Of the gazillion cards printed during the "Junk Wax" era, some, like the 1990 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr., have found a way to hold up well over time.
And that's saying a lot, considering how most collectors view the set overall...
Referred to as the "Red Menace" or "Red Monster," 1990 Donruss baseball is one of the "junkiest" sets of the era.
The design is a bit over-the-top.
The checklist is riddled with errors.
And there are seemingly as many in circulation as there are stars in the sky.
Still, despite the usual groans and eye rolls towards this set, most collectors make an exception for Ken Griffey Jr.'s card.
And in this guide, we'll look at what makes it unique, how much it's worth, and the best ways to buy and sell one.
Let's jump right in!
1990 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. Value
Estimated Ungraded Value: $1 - $2
The value of a 1990 Donruss #365 Ken Griffey Jr. card will depend on its condition and whether or not a third-party company like PSA has professionally graded it.
If you go on a site like eBay, you'll notice that prices are all over the place.
Typically, this card will sell between $1 - $2 if it is ungraded or "raw," as the term hobbyists usually like to use for a card that remains as it was when pulled from a pack:
However, if you see the card selling for much higher, it's most likely because the card has been graded.
Prices for graded 1990 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. cards can vary wildly depending on the grade they receive for one simple reason: collectors are willing to pay higher prices for higher quality cards.
Most grading companies use a 1 - 10 scale to judge a card's condition, with 1 being the lowest and 10 the highest--the higher the grade the higher the value.
When assigning a grade, these companies will focus on four key areas:
- Centering: from top to bottom and left to right, centering should be as close to 50/50 as possible
- Corners: corners should be sharp with no signs of wear, bending or rounding
- Surfaces: the front and back surfaces should be free from any creasing, wrinkles, cuts, scratches or blemishes
- Edges: each of the edges should be free of any dings, dents or chipping
To give you an idea of differences in condition, notice the excellent centering, sharp corners, and beautiful surfaces of the PSA 10 Gem Mint card below versus the PSA 5 EX:
While the PSA 10 example boasts fantastic centering, sharp corners, clean edges and little to no surface issues, the PSA 5 shows fuzzy corners, worn edges, surface damage and centering that favors the bottom.
The higher values for this card don't really start to kick in until it achieves a grade of 9 or 10, as the estimates are as follows:
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $65
Estimated PSA 9 Mint Value: $15
Estimated PSA 1 - 8 Values: $1 - $7
1990 Donruss #4 Ken Griffey Jr. Diamond Kings
Griffey's base #365 card wasn't the only appearance he made in the 1990 Donruss flagship set.
As they'd done for many years, Donruss included a "Diamond Kings" subset that spanned from cards #1 - 27 and showcased some of the game's best players of the day.
Of course, Ken Griffey Jr. was one of them at card #4.
The iconic artwork of Dick Perez commemorates Griffey with a dual image combination of a headshot and action shot of Griffey watching what was most likely a towering shot over the outfield wall.
This reverse states, "Ken Griffey Jr. joined a group of impact rookies who have entered the American League over the last few years. Like Jose Canseco, Wally Joyner and Mark McGwire, Griffey has the talent to be a real force in the 1990's. The son of major league veteran Ken Griffey Sr., he jumped to the majors with the Seattle Mariners at age 19. He has that rare ability to combine power, speed and defense. A midyear injury sidelined Griffey during what looked like a runaway toward Rookie of the Year honors. If that left any doubt about Rookie of the Year, let there be no question--he's a star of the future. In his debut year he hit .264, scored 61 runs, had 23 doubles, 16 home runs, 61 RBI and 16 stolen bases."
Compared to his base card, there aren't as many in PSA 10 condition, and the price reflects it.
Estimated PSA 10 Gem Mint Value: $225
1990 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. In Review
Whenever collectors mention the 1990 Donruss baseball set, usually the feedback isn't too positive.
The design rubs many the wrong way.
And the printing issues and errors that plague the set speak for themselves.
To put it bluntly, this set is usually on most collectors' Mount Rushmores of the "Junk Wax" era.
However, regardless of how many feel about the set overall, most collectors really enjoy Griffey's card.
After all, it's Ken Griffey Jr. we're talking about here.
He was one of the most popular players of his era and a true hobby icon since debuting in the iconic 1989 Upper Deck set.
If there are complaints about the card, they usually center around the image.
Ken Griffey Jr. undoubtedly had one of, if not the sweetest swing in the history of baseball.
So, it was kind of a shame that Donruss decided to portray him taking a knee rather than taking a crack at the baseball.
You kind of get an action shot in his Diamond Kings card.
But, his base card is a bit bland by comparison.
Still, it's hard to complain too much about any Griffey card and most hobbyists aren't too picky.
As for Griffey Jr.'s 1990 MLB campaign, it was one for the history books.
The dynamic center fielder broke into the mainstream with a highlight package of towering home runs and Gold Glove grabs, including his Spiderman robbery of Jesse Barfield’s 200th home run.
Yet, it wasn’t until his father joined him on the club that Griffey found his footing.
The first father-son combo to play in the Big Leagues at the same time became the first father-son duo to play for the same team in the same game on August 31st.
“I wanted to cry or something,” Junior said. “It just seemed like a father-son game, like we were out playing catch in the backyard. But we were actually playing a real game.”
The first-time All-Star slashed .300/.366/.481 for the 77-win Mariners with 22 home runs, 28 doubles, seven triples, 16 stolen bases, 91 runs scored, and 80 RBIs in 155 games played.