1989 Ken Griffey Jr

[HadWayTooMuch]

I haven't posted that many links to the site, but I just wrote this and wonder if the old guys on here can relate.


Sports Card Memories - 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr (http://www.baseballcardmemories.com/CMS/Article/Details/757b9e2d-5eec-48b3-855b-6bcba257d561)

It was a great time to collect cards back in 1989 and Griffey was an amazing prospect.

Thanks for the read.

[bigdog2003]

I can remember my dad buying me packs back then, I was around 4 or 5, and he would help me open them and put them in boxes to save. Then when I was older, around 8 or 9, we went through everything I had from the time I was born until then. I had around 600 89 Upper Deck cards, but no Griffey's. This was about the time they were selling for over $100 easily. It is still the only card from my childhood that I never hit I haven't bought. Might get one this week with my birthday coming up.

[dhendrix1303]

I remember opening 89 upperdeck packs hoping to find that Griffey..

Never did.

[TXGunslinger]

Same here as I remember opening a ton and no Griffey. I have also never purchased the card but need to one of these days.

[squirtr]

Back in the day the 89UD Griffey = Greg Jeffries future star rookie.

[CharleyBrown]

If I remember correctly, I only bought an UD pack once or twice in '89. Was too rich for my blood. I always wanted the Griffey, but never knew anybody that pulled one. Funny to see just how many there are out there now... but of course, UD continued to put them out there for years after its release.

The card does continue to creep up in value - at least since I've been back in the hobby. PSA 10s now going for $300.

[ETSC]

Never pulled one back then. A couple of years ago I purchased a BGS 9.5. Then a couple months ago I bought two boxes of 89 UD and pulled one almost 25 years after chasing it as an 11 year old kid.

[tazzy13]

I pulled one, and to this very day it was my favorite card ever. Too bad my Mom threw it out (along with many others) when I left for basic training many moons ago. Great card man, I think that is the iconic card of my generation.

[Crazybella8]

I remember opening a pack of 89 upper deck from my lcs. I bought the pack for I believe $5, then walked down to a bench and sat down and opened it. I saw Griffey and new it was a great card and if I remember right it was I believe $5 or $10 in Beckett! It was the most expensive card I pulled since I had started collecting. It's funny I was 13 years old and remember! I guess Alzheimer's hasn't settled in just yet!

[JoshHamilton]

I've never opened a pack of '89 UD and I've never owned a Griffey.

Now that I think about it, that's kind of incredible

[BOOMER7]

89 UD GRIFFEY:
I had an 800ct lot of these from a collection i purchased from one of the original founders of U.D.
this before grading ever made much impact on pricing. I remember "flipping" them for $25 per card in take all deal to another dealer
money made-money lost

[hychang5]

89 UD GRIFFEY:
I had an 800ct lot of these from a collection i purchased from one of the original founders of U.D.
this before grading ever made much impact on pricing. I remember "flipping" them for $25 per card in take all deal to another dealer
money made-money lost

wait, so you sold 800 of them for $20,000?

[BOOMER7]

wait, so you sold 800 of them for $20,000?
yep
back in the day (mid/late 90's if i remember correctly):)

[HadWayTooMuch]

wait, so you sold 800 of them for $20,000?

Upper Deck had a lot of back door action. Read "Card Sharks" about the founding of Upper Deck.

They gave sets of 1989 out to their employees as bonuses and they ran to card shops and sold them. Killed the market without a doubt.

His story does not surprise me at all.

[shaner1]

I just pulled a BGS 9.5 this weekend from Leaf Rookie retro! Beautiful card. I was a senior in high school in 89, so girls definitely took precedence over cards then. It was very cool to pull it in 2013.

[premium1981]

I have always loved the 1989 Upper Deck Griffey rc. Great card of an all-time great. I never pulled one back then, but I remember buying a box of 1999 Upper Deck when they came out. Because of the 10 year anniversary, they inserted a pack of 1989 Upper Deck in each box. I was shocked when I pulled a perfect Griffey out of my box. Not a high dollar hit, but probably one of my favorite pulls ever.

[DetectiveChrome]

I have a PSA 10 89 UD.

I will sell it once he gets inducted to the hall.

Every baseball card collector should have 1 in their possession!

[JohnnysBench]

1989 was a great year for baseball cards! I remember going to the Howard Johnson shows in Middletown Ny, when I was a kid and selling countless Gooden Rookies, Clemens Rookies Ripken ECT to get flow for boxes of Upper Deck. Never pulle a Griffey, but have bought and sold many over the years....

[zeeropointzeero]

Upper Deck had a lot of back door action. Read "Card Sharks" about the founding of Upper Deck.

They gave sets of 1989 out to their employees as bonuses and they ran to card shops and sold them. Killed the market without a doubt.

His story does not surprise me at all.

I remember when I first read about how shady and fraudulent they were. It was very disappointing to hear. I can only imagine how many extra sheets of 89 Griffeys they probably printed in the early 90s.

[MNmoose78]

I had a few growing up and then sold them off for other interests! About 6 months ago I ended up getting 4 BCCG 10's that I ended up submitting for BGS grades, 2 came back 8.5, one came back a 9 and the last was a 9.5!! Will keep the 9.5 in the PC from now on!!

[Original Boski]

One card I've always wanted and just never got around to getting. If anyone has a terrible copy of one, creased, rounded edges, tears, they'd send a guy for free I'd do it a solid and push pin it to my wall, lol.

[sportzking]

That is a great card and series. I remember that UD packs although priced at only a few bucks were too expensive for me. I only bought a few packs but never pulled a Griffey. I did purchase a graded one down the road, but sadly the value has decreased after I bought it. Still, it brings back good collecting memories.

[HadWayTooMuch]

That is a great card and series. I remember that UD packs although priced at only a few bucks were too expensive for me. I only bought a few packs but never pulled a Griffey. I did purchase a graded one down the road, but sadly the value has decreased after I bought it. Still, it brings back good collecting memories.

It is a must own card. Even at $1, those packs were to expensive back in 1989...oh how things have changed!