MLB Baseball cards · Most popular
Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card Value & Most Valuable Cards
As of October 29, 2026, the most popular Ken Griffey Jr. card is the 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie, last sold for $86.
Updated
The ranking
- 1989 Upper Deck
Star Rookie
Card #1The iconic 1989 Upper Deck #1 rookie — the most recognized Griffey card and one of the defining cards of its era. Tough to find in top grade, which is where the value lives.
last sold $86 from $105Recent salesSee all 13 sales
Date Grade Sold for Oct 25 PSA 9 $430 Oct 23 Raw $76 Oct 22 Raw $85 Oct 22 Raw $86 Oct 22 PSA 6 $99.87 Oct 21 PSA 3 $111.53 Oct 20 Raw $124.50 Oct 15 PSA 5 $90 Oct 13 PSA 5 $80.72 Oct 12 PSA 6 $110 Oct 9 PSA 8 $157.50 Oct 7 Raw $157.50 Oct 5 Raw $76 - 1989 Bowman
Tiffany
Card #220The scarce, glossy Tiffany version of his Bowman rookie — printed in far smaller quantities than the base card, making it his premium rookie chase.
from $1,100 - 1989 Topps Traded
Tiffany
Card #41TThe glossy Tiffany version of his Topps Traded rookie, sold only in factory sets and far scarcer than the base card. PSA 10 copies have recently sold for about $5,700 to $9,000.
from $599.99
Fun fact
In 1990 Griffey and his father, Ken Griffey Sr., became the first father and son to play in the same major-league game as teammates — and that September they hit back-to-back home runs for the Mariners.
- 1989 Bowman
Base Card
Card #220His base Bowman rookie — a widely collected 1989 issue and an accessible piece of his rookie run.
last sold $56 from $63Recent salesSee all 3 sales
Date Grade Sold for Oct 21 PSA 9 $60 Oct 5 Raw $4 Oct 4 PSA 9 $52 - 1989 Donruss
Base Card
Card #33His Donruss rookie, notable for dark borders that chip easily — which makes clean, high-grade copies genuinely tough to find.
from $19.99Recent salesSee all 3 sales
Date Grade Sold for Oct 23 Raw $2.30 Oct 23 Raw $2.35 Oct 21 Raw $2.32
- 1989 Fleer
Base Card
Card #548His Fleer rookie — a popular and affordable 1989 issue that's a staple of any Griffey rookie collection.
from $35Recent salesSee all 6 sales
Date Grade Sold for Oct 23 Raw $2.25 Oct 23 PSA 9 $43 Oct 22 PSA 10 $335 Oct 18 PSA 8 $20 Oct 17 Raw $4.38 Oct 15 Raw $4.99 - 1989 Topps Traded
Topps Traded
Card #41THis Topps rookie, from the year-end Traded set — his recognized Topps rookie issue and a collector favorite.
from $19.99Recent salesSee all 2 sales
Date Grade Sold for Oct 14 Raw $7.51 Oct 7 PSA 8 $12.99
Every Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card is from 1989, the year he debuted with the Seattle Mariners at 19. This guide ranks his key rookies, from the iconic Upper Deck #1 and the scarce Bowman and Topps Traded Tiffany versions down to affordable Donruss, Fleer, Score and Bowman rookies, with card numbers and prices that update daily.
- 1989 Donruss The Rookies
Donruss The Rookies
Card #3His card in the boxed 1989 Donruss The Rookies set, a green-bordered rookie that is less common than the base Donruss. PSA 10 copies have sold for roughly $280 to $725.
last sold $27 - 1989 Score Rookie & Traded
Score Rookie & Traded
Card #100THis rookie in the year-end 1989 Score Rookie & Traded set. Raw copies are cheap, and PSA 10s have recently sold for about $200 to $235.
from $17 - #101989 Score
Base Card
His Score rookie, well liked for its clean, colorful design — an accessible and widely available rookie card.
Didn’t see the one you want? Browse 91 Ken Griffey Jr. cards for sale, $1 to $300
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Auctions with bids for Ken Griffey Jr., as of Oct 29, 2026. Bids and prices change fast.
Upper Deck 1989 Ken Griffey Jr Star Rookie #1 RC Seattle Mariners PSA 9Ends in <1h
1989 Topps Traded - Ken Griffey Jr #41T - TIFFANY - ROOKIE - PSA 9Ends in 3h
1997 Bowman Chrome KEN GRIFFEY JR REFRACTOR #12 Seattle Mariners MLBEnds in <1h
Upper Deck 1989 #1 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Seattle Mariners BGS 9 MintEnds in <1h
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Frequently asked
What is Ken Griffey Jr.'s most valuable card?
His 1989 Upper Deck #1 rookie is the icon and the one everyone chases. Top-condition copies are the most valuable and coveted, since the card is famously tough to find in flawless grade despite its huge print run.
What are Ken Griffey Jr.'s rookie cards?
All of his rookie cards are from 1989. The key ones are the 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie (#1), Bowman (#220) and its Tiffany version, Topps Traded (#41T) and its Tiffany version, Donruss (#33), Fleer (#548), Score (#625), Donruss The Rookies (#3) and Score Rookie & Traded (#100T). The Upper Deck #1 is the most iconic, and the Tiffany versions are the scarcest.
How much is a Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card worth?
It depends on the card and its grade. Ungraded base rookies like the 1989 Fleer, Score and Donruss usually sell for a few dollars to around $20. In PSA 10, the Score Rookie & Traded runs about $200 to $235, the Fleer about $200 to $400, and the Upper Deck #1 about $5,000 to $6,000. The Tiffany versions cost the most: PSA 10 Topps Traded Tiffanys have sold for about $5,700 to $9,000, and PSA 10 Bowman Tiffanys for about $22,000 to $26,000. Check the live prices on each card above for today's market.
How much is the 1989 Upper Deck Griffey worth?
Raw copies are inexpensive because so many were printed, but the card has a low gem rate, so flawless graded examples command a big premium — well into four figures. Condition is what drives the value here.
What's the most affordable Griffey card to start with?
His base 1989 rookies — Donruss, Fleer, Score and the base Bowman — are the accessible entry points. Raw copies are widely available and cheap, which makes them a fun, low-cost way into his rookie run.
Which Griffey card is best to get graded?
The 1989 Upper Deck #1 rewards grading most, because it's condition-sensitive and a high grade dramatically increases its value. Compare recent graded-vs-raw sales before paying to grade.
Are Ken Griffey Jr. cards a good investment?
Sports cards are collectibles, not guaranteed investments — values move with hobby demand and can fall as fast as they rise. This page is for research and enjoyment, not financial advice; buy what you love and do your own homework.
What's a fun fact about Ken Griffey Jr.?
In 1990 Griffey and his father, Ken Griffey Sr., became the first father and son to play in the same major-league game as teammates — and that September they hit back-to-back home runs for the Mariners.
What's the most expensive Ken Griffey Jr. card for sale?
As of October 29, 2026, the most expensive Ken Griffey Jr. card on our list that's for sale is the 1989 Bowman Tiffany (#2), listed from $1,100 on eBay. If you'd rather buy one, the best Ken Griffey Jr. card under $100 is the 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie (#1), last sold for $86. Prices update daily.
What's the best Ken Griffey Jr. card under $100?
As of October 29, 2026, it's the 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie — #1 on our list of the 10 most popular Ken Griffey Jr. cards — last sold for $86. Prices update daily.
Where this comes from
Facts
Card numbers and sale prices for the Topps Traded Tiffany, Donruss The Rookies and Score Rookie & Traded rookies
Facts
Dated PSA 10 sales for the Donruss The Rookies and Topps Traded Tiffany rookies
How we rank these cards
We rank by popularity — how coveted a card is — not by price alone. A card rises on its iconic standing (flagship rookies, on-card autographs, and marquee inserts), its scarcity (low serial numbers and true one-of-ones), and collector demand, with market value as a strong signal. The most expensive card isn't always the most popular.
Every list is checked against several sources before it goes live. The facts — how rare a card is, what it sells for, which versions exist — come only from card checklists, price trackers, and real sold listings.
What the community is chasing shapes how we order the list, but it never counts as a fact on its own. It tells us about demand, not whether a card truly belongs at the top.
We only call a card's rarity confirmed when the maker officially publishes the number. Otherwise we label it an estimate — and we never make a number up.
Each card photo comes from the eBay listing its button points to, so you're always seeing a real card that's actually for sale — credited to that listing, never taken from the card maker.
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