Okay, let me tell you about what I got up to recently. I spent some time trying to figure out the value of some old Ken Griffey Jr. baseball cards I had lying around. It was quite the trip down memory lane, actually.
Digging Through the Past
It all started when I was rummaging through some boxes in the garage. You know how it is, looking for one thing and finding something else entirely. I stumbled upon this old shoebox stuffed with baseball cards from way back when. And right on top, a bunch of Ken Griffey Jr. cards. Man, seeing that swing again brought back memories. Kid loved watching him play.
So, curiosity got the better of me. I thought, hey, I wonder if these things are worth anything now? You hear stories, right? People finding gold in their attics. Probably not, but I figured it’d be interesting to check.
Sorting Them Out
First thing I did was pull out all the Griffey Jr. cards. There were quite a few – different years, different brands like Topps, Upper Deck, Fleer, Donruss. Some looked pretty sharp, others… well, let’s just say they saw the inside of a bicycle spoke or two back in the day.
I laid them out on the table and tried to get organized. I looked for the year, usually on the back, and the card number. This part was key, because turns out there are tons of different Griffey cards, even from the same year.
- Checked the year on each card.
- Noted the brand (Topps, Upper Deck, etc.).
- Found the card number.
Hitting the Internet (Carefully)
Alright, cards sorted, time to look up some values. I just hopped online and started searching. Typed in stuff like “Ken Griffey Jr card value” plus the year and brand.
This is where it got tricky. I saw a whole range of prices. Some sites showed cards selling for pennies, others listed them for hundreds, even thousands! It was confusing at first. What gives?
Then I started noticing mentions of “grading.” Basically, how good the condition of the card is. Things like:
- Are the corners sharp?
- Is the centering good?
- Any creases or scratches?
- Is the surface clean?
Turns out, a card in perfect, mint condition is worth way, way more than one that’s beat up. And there are companies that professionally grade cards, putting them in plastic cases with a score. Those high-graded cards, especially the rookie ones, are where the big money is.
The Famous Rookie Card and Others
Naturally, I looked for the big one: the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card (#1). Yep, I actually had one! But mine wasn’t looking pristine. Corners were a bit soft. Still cool to have, though. I checked its value – ungraded, like mine, it’s not a fortune, but still holds some value. Now, if you have one that’s graded super high, like a PSA 10? That’s a different story entirely. Those go for serious cash.
I looked up a few others too. Some 90s inserts, other base cards. Most of the regular cards from the late 80s and 90s, honestly, aren’t worth much because they made so many of them. It was the “junk wax era,” they call it. But some specific ones, especially rookies and rare inserts in top condition, can still fetch decent prices.
What I Learned
So, after spending an afternoon on this, what did I figure out?
Well, most of my Griffey cards aren’t going to fund my retirement. No surprise there. But it was fun looking them up. The most important thing is condition, condition, condition. A tiny bit of wear makes a huge difference in price.
Also learned that the specific card matters a lot – rookie cards are usually the most sought after, but even then, it’s gotta be the right one (like that ’89 Upper Deck). Finding reliable sold prices, not just asking prices, gives you a better idea of real value.
It was a neat little project. Brought back good memories, and I learned a bit about the card collecting world today. Now, should I get that ’89 Upper Deck graded? Probably not worth the cost for mine, but who knows, maybe I’ll dig through those boxes again sometime soon.
