1989 Topps Baseball Card Price Guide

Manufacturer: Topps
Set Size: Base Set: 792 Cards   |  Traded Set: 132 Cards
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”

Set Notes: If you’re an 80s kid who collected baseball cards you undoubtably recognize 1989 Topps. The front of the cards feature a player photo and team name plus player name in a banner type design at bottom. The backs are a magenta color with black text and boarder. Because of mass production most of the 1989 Topps set do not hold much value. However the Topps Traded set from this year holds the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card which is always a collector favorite.

Key Rookies From 1989 Topps: 343 – Gary Sheffield  |  647– Randy Johnson  |  41T – Ken Griffey Jr.

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 1989 Topps Base Rookie Card Price Guide

Tracking the current market value for the 1989 Topps Baseball Rookie Cards. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.

(–) : No Pricing Data Available  |  ($) USD Price Value  |  (¢) USD Price Under $1

The Free 1989 Topps Traded Rookie Card Price Guide

Tracking the current market value for the 1989 Topps Traded Baseball Rookie Cards. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.

Overview of 1989 Topps Baseball Cards

The 1989 Topps baseball card set is a significant part of the “Junk Wax” era, a period in the late 1980s and early 1990s known for massive overproduction of sports cards. While it doesn’t have the same groundbreaking reputation as the 1989 Upper Deck set, it is a classic in its own right and a staple for collectors of the period.

Design and Production: The 1989 Topps set consists of 792 cards, featuring a design with a white-framed photo of the player surrounded by a team-appropriate colored piping. The team name is at the bottom, and the player’s name is in a banner at the corner. The card backs have a typical Topps layout with player stats and a brief bio.

Topps also included several subsets within the main set, which was common for them.

• Record Breakers
• All-Stars
• Turn Back the Clock
• Team Leaders
• Future Stars
• #1 Draft Picks (a new feature for the year, showcasing players in their college or high school uniforms).

Key Rookie Cards: The 1989 Topps set is a treasure trove of rookie cards for some of baseball’s greatest players, many of whom went on to have Hall of Fame careers. These rookie cards are the most sought-after cards in the set.

• Randy Johnson (#647): “The Big Unit” is one of the key rookie cards from the set, and a graded, high-condition version is valuable to collectors.
• John Smoltz (#382): A Hall of Fame pitcher for the Atlanta Braves.
• Craig Biggio (#49): Another Hall of Famer, known for his long career with the Houston Astros.
• Gary Sheffield (#343): A slugger with a long and productive career.
• Jim Abbott (#573): Known for his remarkable career as a pitcher with one hand.
• Robin Ventura (#764): A long-time third baseman.

The 1989 Topps set is a classic example of a “junk wax” set. While individual cards from the set are generally not very valuable due to the sheer volume of cards produced, it is still highly collectible. It’s a nostalgic set for many collectors who grew up in the late 80s and is a fun way to collect rookie cards of several Hall of Famers for a relatively low cost. The set also exists in a “Traded” version, which features more rookie cards and players who were traded during the season.

1989 Topps Baseball Card Set FAQ

Q: How can I instantly recognize the card design for 1989 Topps?

A: The 1989 design is easily identified by its colorful, curved aesthetics. The bottom of the card front features the team name spelled out in an elegant, script-like fluid font. The player’s name is written in clean, small block letters within the curved banner graphic. It features a bright white border that surrounds a high-resolution photo frame.

Q: Are there any legitimate, documented error cards or text variations to look for?

A: Yes, there is a very famous, verified copyright variation involving card #665, Tony Oliva (the “Turn Back the Clock” subset card). The card can be found in three distinct versions on the back: one missing the copyright line entirely, a second tough version where a solid vertical black bar was printed over the copyright area to blot it out, and the standard corrected version with the copyright text fully intact.

Q: What unique subsets or premium factory editions exist for this release?

A: The base checklist features a handful of classic subsets, including Record Breakers (#1-7), All-Star Rookie Team selections, and a dedicated Future Stars run. However, the most famous alternative version is the 1989 Topps Tiffany set. Sold exclusively as a factory set with an extremely limited print run (estimated around 15,000 sets), these cards look identical to the base version but are printed on a premium, bright white cardboard stock with a high-gloss protective UV coating on the front.

Popular Rookies From 1989 Topps Baseball