Manufacturer: Donruss
Set Size: 660 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Set Notes: In 1983 Donruss kept close to their design from 82 with a few changes. The front of the cards feature a player photo, name and position in a bat icon on the bottom. Team name is within a glove icon and completes with a color stoke boarder around the photo. The Donruss logo is small at top with the “83” in yellow. Backs are simple with orange and black text showing player stats. Some heavy hitting rookies from this time period are included in this set.
Key Rookies From 1983 Donruss: 277 – Ryne Sandberg | 586 – Wade Boggs | 598 – Tony Gwynn
Pricing chart includes raw card price & some graded card value estimates.
These values are collated from a variety of resources including recently sold listings, sales averages and a variety of other sports card pricing data sources. Please see full disclaimer on “Terms Page” for more information.
(Rookiecardprices.com only shows values for regular base set cards. No prices are shown for errors, parallels, subsets, misprints or other cards unless noted.)
DISCLAIMER: This data is not intended as financial advice and should not be used as such. Please do your own research before making any investment or selling/buying decisions.
(–) : No Pricing Data Available | ($) USD Price Value | (¢) USD Price Under $1
The Free 1983 Donruss Rookie Card Price Guide
Tracking the current market value for the 1983 Donruss Baseball Rookie Cards. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.
| Rookie | Card # | Raw | 8 | 9 | 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gary Gaetti | 53 | $1 | $7 | $10 | $27 |
| George Wright | 116 | 75¢ | - | - | $20 |
| Mel Hall | 126 | 75¢ | - | - | $22 |
| David Green | 166 | 25¢ | $10 | $12 | - |
| Willie McGee | 190 | $2 | $15 | $22 | $100 |
| Don Slaught | 196 | 75¢ | - | $5 | $20 |
| Candy Maldonado | 262 | 75¢ | - | $20 | $25 |
| Ryne Sandberg | 277 | $15 | $40 | $60 | $900 |
| Bud Black | 322 | 75¢ | - | - | $20 |
| Howard Johnson | 328 | $1 | - | $20 | $52 |
| Jim Gott | 353 | 50¢ | - | - | $30 |
| Frank Viola | 382 | $1 | $7 | $15 | $40 |
| Mike Moore | 428 | 75¢ | - | - | $35 |
| Eric Show | 439 | 50¢ | - | - | $12 |
| Julio Franco | 525 | $2 | $6 | $25 | $32 |
| Carlos Diaz | 562 | 75¢ | - | - | - |
| Wade Boggs | 586 | $10 | $20 | $36 | $188 |
| Tony Gwynn | 598 | $14 | $25 | $65 | $800 |
| Storm Davis | 619 | 75¢ | - | - | $26 |
| Data Updated: June 2026 | |||||
Overview of 1983 Donruss Baseball Cards
The 1983 Donruss baseball card set is a significant release in the history of sports cards, especially for collectors of 1980s baseball. It was one of three major sets that year (along with 1983 Topps and 1983 Fleer) and is particularly notable for featuring the rookie cards of three future Hall of Famers.
Key Features and Design: The cards feature a color player photo surrounded by a white border. A distinctive “bat-and-glove” motif frames the player’s name, position, and team, replacing the baseball illustration used in the 1982 set. The card backs switched from blue in 1982 to yellow in 1983.
Set Size: The main set consists of 660 cards.
Diamond Kings: A popular subset within the main set, the “Diamond Kings” feature artistic oil paintings of star players by Dick Perez. These cards can be highly sought after by collectors.
Puzzles: Donruss sets of this era often included puzzle pieces. The 1983 set featured a 63-piece Mickey Mantle puzzle.
Errors and Variations: Like many sets from this period, there are some error cards and variations, such as the Ron Jackson card which incorrectly listed his team as the A’s instead of the Angels, and some variations in the color of the bio text on the back of certain cards. (Prices on this site only include base set regular cards no variation prices or error values.)
Notable Rookies: The 1983 Donruss set is legendary for its rookie class, which includes:
- Tony Gwynn (RC #598): One of the greatest pure hitters of all time.
- Ryne Sandberg (RC #277): A Hall of Fame second baseman.
- Wade Boggs (RC #586): Another Hall of Fame hitter known for his high batting average.
Other notable rookies in the set include Julio Franco, Frank Viola, Willie McGee, Howard Johnson, Bud Black, and Eric Show.
Value and Collectability: While individual base cards from the 1980s are generally not highly valuable due to overproduction, the 1983 Donruss set holds significant appeal because of its iconic rookie cards. Graded versions (especially PSA 9 or 10) of the Gwynn, Sandberg, and Boggs rookies can fetch a good price.
Complete sets, particularly in excellent condition, also have value, though it varies. The 1983 Donruss set, along with its Topps and Fleer counterparts, is a cornerstone of 1980s baseball card collecting and remains a popular set for enthusiasts looking to acquire key rookie cards of legendary players.
1983 Donruss Baseball Set FAQ
Q: How do you identify the distinct card design for 1983 Donruss?
A: The 1983 design is incredibly bright and easy to spot. The player photo is encased in a thick, rounded inner border that changes color depending on the player’s team (for instance, Padres cards have a bold red frame). At the top left, you will see a stylized, blocky “Donruss ’83” logo. The bottom features a yellow name banner next to a fun, prominent baseball glove graphic that contains the team name.
Q: Are there any notable error cards or variations in the 1983 set?
A: Yes, there are a handful of classic uncorrected text errors and variations. The most famous is card #271, Ron Guidry. Early printings of the Yankees ace feature a major statistical blunder on the back, where his 1982 strikeout total is listed as a massive, impossible “2,091” instead of his actual 162 strikeouts. Another notable error is card #538 Mike Smithson, which can be found with either a blank back or an entirely different player’s stat block printed on the reverse side.
Q: What special subsets or inserts are included in this 660-card checklist?
A: Donruss brought back their beautiful Diamond Kings subset for the second straight year, taking up the first 26 cards of the checklist with vibrant Dick Perez artwork. This set also marked the debut of the “Hall of Fame Heroes” insert set, which was a separate, 60-card companion set dedicated entirely to retired all-time greats.
Popular Rookie Cards From 1983 Donruss Baseball
