In 1993, Topps put out a high-end baseball card set to compete with Upper Deck, Stadium Club, and Fleer Ultra. That set titled Topps Finest had a glossy card stock and featured refractor parallels. There was also an All-Star subset within the brand that celebrated the game's best players. Those cards, although they are 30 years old, are still sought after today. Below are some of the best examples.
Cal Ripken Jr. #96
Ripken Jr. was in his second decade in the majors when this card came out, but he still had plenty of strong seasons left in him. There was also a buzz around the Baltimore Orioles shortstop as he pushed towards breaking Lou Gehrig's consecutive games record.
The Iron Man would go on to break Gehrig's record in September 1995. Ripken Jr. remains one of the most recognized legends to ever play the game and there is a strong market for his cards. A PSA 10 copy of his Topps Finest card goes for slightly over $100 with a PSA 10 refractor selling for more than $3,000.
Nolan Ryan #107
1993 would be Nolan Ryan's last season in the majors. Over the course of his stunning 27-year career, the native Texan threw 7 no-hitters and struck out more batters than any other pitcher in baseball history. Ryan was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 1999.
Ryan cards are very collectible today and the Topps Finest presents a nice option for collectors who don't have the budget to afford some of his older issues. A PSA 9 copy of the card will sell for around $100 and a PSA 10 copy of the card could go for a little more than $1,000.
Frank Thomas #102
In 1993, Ken Griffey Jr. was clearly the best young player in baseball. Frank Thomas, though, was an easy 2nd place. The former Auburn tight end might have been massive, but he paired a tremendous power bat with an incredible eye and hit tool. The White Sox' first basemen regularly put up .300+ batting averages and .400+ on-base percentages.
Thomas was inducted into the MLB Hall of Fame in 2014. While his 1990 Leaf rookie card is his most popular issue. His 93 Finest All-Star is also a fun card that sells in a refractor for over $1,000 in a PSA 9 and over $3,000 in a PSA 10.
Barry Bonds # 103
1993 was the first year that Barry Bonds was featured in a San Francisco Giants uniform. The outfielder changed teams after 7 star-studded years with the Pittsburgh Pirates. He would go on to win 5 MVP awards as a member of the Giants. One of those wins would come in 1993.
Bonds cards took a hit amid rumors that his incredible feats on the baseball field had been enhanced. But as the years have passed, the Giants' cards have again become highly sought after. A copy of the card in a PSA 10 sells for a little more than $100.
Ken Griffey Jr. #110
It can be argued that 1993 was right in the middle of the biggest card collecting boom ever. And, by far, the most popular baseball player to collect during that boom was Ken Griffey Jr. 1993 was another banner year for The Kid as he hit .309 with 45 home runs, knocked in 109, and played his typical Gold Glove defense.
Not surprisingly, the Griffey Jr. card from the Topps Finest set is the most valuable, especially when it comes to his refractor. PSA 9 copies of the card sell for more than $7,000 and PSA 10 copies have sold for more than $15,000.
*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.