot of other guys on this list, Roberto Alomar made his cardboard debut in 1988, the same season he finished fifth in NL Rookie of the Year balloting. He didn’t appear on a Topps card until the 1988 Traded set, though, so this 1989 pasteboard is his first base Topps issue. For less than 20 bucks, then, regardless of condition, you can nab a very early career card of a fan favorite and Hall of Famer. Not bad, eh?

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After all …

When the  New York Yankees catcher and captain died in a plane crash on August 2, 1979, he left behind a legacy of gritty play that engendered plenty of Hall of Fame sentiment, a mourning and adoring fan base, and two of the most iconic baseball cards of the 1970s.

First came his second-year card, number 5 in the love-hate black-bordered 1971 Topps set:

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As you can see, it features a down-and-dirty play at the plate, with the 1970 American League Rookie of the Year having ditched his mask before applying the tag to a sliding runner (Fangraphs says it’s Chuck Dobson).

Then came Munson’s 1976 Topps issue, a simple portrait with a nearly perfect color scheme and a steely-eyed Captain just on the verge of leading his team to three straight World Series appearances:

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That season — 1976 —  Munson won the AL Most Valuable Player award, which would land this card a bit of immortality in the form of retrospectives like the 1982 Kmart 25th Anniversary issue.

But Munson was featured on plenty of other cardboard during his relatively short 10-year run in the Major Leagues, starting and ending with relatively obscure, oddball issues.

An Appointment with Greatness

In 1970 (and other seasons during that era), the Yankees held a series of baseball clinics for young fans prior to certain home games. As part of their reward for participating, kids received a postcard that featured a particular player on the front, with some information about him on the back, along with the clinic and giveaway schedule.

On August 15, it was Munson who graced they Yanks’ cardboard lagniappe.

That 1970 New York Yankees Clinic Schedule Munson card features a clean-shaven, round-featured rookie who is still several years removed from his mid-1970s peak:

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It’s an awesome portrait of a budding legend, even if Munson doesn’t look especially happy or self-assured the moment the shutter fired.

Of course, this wasn’t the only Thurman Munson baseball card available to fans and collectors that summer, as he scored his Topps rookie card on #189 in the gray-bordered base set:

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If you wanted a Munson card the year after his accident, though, your choices were limited to just one — the 1980 Laughlin Famous Feats card (#13) highlighting Munson’s seven consecutive World Series hits spread across the 1976 and 1977 Fall Classics:

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Obviously, this isn’t your typical baseball card since it features a comic drawing of Munson — and Yankee Stadium — rather than a photo. And the card back is completely blank, too.

But for fans in 1980, still stunned by the loss of a diamond hero, it was a bittersweet reminder of the glory that had so recently passed. Part of a 40-card issue celebrating other big moments from the game, this card also slotted Munson among all-time greats like Honus Wagner, Lou Gehrig, Babe Ruth, and Rogers Hornsby.

And does Munson really seem out place in that company?

Not at all, which in itself is a rough-hewn and unsophisticated argument for his enshrinement in Cooperstown.

Will that ever happen?

Hard to say, but Munson certainly built an all-timer baseball card library– Hall-of-fame-caliber works of art in the middle held in place by a couple of oddball but exotic and irresistible bookends.

So, when it comes to Thurman Munson baseball cards, what’s not to love?

(Check out the rest of our player-focused posts here.)

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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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The All-Star break is behind us, the pennant races lie ahead, and we’re smack dab in the middle of trade deadline season.

You know … where teams drool all over the “rental” players they would love to add, even though most won’t be able to get the deal done.

That’s sorta the deal with these Droolworthy Card posts, too, right? We’d all love to dig in and snag these goodies, but most will remain out of reach.

Still …

It’s great fun to window shop, just our Major League teams are doing.

So this week, I present our Trade Deadline Droolworthy Deals, where each lot features at least one guy who, once upon a time, was all the rage at as the stretch run loomed in some long ago season.

Now, sit back, relax, and … drool!

(Note that this post contains affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1909-11 T206 Rube Waddell (PSA 3)

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Rube Waddell was one of those fireplug-of-a-man pitchers from the early days of Major League Baseball who looked like he could carry his family’s oxen into town should one of them fall ill.

If you read his bio on Wikipedia, you’ll see that may not be far off.

While Waddell was never traded during the season, per se, his Baseball Reference page lists several instances when he changed uniforms in the summer — returned to the Louisville Colonels by the Columbus-Grand Rapids after an earlier trade, loaned to Milwaukee (American) by the Pittsburgh Pirates, returned to the Pirates, and “jumped” from Los Angeles (California) to the Philadelphia Athletics.

That last move sounds particularly Bunyanesque and makes this T206 Waddell card feel even more mythical than it already did.

The card is in pretty rough shape at a grade of PSA 3 but has the scarce brown Hindu back … and Waddell is a rough-and-tumble Hall of Famer,

Worth checking out at the very least.

Here is the eBay listing (affiliate link).

1962 Topps Lou Brock Rookie Card (PSA 9)

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The 1964 trade that sent young Lou Brock (with Jack Spring and Paul Toth) from the Chicago Cubs to the St. Louis Cardinals in exchange for Ernie Broglio, Doug Clemens, and Bobby Shantz is still legendary in baseball circles more than 50 years on.

Brock, of course, blossomed into one of the greatest base-runners of all time in his 16 years with the Cards, and he developed into a well above-average offensive threat across the board. When he hung up his spikes in 1979, Brock owned just about every stolen base record in the book (since rewritten by Rickey Henderson), more than 3000 hits, and a beeline to the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown.

Even now, “Broglio-for-Brock” elicits groans from Cubs faithful and serves as a cautionary tale for baseball execs everywhere.

Little wonder that Brock’s 1962 rookie card has continued to grow in prestige and value over the years as the hobby has matured, to the point that the ten grand asking price for this PSA 9 copy (population 28) doesn’t seem completely outside the realm of possibility.

Here is the eBay listing (affiliate link).

1980 Topps Baseball Unopened Rack Pack Box

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Yes, the 1980 Topps set is home to the Rickey Henderson rookie card, with a good chance that you’ll uncover one of those gems in this unopened rack pack box.

But when these cards were new, in 1980, Henderson was an afterthought on the rookie scene. Though Rickey recorded his first 100-steal season, that summer was dominated by Cleveland Indians slugging sensation Joe Charboneau, who ran away with the American League Rookie of the Year award.

In the National League, Los Angeles Dodgers left-hander Steve Howe took home ROY honors, matching fellow rotation member Rick Sutcliffe, who had copped the 1979 award.

And so, right alongside Henderson, you’ll find Sutcliffe’s rookie card in this 1980 set.

And …

Four years later, in June 1984, the Cleveland Indians traded the Red Baron to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for Joe Carter and Mel Hall.

The Windy City proved to be a magical elixir for Sutcliffe, who went 16-1 the rest of that summer, helping the Cubbies to their first-ever division title and nabbing NL Cy Young honors.

So remember that if you ever feel a twinge of disappointment in pulling a Rick instead of a Rickey!

Here is the eBay listing (affiliate link).

1969 World Series Game 4 Ticket Autographed by Tom Seaver

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By the time the New York Mets traded Tom Seaver to the Cincinnati Reds in June of 1977, we pretty much already knew what Tom Terrific was — a first-ballot Hall of Famer.

And, while Doug Flynn, Steve Henderson, Dan Norman, and Pat Zachry provided some value to the Mets over the next several seasons, Seaver continued to build his legend with the Reds, starting with a 14-3 record to close out ’77.

Even though Seaver found himself on the Riverfront while the Big Red Machine was still trucking along, he never made it to the World Series with the Reds.

In fact, the only hint of World Series succor that Seaver, his fans, or Mets fans could muster until 1986 were sweet memories of past glory, like this autographed ticket from Game 4 of the 1969 Fall Classic.

In that tilt, Seaver pitched the Miracle Mets to a 2-1 victory over the Baltimore Orioles and to the brink of their first championship.

But the appeal of this ticket doesn’t end with dripping nostalgia, because it’s also a great looking display piece. Check it out …

Here is the eBay listing (affiliate link).

1989 Fleer Baseball 20-Box Wax Case (Billy Ripken F-Face Error Series)

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We all knew that Randy Johnson was a rental player when the Seattle Mariners sent him to the Houston Astros in exchange for Freddy Garcia, Carlos Guillen, and John Halama on July 31, 1998.

But that didn’t really matter to any of us.

The Big Unit was set to be a free agent, and the Mariners couldn’t afford to keep him.

The Astros were trying to make it to the postseason.

And fans … well, we just wanted to see this dude smoke hitters with something on the line.

Boy, did we get our wish!

In 11 starts with Houston, Johnson went 10-1 with a 1.28 ERA, four complete games, and 116 strikeouts in 84-1/3 innings. Wow!

Alas, the Astros won the National League Central but lost to the San Diego Padres in the NL Division Series.

But Johnson’s dominance helped him land a fat new contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks that fall, set him up for what would eventually become a run to the Hall of Fame, and propelled his baseball cards straight into the summer glare of the hobby spotlight.

One of the beneficiaries was his 1989 Fleer rookie card, which you would undoubtedly find in multiplicate in this 20-box wax case.

And, oh yeah … the markings on this case indicate it was cranked out on January 4, 1989 — plenty early enough for the infamous Billy Ripken “F-Face” error to make an appearance.

Open at your own risk!

Here is the eBay listing (affiliate link).

Check out our other posts detailing baseball cards for sale here.

The best way to find out is to see what they have been selling for on the open market — like on eBay.

Be prepared, though, because that might be a slightly depressing exercise if you’re expecting big numbers for you 1986 Donruss Pat Tabler “Mr. Clutch” card.

But the truth is, there are still plenty of cards trading for big bucks online and elsewhere, assuming they’re in great shape or scarce in some way.

And those eBay listings … well, they’ll make your eyes pop and maybe give you a twinge of envy deep in your soul.

Still, it’s fun to see how the other half live every once in a while. With that in mind, here are five crazy baseball card lots that changed hands this week.

(Note that these listings contain affiliate links, which means if you click over to eBay and buy something, I’ll receive a small commission at no extra charge to you.)

1991 Topps Operation Desert Shield Complete Set

In 1991, Topps made a special press run of their baseball cards to send to U.S. troops serving in the first Gulf War. Each of the cards was stamped with a gold foil logo representing Operation Desert Shield and shipped overseas.

As you might expect, not all of those cards made it home, and the combination of scarcity and history has made these a popular item among collectors.

Even though the base, non-Desert Shield versions of 1991 Topps are common as dirt, these beauties can bring bucks if they’re the real thing (reports of counterfeits have been around since the cards themselves).

Earlier this spring, the top-graded PSA complete set brought in more than $100K at auction, so it’s not too surprising to learn that this eBay listing pulled in just under $3500.

What a great lot just before July 4!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1984 Topps Baseball Unopened Wax Case

In the spring of 1984, Darryl Strawberry rookie cards were the hottest item in the hobby and led the way for much of the early season.

By the All-Star break, though, Don Mattingly was battling teammate Dave Winfield for the American League batting crown, and we all went berserk for Donnie Baseball rookie cards, which just so happened to be available in Donruss, Fleer, and Topps wax packs that summer.

While that 1984 Donruss set became a major hobby driver and an enduring classic, the 1984 Topps set is nothing to sneeze at, either.

This eBay lot served up a full unopened wax case of 1984 Topps — 20 boxes of 36 packs each — and sold for $1950 on the strength of three bids.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

Stan Musial Store Model Baseball Glove with Baseball Cards on Original Box

Stan Musial didn’t get the nickname of “The Man” for no reason.

This guy was THE MAN for the St. Louis Cardinal for nearly a quarter century, from the early 1940s to the mid-1960s.

Musial ended up as one of the top 10 or so players in Major League history and was an idol to a generation (and more) little boys from coast to coast.

Little wonder that Rawlings signed him to a deal that included marketing a Stan Musial model baseball glove, complete with a mid-century blue box that included a panel of “cards” on the lid.

You don’t see these for sale too often, but when you do, you can expect a lot of activity — liek 23 bids leading to an $1100 gavel in this eBay listing.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1975 Topps Nolan Ryan Graded KSA 10

You may not be too familiar with KSA Certification — I know I wasn’t before sussing out this listing — but they’re a Canada-based grading and certification company that seems to be well-regarded by those who have used them, at least based on the reviews I have found online.

Still, no grading service holds the name recognition of PSA (or BGS), so you can usually expect a significant gap in card value when considering two cards with similar grades but from two different companies.

A good example is this 1975 Topps Nolan Ryan card that is graded KSA 10. The seller mentions that a PSA 10 specimen recently sold for $40K … but this one brought “just” $1150.

Still a nice sum for a mid-career Hall of Famer, though!

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken, Jr., Rookie Card Graded PSA 10

The 1982 Topps Traded Cal Ripken, Jr., rookie card was the first card from a year-end set to really make big waves in the hobby.

Although Ripken had a rookie card in the base 1982 set, he shared that puppy with two other guys, so collectors were happy to get him alone that November.

As Ripken went on his 30-year award tour, pulling down Rookie of the Year, Most Valuable Player, World Series, Ironman, and Hall of Fame honors, this card rose right along with him.

It’s still a hobby favorite, and this perfect PSA 10 copy sold for $1450.

See the original eBay listing here (affiliate link).

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