How Ken Griffey Jr. became the first Upper Deck card

scooter729

I thought this ESPN article was interesting and worth the read. I never knew how the photo on that card was Photoshopped the way it was!

craig44

Good read. Thx for posting.

baseballfan

iconic card, thanks for sharing

graygator

The tidbit at the end that I would never have guessed is that PSA has graded more of the 1989 Topps Traded Griffeys than the 1989 Upper Deck. Pop report bears it out, though. I would have thought the the order of magnitude difference in prices of 10s of the two cards, combined with the millions of Upper Decks printed, would have led to more Upper Deck submissions. Any guesses as to why the Topps Traded gets sent in more?

UncleTwoPillow

Originally posted by: graygator

The tidbit at the end that I would never have guessed is that PSA has graded more of the 1989 Topps Traded Griffeys than the 1989 Upper Deck. Pop report bears it out, though. I would have thought the the order of magnitude difference in prices of 10s of the two cards, combined with the millions of Upper Decks printed, would have led to more Upper Deck submissions. Any guesses as to why the Topps Traded gets sent in more?

The same mass production concept used by Upper Deck to front Junior must have encouraged Topps to run the presses non-stop for their Traded set. Then, economics played a role, perhaps, as people turned away from perceived overpricing and fed into Topps popularity. The gap conceivably could have been even wider until more recently when the hordes of Upper Deck 10's began commanding $200, and now $300+ while the rest of his rookies plod along, looking for Beckett holders to boost their lipstick-on-a-pig appeal.



This is all just theory, of course. If I'm wrong, at least it looks poetic. To me.

ClockworkAngel

The fact that there are over 2500 PSA 10's and it still fetches $300+ speaks to the cards popularity and iconic place in the hobby. I'm pretty sure the only card with more 10's in existence is the 89TT but that card is lucky to get $25. Considering how easy the Upper Deck card is to find in 10, $300 is a remarkable price.



Cool article. Thanks for sharing

guitarwes

Good read. As a 12 year old boy in 1989, I was hot and heavy after that '89 UD Griffey rip. Having little extra money for anything, I finally got one in late 1990. Packs were going for about $4-5 then and might as well have been $50/pack to a poor boy.

jsanz

If those 100 card uncut sheets of all Griffey Jr exist I want one. I search google every once in a while and it never pops up.

I am also shocked at how much PSA 10s get considering the supply. I guess there is enough demand or it would be cheaper.

UncleTwoPillow

Originally posted by: jsanz

If those 100 card uncut sheets of all Griffey Jr exist I want one. I search google every once in a while and it never pops up.



I am also shocked at how much PSA 10s get considering the supply. I guess there is enough demand or it would be cheaper.

Those PSA 10s are flying. So are 9s. The stock market may be getting splattered, but the Griffey hoarders will be dining on steak and lobster tail very soon.

jsanz

Maybe that is where the demand is coming from, hoarders. A few people with money can easily pull hundreds of those Griffey 10s off the market.

billwaltonsbeard

interesting article.

I've avoided that card like the plague since I first heard about those '100 Griffey sheets' being printed up out in CA.

It is shocking that the demand for the card is still high.