Few cards in the sports collecting world carry the weight—or the nostalgia—of the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie. As card #1 in Upper Deck’s groundbreaking debut set, it’s more than a collectible—it’s asnapshot of late ‘80s baseball fever, a tribute to “The Kid’s” meteoric rise, and a turning point for the hobby. Let’s dive into how a bold new company and a teenage phenom teamed up to create an icon.
The Junk Wax Era Sets the Stage
It’s 1989, and baseball cards are everywhere. The hobby’s riding the peak of the “junk wax era” (1987-1993), a time when Topps, Donruss, and Fleer pumped out millions of cards, flooding stores with wax packs and that familiar stale gum. Print runs were sky-high, rarity was fading, and quality? Think blurry photos and flimsy stock. Collectors loved the chase, but the market was begging for a shake-up.
Enter Upper Deck—a startup with a vision to flip the script.
Upper Deck’s Humble Beginnings
Upper Deck didn’t come from the big leagues. It started in a small Anaheim card shop, where Paul Sumner, a printing industry vet, ran Collector’s Marketing Corporation. Since 1986, Sumner had tinkered with minor league sets, a small fish in a sea ruled by Topps and its rivals. But he had an eye for opportunity—and a big idea: a premium baseball card set that could outshine the competition.
In 1987, Sumner met Richard McWilliam, a Canadian accountant turned entrepreneur who’d traded Toronto for California’s booming business scene. McWilliam wasn’t a card guy—yet. Sumner’s pitch for a high-end product with sharp photos, thick stock, and a modern edge sparked something. Seeing a chance to build a brand, McWilliam jumped in, bringing cash and business chops to the table.
Richard McWilliam
The final piece? Bill Hemrick, a printing guru whose family owned Wesco Graphics in Irvine. Hemrick’s expertise turned Sumner’s dream into reality: cards on hefty 100-pound stock, printed with cutting-edge four-color tech. In late 1987, the trio launched Upper Deck—named for their goal to rise above the rest—aiming to drop a game-changing 1989 set.
Betting on “The Kid”
Upper Deck’s debut was ambitious: a 700-card Low Series, followed by a High Series to catch late call-ups, all priced at a steep $1 per pack—double the norm. Securing an MLBPA co-license through Sumner’s minor league ties gave them the green light. But the real magic happened with card #1.
The team tapped Tom Geideman, an 18-year-old Upper Deck staffer and Mariners fan, for input. His pick? Ken Griffey Jr., a 19-year-old prospect yet to play a big-league game. Griffey had pedigree (son of Reds star Ken Sr.), solid minor league numbers (.320, 14 HRs in ‘88), and an undeniable cool factor.
Safer bets like Gregg Jefferies or Gary Sheffield were in the mix, but Geideman saw star power. Upper Deck rolled the dice, slapping a photoshopped Mariners cap on a minor league shot—some say from his San Bernardino Spirit days—and locked it in.
On February 14, 1989, the Low Series hit shelves. Weeks later, Griffey debuted, homering in his first home at-bat. The card exploded.
A Phenom and a Phenomenon
The 1989 Upper Deck Griffey rookie became the card of its era. Kids tore through foil packs chasing “The Kid,” whose backwards cap and jaw-dropping plays made him baseball’s freshest face. Upper Deck leaned in hard—Griffey starred in ads, commercials, and shop displays, cementing his card as the set’s crown jewel. Glossy stock, a “Star Rookie” logo, and a hologram back screamed premium, setting a new standard.
By 2009, Sports Illustrated called it “The Last Iconic Baseball Card.” It wasn’t just about Griffey—it was Upper Deck’s proof that quality could sell. The card sparked “rookie fever,” shifting the hobby’s focus to prospects, and paved the way for today’s high-end releases.
Value in Accessibility
Sure, it’s no T206 Honus Wagner—Upper Deck printed millions, with PSA grading over 100,000 copies. But that’s the beauty: every collector could dream of owning one. Ungraded copies fetch $20-$50 today.
Here is a price history of a PSA 10 graded version.
| Year | PSA 10 Price |
|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,424.24 |
| 2024 | $2,352.00 |
| 2023 | $1,900.00 |
| 2022 | $1,925.00 |
| 2021 | $4,000.00 |
| 2020 | $1,300.00 |
| 2019 | $475.00 |
| 2018 | $380.00 |
| 2017 | $400.00 |
| 2016 | $400.00 |
A Hobby Game-Changer
Upper Deck’s gamble paid off. From a scrappy Anaheim startup, they redefined collecting, proving premium could thrive. The 1989 Griffey rookie remains a bridge to simpler times—before autographed 1/1s and $500 packs—when a buck could land you a legend. Crack a ‘89 pack today, and that thrill’s still alive.
What’s your Griffey story?
Fun Facts
> The original Polaroid used for the card sold for $13,887.60 in 2018, once owned by Tom Geideman.
> Griffey recreated the pose in 2022, 33 years later, for a viral photo.
> No official "error" version exists, despite internet rumors—every copy is the same.
> Upper Deck considered Jefferies, Sheffield, and Alomar Jr. for #1 before settling on Griffey.
