1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. #1 Baseball Card Values

Manufacturer: Upper Deck
Set: 1989 Upper Deck Baseball ➡️
Player Name: Ken Griffey Jr.
Position/Team: Outfield for Mariners
Card #: 1
Card Size: 2-1/2” x 3-1/2”
Card Values: See Pricing Data Below

This 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card, #1 in the set, is one of the most iconic and significant cards in modern sports card collecting. Its impact went far beyond just being a rookie card for a future Hall of Famer; it fundamentally changed the landscape of the trading card industry.

Upper Deck’s decision to make Ken Griffey Jr.’s rookie card the #1 card in their inaugural set was a stroke of genius. Griffey, nicknamed “The Kid,” was an immensely popular and charismatic young star with a “dream swing” and a knack for highlight-reel plays. He was considered a generational talent before he even played a game in the majors. The card’s photo, showing a smiling Griffey in his Seattle Mariners uniform, perfectly captured the optimism and excitement surrounding his career.

While the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card was mass-produced during the “junk wax era,” its enduring popularity and significance have kept its value strong, especially for cards in high-grade condition.

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Pricing Data For This Rookie Card

Tracking the current market value for the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Card #1. Below, find updated pricing data for ungraded (raw) copies, as well as verified PSA graded sales trends collected from secondary marketplaces.

Raw/Ungraded: $95
Grade 7: $105

Grade 8: $155

Grade 9: $450
Grade 10: $5,500

Data Updated: June 2026

➡️ See All 1989 Upper Deck Rookie Card Prices

Pricing data 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.

Ken Griffey Jr., affectionately known as “Junior” or “The Kid,” is one of the most celebrated and beloved baseball players of all time. He was a prodigious talent who combined a graceful, powerful left-handed swing with exceptional defensive prowess in center field. Griffey’s career was defined by his electrifying play, iconic backward-facing cap, and a genuine love for the game that made him a fan favorite.

Drafted first overall by the Seattle Mariners in 1987, Griffey made his Major League Baseball (MLB) debut in 1989 at just 19 years old. His career spanned 22 seasons with the Mariners (1989–1999, 2009–2010), the Cincinnati Reds (2000–2008), and the Chicago White Sox (2008). Griffey’s most dominant years were in Seattle.

Ken Griffey Jr. has an impressive statistical standing with 630 career home runs, a 13-time All-Star (1990–2000, 2004, 2007). He won the 1997 American League MVP, a season where he hit 56 home runs and drove in 147 RBIs. A 10 Gold Glove Awards (1990–1999) for his outstanding defense in center field and he holds 7 Silver Slugger Awards (1991, 1993, 1994, 1996–1999) for his offensive production.

A significant moment in his career was when he played alongside his father, Ken Griffey Sr., for the Mariners in 1990, becoming the first father-son duo to play on the same MLB team. They even hit back-to-back home runs in the same game.

In 2016, Griffey was elected to the National Baseball Hall of Fame on his first ballot, receiving a then-record 99.3% of the vote, a testament to his immense popularity and respected career. His induction cemented his status as one of the greatest players of his generation and a true icon of the sport. His legacy extends beyond his impressive stats; he is widely remembered for his effortless, “sweet” swing, his graceful defense, and the joy he brought to the game during a tumultuous era for baseball.

See Ken Griffey Jr. Stats on baseball-reference.com