You've seen the smile. That perfect, youthful grin, the silver chain tucked into a navy turtleneck, and the "fro-mullet" peeking out from under a Mariners cap. For anyone who collected cards in the late eighties, the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. isn't just a piece of cardboard. It’s a time machine. Honestly, it’s the only card from that overproduced "Junk Wax" era that still makes people's hearts skip a beat when they find one in a shoebox.
But here is the thing: almost everything you think you know about this card is a little bit wrong.
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That photo? It’s a lie. Well, a digital lie. The card wasn't actually the first one printed, despite being #1. And the "scarcity" everyone talks about? It's kind of a myth. There are over a million of these floating around. Yet, in 2026, a perfect copy can still cost you as much as a used car. Let’s get into the weeds of why this specific hunk of paper basically saved—and then nearly broke—the baseball card industry.
The $1 Million Computer and the Fake Mariners Uniform
In late 1988, a startup called Upper Deck was trying to do something crazy. They wanted to sell "premium" cards for a buck a pack. Back then, Topps, Fleer, and Donruss were selling for about 40 or 50 cents. To justify the price, Upper Deck needed a face. They needed a superstar.
Tom Geideman, who was basically a teenager working for the company at the time, pushed for this kid in Seattle named Ken Griffey Jr. The problem? Junior hadn't played a single Major League game yet. He was still down in the minors with the San Bernardino Spirit.
Upper Deck didn't have a photo of him in a Mariners uniform.
They didn't let that stop them. They took a photo shot by V.J. Lovero of Griffey in his San Bernardino gear and fired up a "Scitex" machine. This thing was a prehistoric, $1 million version of Photoshop. They digitally painted over his minor league cap, turned the "S" yellow, and airbrushed out the red trim. If you look really closely at a high-res scan of the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr., you can actually see the red tint of the original San Bernardino hat bleeding through the yellow ink.
It’s a total hack job by modern standards. But in 1989? It was magic.
Why the Number 1 Card Wasn't Actually Number 1
Collectors call it "Card #1," and it is. It's the first card in the first-ever Upper Deck set. But if you’re a real hobby nerd, you know the production reality was different.
The company actually produced "prototype" cards first. There's a DeWayne Buice card and a Wally Joyner card that technically hit the printing presses before Junior. Because Upper Deck was waiting for the best possible photo of Griffey (which they never got, hence the Photoshop), "Form 1"—the sheet containing cards 1 through 100—was actually the last sheet they sent to the printers for the low-number series.
In a weird way, the most famous card in the world was a last-minute addition.
The "Junk Wax" Paradox: Why Is It So Expensive?
We have to talk about the "Junk Wax" era. Between 1987 and 1994, card companies printed billions of cards. Most of them are worthless today. You can buy a 1989 Topps rack pack for the price of a gumball.
So why does the 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. still command thousands of dollars?
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- The Condition Wall: These cards were printed on the top-left corner of the uncut sheets. When the heavy cutting machines came down, the corner cards took the most vibration. They got "dinged" or "chipped" more than the cards in the center.
- The Factory Flaw: A huge chunk of the production run has a tiny "print wrinkle" on the back. It’s barely visible to the naked eye, but it’s a death sentence for a high grade.
- The Grading Obsession: This is the most-graded card in history. Between PSA and Beckett (BGS), over 100,000 copies have been "slabbed."
Supply and demand usually dictates that high supply equals low price. But the demand for a "Perfect 10" is so psychotic that it defies economic logic. As of early 2026, a PSA 10 copy has recently crossed the $5,000 mark. Compare that to a PSA 9, which you can often find for around $300 to $500. That "1" point difference in grade is worth about $4,500.
Think about that. It’s the same ink. The same paper. But one is "perfect," and the other is just "really, really good."
Spotting the Fakes and the "Trimming" Scams
Because the value is so high, people get desperate. You'll find "raw" copies on eBay for $50 that look too good to be true. Most of the time, they are.
One of the most common ways people "fix" a Griffey is by trimming. They take a tiny paper cutter and shave a literal hair's width off the edge to make a fuzzy corner look sharp. If you buy a card and it's slightly smaller than another 1989 Upper Deck card, it’s a coaster. It's worth nothing.
Then there are the counterfeits. In the early 90s, the hologram on the back was supposed to be "counterfeit-proof." It wasn't. Modern scammers can replicate the hologram better than the original factory did. Honestly, if you’re buying this card as an investment, you basically have to buy it already graded by a reputable company like PSA, SGC, or BGS. Buying it "raw" from a stranger is like buying a Rolex out of a van.
Practical Steps for Collectors in 2026
If you’re looking to get your hands on a 1989 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr., don't just dive in headfirst. Here is the move:
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- Decide on your goal. Are you buying for nostalgia or for profit? If it’s nostalgia, buy a PSA 8 or a "Near Mint" raw copy for under $100. It looks identical to a 10 in a display case.
- Check the hologram. On the back of the card, the diamond-shaped hologram should be flush. If it looks like it’s peeling or has a weird "edge" to it, it might be a reprint.
- Watch the "Pop Report." PSA keeps a public record of how many 10s exist. Currently, there are over 4,000 of them. That sounds like a lot, but for every "10" out there, there are probably 500 people who want one.
- Look for the "Back Wrinkle." If you're buying ungraded, shine a light at an angle on the back of the card. If you see a tiny indentation or a line that looks like a fingernail mark, that card will never grade higher than a 6. Don't pay "Mint" prices for it.
The reality is that this card changed everything. It introduced foil packs, holograms, and the idea that a baseball card could be a "premium" luxury item. Whether it's worth $50 or $5,000, it remains the definitive icon of a generation that grew up wanting to be just like the Kid.
Actionable Insight: If you find a Griffey in your old childhood binder, do not touch the corners. Place it immediately into a "penny sleeve" and then a "top loader." If the card looks centered and the corners are sharp, it is worth the $25 fee to send it to a grading service like SGC or PSA. Even if it returns as a 9, you've turned a $40 card into a $350 asset.