10 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Cards to Collect
Ken Griffey Jr. is the ultimate baseball heartthrob, and his Rookie Cards are hotter than a fresh-out-the-oven pizza! This Hall of Famer and 13-time All-Star stole our hearts with his iconic backward cap and electrifying style of play, grabbing 10 Gold Glove Awards and 630 dingers along the way. Whether you’re a diehard fan or a casual collector, a Ken Griffey Jr. RC is a must-have. Check out our list of some of the coolest Ken Griffey Jr. RCs.
1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
Upper Deck hit a grand slam with its inaugural Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card, considered one of the most iconic baseball cards of all time. This Ken Griffey Jr. RC is the first card in Upper Deck’s first baseball set.
1989 Fleer #548 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
You can go on and on about what makes Fleer’s #548 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card a stone-cold stunner, but we’ll simplify things. Griffey Jr. is the coolest – hardly debatable – and most well-rounded superstar baseball has ever seen. He’s the only player to hit at least 600 homers and notch 10 Gold Gloves. Fleer also produced a Glossy version of this Ken Griffey Jr. RC that takes an Aaron Judge-like swing for the fences to find – it’s estimated that about 30,000 were produced. Two excellent reasons why the fans love this Griffey Jr. RC.
1989 Bowman Tiffany #220 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
Rare Joint Alert!! The 1989 Bowman Tiffany #220 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card is a tough find and, as the kids would say, a tuff card – just not literally. The card backs on Tiffany cards are much brighter than the originals, and the glossy card stock provides a smoother feel. And the border on this card is white instead of the red and blue stripes on the original version. Finally, the Bowman Tiffany #220 Ken Griffey Rookie Card is part of a limited edition release. A rare joint, indeed.
1989 Donruss #33 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
The 1989 Donruss #33 Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card is one of “The Kid’s” most recognizable and sought-after RCs. It has that “classic” look and features a baby-faced Griffey Jr. at the dish, ready to pummel a pitch past the fences. The 1989 Donruss #33 Ken Griffey Jr. RC is a must-have in the collection.
1989 Score/Traded #100T Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
Unfortunately, Score missed including Ken Griffey Jr. in its main release. Fortunately for us, they rebounded later in the year by dropping their 1989 Score Traded #100T Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card. This Ken Griffey Jr. RC is one of the few major brand releases that features an action shot from his rookie season, which only adds to its allure.
1989 Classic Travel Orange Ken Griffey Jr. #131 Rookie Card
The year is 1989, and Classic decided to shake up the game and drop a pair of blaster pack sets featuring Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Cards. Enter this KG24 Bad Boy – the first of the two – a rarity and one of the best-bang-for-your-bucks’ Ken Griffey Jr. RCs. The orange and purple really set this thang off!
1989 Bowman Ken Griffey Jr./Ken Griffey Sr. #259
Bowman produced a set of cards with players filling a TV screen in 1955. Forty-four years later, Bowman resurrected the design for a four-card subset featuring father/son duos, including the Alomars, Ripkens, Stottlemyres, and Griffeys. This is like The Pursuit of Happyness in a Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card. Two generations of sluggers; One multi-player card. My eyes are nearly sweating – one of the cooler Ken Griffey Jr. RCs.
1989 Pacific Griffey Candy Bar Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
The stories accompanying some of Ken Griffey Jr’s Rookie Cards add to their mystique. Like when a food allergy caused by consuming three of his Ken Griffey Junior Milk Chocolate Bars forced “The Natural” into a breakout on April 26, 1989. Griffey Jr. reacted by breaking out against Toronto, recording a season-high in hits (four) and setting a Mariners record for most consecutive at-bats with a hit (eight). The 1989 Pacific Griffey Candy Bar Ken Griffey Jr. RC, which features three versions – one has a blue, one has a white, and one has a yellow background – was actually released to help promote the culprit.
1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card
Topps jumped into the Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card frenzy with its 1989 Traded set, unleashing a baseball card that became an instant classic. The card features a young and vibrant Griffey Jr. in his Mariners uniform, exuding the confidence of a future Hall of Famer. And if you want to spice up your collection, you can’t go wrong with the rare Tiffany version, a highly sought-after gem among collectors that commands top dollar. If Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr. Rookie Card is the IIlmatic of RCs, the Tiffany is its white label promo.
1989 Topps Heads Up Ken Griffey Jr #5 Rookie Card
Topps Heads Up Ken Griffey Jr. #5 Rookie Card is an iconic sports card and symbol of a bygone era. Released in 1989, right at the start of hip-hop’s golden age, the card features a young Griffey Jr. with a look that captures the swagger of the times. The card’s minimalist design and unique headshot angle give it a distinct look that sets it apart from other sports cards of the time. For fans of both sports and hip-hop, the Topps Heads Up Ken Griffey Jr. #5 Rookie Card is a must-have for any collection.
Keep your eyes peeled for more from our Top 10 Rookie Cards Series, including our Top 10 Derek Jeter RCs.
