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You are here: Home / Sports Card News / Modern Sports Card News / Graded Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr Rookie Card Tally Nears 120,000

Graded Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr Rookie Card Tally Nears 120,000

June 20, 2020 By Rich Mueller

In the days leading up to his 2016 Baseball Hall of Fame election, one photo consistently used online by writers was the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card.  That image is burned into the minds of anyone who was involved in the sports collecting hobby at the time, whether as a kid who wanted one more than life itself, a shop owner in a suddenly booming industry or an adult who wondered if the days of bubble gum and wax wrappers were numbered (they were).

Keeping the Kid Safe

Upper Deck 1989 foil packsWhile it miKen Griffey Juniorght be one of the iconic symbols of a certain generation, it’s not going to be the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle.

While the Mantle is famous as much for those that were thrown away, the Griffey rookie card is well-known because no one did.  It was a treasure from the moment the first one emerged from those newfangled $1 foil packs Upper Deck unleashed on an unsuspecting little hobby in 1989.

On Griffey and the @BaseballHall plaque that would speak to a generation without a word. https://t.co/BO9PJ3lNAj pic.twitter.com/mWtOWfajT7

— Jesse Spector (@jessespector) January 6, 2016

If you stuck yours away hoping it’d be your ticket to a free education, well, so did thousands of other kids and parents.  While it didn’t quite work out that way, it’s still worth something and examples that score high ratings from grading and authentication services that boomed after its release are worth more.

Glut of Graded Griffeys

Not all were kept in perfect condition. Like any youthful treasure, some were handled regularly.  Those, though, were few.

Upper Deck printed to demand and demand was through the roof in 1989.  We don’t know exactly how many were made but we do know that the three major grading companies have now examined nearly 120,000 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie cards.  Nearly one-third of those have been rated mint, gem mint or ‘pristine’ (not every grading company uses the same terminology but you get the drift).

Here’s the breakdown as of this writing:

Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Cards graded by PSA

Ken Griffey Jr 1989 Upper Deck rookie

Total:  75,024

Gem Mint 10:  3,808
Mint 9 (no qualifier):  24,270
Approximate number of eBay listings (all grades): 400

Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Cards graded by Beckett

BGS 10 1989 Ken Griffey Jr. Upper Deck rookie card

Total:  37,398

Pristine 10 (Black Label): 4
Pristine 10:  113
Gem Mint 9.5:  2,785
Mint 9:  6,149
Approximate number of eBay listings:  170

Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Cards Graded by SGC

Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card 1989 Upper Deck

Total:  7,450|

Pristine 10:  10
Gem Mint 10: 222
Mint+ 9.5:  17
Mint 9:  1,450
Approximate number of eBay listings:  30

As the market for sports cards began to soar in the last couple of years, demand for high-grade Griffey cards and 1989 Upper Deck boxes and sets has pushed prices upward.  Even with a strong supply of singles, wax and sets, it hasn’t been enough to satisfy re-engaged buyers and those who are speculating that the market will further expand.

In 2016, PSA 10 Griffey cards were readily available for $300-$375.  Now?  Expect to pay three times that much–or a little more.   While the card is far from scarce, the demand for it is unlike any other modern era card.  In 2016, we quoted one seller as expected them to “settle in” at around $500 following Junior’s Hall of Fame election. They’ve obviously done much better than that.  Even graded NM/MT or MT examples have increased in price, although not by quite as much.

Remember, these figures pale in comparison to the Griffey rookie cards that have never been graded.  It’s safe to say their numbers dwarf those that have been encapsulated.  There are likely a lot more 9s and 10s sitting in plain toploaders, old screwdown holders or album pages.

There’s no doubt Griffey remains an icon, especially to those who grew up buying (or hoping to buy) his Upper Deck rookie card as one decade turned into the next.  The good news is that you won’t have trouble finding one. 

You can check out the most watched Ken Griffey Jr. cards at auction on eBay right now via the live list below.

1989 UPPER DECK STAR ROOKIE #1 KEN GRIFFEY JR. RC HOF PSA 10 DNA AUTO 10 1989 UPPER DECK STAR ROOKIE #1 KEN GRIFFEY JR. RC HOF PSA 10 DNA AUTO 10
33 bids - Price: $6,301.00 - Watchers: 133
1998 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 2 #1 Ken Griffey Jr. PSA 9 MINT 25/100 1998 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 2 #1 Ken Griffey Jr. PSA 9 MINT 25/100
37 bids - Price: $676.66 - Watchers: 100
PSA 8 Ken Griffey Jr. 1998 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 1 #1  42/100 PSA 8 Ken Griffey Jr. 1998 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 1 #1 42/100
15 bids - Price: $1,345.00 - Watchers: 95
1989 Ken Griffey Jr Upper Deck #1 *SIGNED* RC Rookie BGS 9.5/10 **QUAD 9.5 1989 Ken Griffey Jr Upper Deck #1 *SIGNED* RC Rookie BGS 9.5/10 **QUAD 9.5's**
34 bids - Price: $1,025.00 - Watchers: 84
1999 Bowman 1999 Bowman's Best Atomic Refractor #80 Ken Griffey Jr. HOF 62/100 PSA 10
21 bids - Price: $660.00 - Watchers: 82
2021 Triple Threads /9 Mike Trout/Ken Griffey Jr./Ronald Acuna gold Auto PSA 10 2021 Triple Threads /9 Mike Trout/Ken Griffey Jr./Ronald Acuna gold Auto PSA 10
37 bids - Price: $1,464.00 - Watchers: 81
2022 Panini Flawless Greats Autographs Ken Griffey Jr. 1/10 AUTO MARINERS!! NR! 2022 Panini Flawless Greats Autographs Ken Griffey Jr. 1/10 AUTO MARINERS!! NR!
21 bids - Price: $232.50 - Watchers: 73
1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie #1 Ken Griffey Jr. RC HOF PSA 10 " FLAWLESS " 1989 Upper Deck Star Rookie #1 Ken Griffey Jr. RC HOF PSA 10 " FLAWLESS "
17 bids - Price: $1,522.00 - Watchers: 72
1999 SP Authentic KEN GRIFFEY JR Auto *ON CARD* 1999 SP Authentic KEN GRIFFEY JR Auto *ON CARD*
37 bids - Price: $180.27 - Watchers: 65
KEN GRIFFEY JR 1998 TOPPS GALLERY BASEBALL #GH1 GALLERY OF HEROES HOF NRMT  KEN GRIFFEY JR 1998 TOPPS GALLERY BASEBALL #GH1 GALLERY OF HEROES HOF NRMT 
21 bids - Price: $84.00 - Watchers: 64
Mickey Mantle Ken Griffey Jr. Signed Auto 1994 Upper Deck  Mickey Mantle Ken Griffey Jr. Signed Auto 1994 Upper Deck 
14 bids - Price: $2,800.00 - Watchers: 47
1995 Finest #118 Ken Griffey Jr. Refractor PSA 10 Gem Mint 1995 Finest #118 Ken Griffey Jr. Refractor PSA 10 Gem Mint
17 bids - Price: $854.00 - Watchers: 46
1989 Bowman Tiffany #220 Ken Griffey Jr PSA 9 MINT RC HOF 1989 Bowman Tiffany #220 Ken Griffey Jr PSA 9 MINT RC HOF
20 bids - Price: $197.50 - Watchers: 46
1998 TOPPS GALLERY OF HEROES STAINED GLASS #GH1 KEN GRIFFEY JR. DIE CUT 1998 TOPPS GALLERY OF HEROES STAINED GLASS #GH1 KEN GRIFFEY JR. DIE CUT
13 bids - Price: $51.00 - Watchers: 45
Ken Griffey Jr The Man  /500 From Topps Finest 1998 Rare And Coating Still Ken Griffey Jr The Man /500 From Topps Finest 1998 Rare And Coating Still
9 bids - Price: $78.00 - Watchers: 43
1989 Ken Griffey Jr Topps Traded #41T RC Rookie BGS 10 **PRISTINE** 1989 Ken Griffey Jr Topps Traded #41T RC Rookie BGS 10 **PRISTINE**
17 bids - Price: $304.00 - Watchers: 43
Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle Mariners 2001 Upper Deck SP Auto Buy Back UDA 18/53 Rare Ken Griffey Jr. Seattle Mariners 2001 Upper Deck SP Auto Buy Back UDA 18/53 Rare
9 bids - Price: $142.50 - Watchers: 42
2022 Topps Definitive Purple Ken Griffey Jr. Mike Trout Jersey AUTO 8/10 BGS 9 2022 Topps Definitive Purple Ken Griffey Jr. Mike Trout Jersey AUTO 8/10 BGS 9
11 bids - Price: $368.00 - Watchers: 42
1999 Upper Deck Game Jersey Ken Griffey Jr. JERSEY AUTO JSY # 15/24 #JRS BGS 8.5 1999 Upper Deck Game Jersey Ken Griffey Jr. JERSEY AUTO JSY # 15/24 #JRS BGS 8.5
4 bids - Price: $3,550.00 - Watchers: 40
Ken Griffey Jr. - 1996 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr. - 1996 Bowman's Best Previews Atomic Refractors #BBP30 Mariners
16 bids - Price: $61.00 - Watchers: 40
Ken Griffey Jr. HOF Signed 1989 Upper Deck #1 RC Rookie PSA 9 PSA/DNA 10 AUTO Ken Griffey Jr. HOF Signed 1989 Upper Deck #1 RC Rookie PSA 9 PSA/DNA 10 AUTO
7 bids - Price: $280.00 - Watchers: 40
2020 Topps Archives 1993 Stadium Club Ken Griffey Jr. AUTO PSA AUTH 1/1 MARINERS 2020 Topps Archives 1993 Stadium Club Ken Griffey Jr. AUTO PSA AUTH 1/1 MARINERS
18 bids - Price: $255.00 - Watchers: 39
2019 FLAWLESS MOMENTS PATCH GOLD KEN GRIFFEY JR. AUTO 01/10 BGS 9.5 Q0902 2019 FLAWLESS MOMENTS PATCH GOLD KEN GRIFFEY JR. AUTO 01/10 BGS 9.5 Q0902
17 bids - Price: $153.50 - Watchers: 39
1997 UD3 Superb Signatures #2 Ken Griffey Jr. HOF BGS 7 w/ 8 AUTO 1997 UD3 Superb Signatures #2 Ken Griffey Jr. HOF BGS 7 w/ 8 AUTO
16 bids - Price: $179.50 - Watchers: 39
1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr Autograph RC Rookie Gem Mint PSA DNA 10 Auto 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr Autograph RC Rookie Gem Mint PSA DNA 10 Auto
10 bids - Price: $157.50 - Watchers: 37

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About Rich Mueller

Rich is the editor and founder of Sports Collectors Daily. A broadcaster and writer for over 40 years and a collector for even longer than that, he's usually typing something somewhere. Type him back at [email protected].

Filed Under: Modern Sports Card News, Popular Stories Tagged With: 1989 fleer ken griffey jr., 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr., graded cards, ken griffey jr rookie card, Ken Griffey Jr.

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