The 1989 Fleer baseball card set was released in 1989 by Fleer. Containing 660 cards, the 1989 Fleer set is particularly sought after by collectors because it includes the rookie cards of several future Hall of Famers, including Ken Griffey Jr., Randy Johnson, and Craig Biggio as well as some incredibly rare and coveted error cards namely the Bill Ripken Fuck Face card and the Randy Johnson Marlboro Ad card.
Covered in this list are the most valuable cards from 1989, based on historical sold prices for raw cards. In the case where a card’s value depends on the specific variation of the card, we’ve provided rough estimates of these, too. Keep in mind that the rarity and condition of the card in addition to whether it’s been graded by a professional grading card company can significantly affect it’s value.
Summary of Most Valuable Cards in 1989 Fleer Baseball
If you just want a list of the cards to keep when opening 1989 Fleer Baseball, see the list below:
- #616 – Bill Ripken – The infamous Fuck Face (FF) on Knob card, but also other variations of the card
- #548 Ken Griffey Jr. – Rookie card (RC)
- #381 Randy Johnson – Rookie card (RC) – Multiple Marlboro Ad variations
- #368 Nolan Ryan
- #602 John Smoltz – Rookie card (RC)
- #285 Bo Jackson
- #5 Jose Canseco
- #628 Jose Canseco Speed And Power
- #325 Will Clark
- #353 Craig Biggio – Rookie card (RC)
Scroll down for more details on each card, including error variations and prices.
#616 Bill Ripken
See billripken.com for more information on these variations plus others (“versions within versions”, “print flaws”, and “missing ink” proofs)
Variations:
- Fuck Face (FF) on Knob (Original Card)
- Circle Scribble (Semi-Airbrushed)
- White Scribble (White Airbrushed)
- Whiteout (Authenticity debated – buyer beware)
- Black Scribble
- Black Box
- Black & White Test Run
Bill Ripken Fuck Face (FF) on Knob (Original Card)
Value: $25 – $55 raw
Bill Ripken Circle Scribble (Semi-Airbrushed)
Value: TBD – can’t find sold examples
Bill Ripken White Scribble (White Airbrushed)
Value: $230 – $400 raw
Bill Ripken Whiteout (Authenticity debated – buyer beware)
Per billripken.com, the authenticity of these cards is debated. They may be real, though there are likely fakes out there. Even graded examples should be viewed with some caution.
Value: $200 – $250 raw
Bill Ripken Black Scribble
Value: $25 raw
Bill Ripken Black Box
Value: $3 – $4 raw
Bill Ripken Black & White Test Run (Fake card – buyer beware)
Per billripken.com, these are fake novelty cards printed on cheap photo paper. I’ve seen these sell for $40+ on eBay. Buyer beware.
#548 Ken Griffey Jr.
Value: $4 – $13 raw
#381 Randy Johnson
In general terms, there are 3 variations of this card. But upon closer examination there are at least 13 different versions, suggests Junk Wax Gems! We’ll cover the 3 broad categories for variations here.
Variations:
- Marlboro Ad Very Clear on Scoreboard
- Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard
- Marlboro Ad Completely Blacked Out
Randy Johnson Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard (Very Clear)
Value: $18,000
Randy Johnson Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard (Partially Obscured)
Value: $10 – $45
Randy Johnson Marlboro Ad Completely Blacked Out
Value: $1 – $6
#368 Nolan Ryan
Value: $1 – $1.50
#602 John Smoltz
Value: $1 – $1.50
#285 Bo Jackson
Value: $1 – $1.50
#5 Jose Canseco
Value: $1
#628 Jose Canseco Speed And Power
Value: $1
#325 Will Clark
Value: $1
#353 Craig Biggio
Value: $1 – $1.50
Did we miss any notable cards from 1989 Fleer Baseball?
Let us know in the comments!
