Sometimes, the most memorable baseball cards are happy little accidents
There were certainly plenty of those in 1989 Fleer Baseball. The set will always be remembered for Billy Ripken’s infamous error card, one of the most recognizable mistakes in hobby history. Ripken was pictured holding a bat with an obscenity written on the knob, creating a card that immediately became impossible for collectors to ignore
People were shocked to find a handwritten, uncensored four-letter profanity on a mainstream baseball card. Collectors rushed to local hobby shops and convenience stores, purchasing packs in massive quantities in hopes of pulling the “F-Face” error card. The Billy Ripken card became even more famous once the story behind it came out. Ripken said he wrote the phrase on the bat himself to distinguish his heavier batting-practice bats from his game bats. He then grabbed the bat for the photo session, forgetting the writing was visible to the camera. That simple mistake helped create one of the most famous baseball cards of all time.
But Ripken was not the only significant error card in the 1989 Fleer set. Randy Johnson’s rookie cardoriginally featured a Marlboro advertisement on the stadium scoreboard, causing Fleer to frantically change the card to obscure it mid-production. The Jeff Treadway card features a rare early-printing flaw where a bright blue bullseye appears above his head. Additionally, the Kevin Romine card initially displayed an incorrect photo of teammate Randy Kutcher
However, 1989 Fleer is remembered for more than just its accidents. The set features an iconic gray-bordered design with white pinstripes, a premium Glossy factory-set version, and one of the strongest rookie classes of the Junk Wax Era
While Fleer never released official production data, hobby experts estimate that they printed around two million copies of each card. This puts the total production run for the 660-card 1989 Fleer set at well over one billion individual cards. Amid this massive overabundance, a few cards from the checklist stand out. Here are the five most iconic and valuable 1989 Fleer baseball cards, including their rare, “Glossy” factory-set versions
5. 1989 Fleer John Smoltz #602 Rookie Card
Recent PSA 9 Sale: $15Recent PSA 10 Sale: $55 (PSA 10 Population: 1,461)
Recent PSA 9 Sale of Glossy Version: $26Recent PSA 10 Sale of Glossy Version: $95 (PSA 10 Population: 161)
Total Population: 4,003Total Population of Glossy Version: 760
Card Info and Appeal:His 1988 Fleer Update #U-74 is his first MLB card, but many view it as an “extended rookie card” (XRC). While his 1989 Topps, Upper Deck, and Donruss issues are sought after, the 1989 Fleer rookie is a fan favorite for its simple design, and it can be found raw for just a dollar or two. Smoltz famously excelled as both a starter and closer. He captured the 1996 NL Cy Young Award, eclipsed 3,000 career strikeouts, and became the first pitcher in MLB history to record both 200 wins and 150 saves.
4. 1989 Fleer Update Nolan Ryan #U-67
Recent PSA 9 Sale: $25Recent PSA 10 Sale: $95 (PSA 10 Population: 155)
Card Info and Appeal: The card features a “5000 K’s” stamp commemorating Nolan Ryan striking out Rickey Henderson on August 22, 1989, making him the first pitcher in MLB history to reach the historic milestone. Released in November 1989 within the 132-card Fleer Update factory set, this card is significantly scarcer than standard 1989 Fleer base cards because it was never distributed in traditional packs. While raw copies can still be found in dollar bins today, any high-graded Ryan card retains a high floor of value due to his massive, multi-generational collector base.
3. 1989 Fleer Ken Griffey Jr. #548 Rookie Card
Recent PSA 9 Sale: $32Recent PSA 10 Sale: $380 (PSA 10 Population: 5,820)
Recent PSA 9 Sale of Glossy Version: $555Recent PSA 10 Sale of Glossy Version: $8,000 (PSA 10 Population: 120)
Total Population: 94,931Total Population of Glossy Version: 2,953
Card Info and Appeal: Because millions of this card were produced during the Junk Wax Era, ungraded copies of the 1989 Fleer Ken Griffey Jr.can easily be found for around five dollars. It features an iconic photo of a young, “sweaty” Griffey during spring training wearing full Seattle Mariners gear. While it is less sought after than his Upper Deck or Topps Traded rookies, it remains a highly affordable way to own a legend’s rookie card. For high-end collectors, the “Glossy” version is extremely rare (among Junk Wax cards) and highly coveted.
2. 1989 Fleer Randy Johnson #381 Rookie Card
Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Ad Completely Blacked Out”: $51 (PSA 10 Population: 1,795) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Ad Partially Obscured”:$600 (PSA 10 Population: 325) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard”: $1,475 (PSA 10 Population: 110) Recent Glossy PSA 10 Sale of “Ad Completely Blacked Out”:$950 (PSA 10 Population: 140)
Total Population of Error Variations:Ad Completely Blacked Out:12,039Ad Partially Obscured:3,162Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard:1,370Glossy Ad Completely Blacked Out:762
Card Info and Appeal: It is one of the most legendary error cards in baseball card history. While there are at least a dozen variations, PSA officially recognizes only three simplified versions (four if you count the glossy version). Some of the tinted variations possess a secret: when you shine a flashlight through the back, the Marlboro text and cowboy silhouette are revealed. There are no Marlboro Ad Glossy versions, as the card had already been “corrected” by the time the Glossy set came out.
1. 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken #616 Error Card
Recent PSA 10 Sale of “FF Error”:$1,063 (PSA 10 Population: 3,060) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Black Box Over Error”:$140 (PSA 10 Population: 1,232) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Black Scribble Over Error”:$1,000 (PSA 10 Population: 290) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Whited Out Vulgarity”: $4,000 (PSA 10 Population: 16) Recent PSA 10 Sale of “Scribbled Out in White”:$4,915 (PSA 10 Population: 14) Recent PSA 10 Sale of Glossy Version “Black Box”:$1,878 (PSA 10 Population: 25)
Total Population of Base Variation Versions:43,455FF Error:33,292Black Box Over Error: 7,001Black Scribble Over Error: 2,709Whited Out Vulgarity:237Scribbled Out in White:165
Total Population of Glossy Version: 369
Card Info and Appeal:Decades after the release of 1989 Fleer, Ripken admitted he wrote the “FF” phrase himself. Many collectors (and Bill Ripken himself) suspect Fleer actually noticed the “FF” and intentionally enhanced it to create a media frenzy to outsell rivals like Topps. Ripken was a”glove first” 2nd baseman for the Orioles, most famous for being the brother of Cal Ripken Jr. and the son of manager Cal Ripken Sr. There are around a dozen variations and sub-variations of this card, but only five recognized by PSA. The card is a perfect example of how a mistake can become more iconic than anything the manufacturer planned.
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Published 7 hours ago| Modified 7 hours ago
DAVID SOLOW
David is a collector based in Georgia and a lifelong fan of the New York Yankees, New York Giants, and New York Knicks. He is an avid sports card collector with a strong passion for vintage baseball cards and vintage on-card autographs. David enjoys obtaining autographs through the mail and loves connecting with other knowledgeable collectors to discuss the history and evolution of the hobby. He also previously wrote about the New York Giants for GMENHQ.com
