“Junk Wax” might be a curse word to some, but to others, it’s a phrase that recalls wonderful childhood memories of rock-hard gum, packs that cost 25 cents, and these 101 cardboard masterpieces.
Junk wax extraordinaire and Happy Hobby Chrome Member Scott H wrote this article and chose the 101 best baseball cards from the ‘80s and ‘90s that budget-minded sports card collectors can happily chase!
When our esteemed friend, Mr. Gonos, mentioned he was looking at putting together some Top 101 lists, amongst them Top 101 Junk Wax baseball cards, I felt compelled to offer my service in compiling the list.
You see, I consider myself somewhat of a connoisseur. In fact, the main reason I got back into the cherished hobby of my youth in 2009 was specifically to pull all of the awesome junk wax rookie cards out of packs. Especially baseball, and especially those that were out of reach for me at the time (mowing a couple lawns per week did not allow a kid near enough bread to get all the candy and soda one wanted, and the red-hot Don Mattingly rookie card du jour).
To this end, I’ve been ripping assorted junk wax basically the majority of my weekends ever since. Many will not totally agree with my list, but I tried to do my best to arrange this list in order of importance from my recollections as a child of the “Beckett Era.”
You might notice a couple of infamous cards missing from the list (1990 Topps Frank Thomas "No Name on Front" and Finest refractors come to mind), but I tried to provide a complete list of cards that were still within reach for the Happy Hobbyist, with a little budgeting, anyway.
I outright did not include O-Pee-Chee, Topps Tiffany, or Fleer Glossy or Score Glossy cards on the list.
Some choices are just as much about the importance of the set in the context of the junk wax era, as it is for the actual player.
Baseball cards from the years that I personally consider to be from the “Junk Wax Era: 1981-1995.”
Gonos linked a couple handfuls of cards to eBay — these are affiliate links that will help support this newsletter. (Thank you!)
Also, there are TWO players who are tied with the lead with EIGHT cards on this top 101 list — can you think of who they are?
As a member of the eBay Partner Network, I earn commissions from qualifying purchases.
1. 1989 Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr RC - View on eBay!
2. 1984 Donruss #248 Don Mattingly RC - View on eBay!
3. 1986 Donruss #39 Jose Canseco RC - View on eBay!
4. 1985 Topps #401 Mark McGwire OLY RC - View on eBay!
5. 1982 Topps Traded #98T Cal Ripken Jr - View on eBay!
6. 1986 Topps Traded #11T Barry Bonds XRC - View on eBay!
7. 1989 Topps Traded #41T Ken Griffey Jr RC - View on eBay!
8. 1993 Upper Deck SP #279 Derek Jeter RC - View on eBay!
9. 1983 Topps #482 Tony Gwynn RC - View on eBay!
10. 1989 Fleer #616 Bill Ripken F Face Error
11. 1984 Fleer Update #U27 Roger Clemens XRC
12. 1986 Topps Traded #50T Bo Jackson XRC - View on eBay!
13. 1984 Fleer Update #U93 Kirby Puckett XRC
14. 1982 Topps #21 Cal Ripken RC - View on eBay!
15. 1984 Topps #8 Don Mattingly RC - View on eBay!
16. 1983 Topps Traded #108T Darryl Strawberry XRC
17. 1983 Topps #83 Ryne Sandberg RC - View on eBay!
18. 1983 Topps #498 Wade Boggs RC - View on eBay!
19. 1986 Topps Traded #20T Jose Canseco RC
20. 1987 Fleer #604 Barry Bonds RC
21. 1990 Leaf #57 Frank Thomas RC
22. 1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy #117 Derek Jeter RC - View on eBay!
23. 1989 Donruss #33 Ken Griffey Jr RC
24. 1984 Fleer #131 Don Mattingly RC
25. 1982 Fleer #176 Cal Ripken Jr RC
26. 1987 Donruss Opening Day #163 Barry Bonds RC error
27. 1985 Topps #181 Roger Clemens RC - View on eBay!
28.1985 Topps #536 Kirby Puckett RC
29. 1986 Fleer #649 Jose Canseco RC
30. 1987 Donruss #46 Mark McGwire
31. 1987 Fleer #369 Bo Jackson RC
32. 1984 Donruss #68 Darryl Strawberry RC
33. 1990 Leaf #220 Sammy Sosa RC
34. 1989 Fleer #548 Ken Griffey Jr RC
35. 1993 Topps #98 Derek Jeter RC - View on eBay!
36. 1983 Fleer #360 Tony Gwynn RC
37. 1981 Topps #302 Fernando Valenzuela RC
38. 1984 Fleer Update #U43 Dwight Gooden RC
39. 1983 Fleer #507 Ryne Sandberg RC
40. 1983 Fleer #179 Wade Boggs RC
41. 1986 Fleer Update #U14 Barry Bonds XRC
42. 1986 Donruss The Rookies #11 Barry Bonds XRC
43. 1989 Score Traded #100T Ken Griffey Jr RC - View on eBay!
44. 1982 Donruss #405 Cal Ripken Jr RC
45. 1983 Donruss #598 Tony Gwynn RC
46. 1985 Fleer #155 Roger Clemens RC
47. 1985 Fleer #286 Kirby Puckett RC
48. 1987 Topps #320 Barry Bonds RC
49. 1986 Donruss Rookies #38 Bo Jackson XRC
50. 1983 Donruss #277 Ryne Sandberg RC
51. 1983 Donruss #586 Wade Boggs RC
52. 1990 Topps #414 Frank Thomas RC - View on eBay!
53. 1990 Score #697 Bo Jackson Baseball/Football
54. 1987 Topps #366 Mark McGwire
55. 1987 Topps #170 Bo Jackson RC
56. 1991 Upper Deck #SP1 Michael Jordan - View on eBay!
57. 1992 Bowman #461 Mike Piazza RC
58. 1985 Donruss #273 Roger Clemens RC
59. 1985 Donruss #438 Kirby Puckett RC
60. 1994 Upper Deck SP #15 Alex Rodriguez RC - View on eBay!
61. 1987 Donruss #361 Barry Bonds RC
62. 1987 Donruss #35 Bo Jackson RC
63. 1993 Bowman #511 Derek Jeter RC
64. 1992 Bowman #302 Mariano Rivera RC
65. 1989 Upper Deck #25 Randy Johnson RC
66. 1992 Fleer Rookie Sensations #1 Frank Thomas
67. 1991 Donruss Elite #1 Barry Bonds
68. 1987 Donruss #36 Greg Maddux RC
69. 1989 Bowman #220 Ken Griffey Jr RC
70. 1989 Fleer #381 Randy Johnson RC
71. 1989 Upper Deck #357 Dale Murphy rev neg error - View on eBay!
72. 1993 Upper Deck #449 Derek Jeter RC
73. 1986 Topps Traded #24T Will Clark XRC
74.1993 Pinnacle #457 Derek Jeter RC
75. 1992 Fleer Update #U92 Mike Piazza RC
76. 1987 Fleer #204 Barry Larkin RC
77. 1989 Topps #647 Randy Johnson RC
78.1985 Topps #627 Eric Davis RC
79. 1988 Topps Traded #1T Jim Abbott USA RC
80. 1985 Topps #493 Orel Hershiser RC
81 1993 Select #360 Derek Jeter RC
82. 1989 Donruss #42 Randy Johnson RC
83. 1987 Fleer Update #U68 Greg Maddux RC
84. 1991 Fleer Ultra Update #U58 Ivan Rodriguez RC
85. 1993 Topps Finest #107 Nolan Ryan
86. 1993 Score #489 Derek Jeter RC
87. 1989 Score #645 Randy Johnson RC
88. 1987 Topps Traded #70T Greg Maddux RC - View on eBay!
89. 1981 Topps #261 Ricky Henderson
90. 1994 Upper Deck #19 Michael Jordan RC
91. 1987 Fleer Update #U76 Mark McGwire
92. 1991 Topps #333 Chipper Jones RC
93. 1981 Donruss #538 Tim Raines RC
94. 1988 Fleer Update #U74 John Smoltz XRC
95 1988 Score Traded #103T Craig Biggio XRC
96. 1992 Bowman #532 Manny Ramirez RC
97. 1991 Topps Stadium Club #388 Jeff Bagwell RC
98. 1981 Fleer #346 Harold Baines RC
99. 1991 Bowman #68 Jim Thome RC
100. 1988 Topps #779 Tom Glavine RC
101. 1988 Score #645 Gregg Jefferies RC
How many of these 101 great junk wax baseball cards do you have in your collection? Drop it in the comments!
Thank you, Happy Hobby Chrome Member Scott H for writing this list!
The two players with eight cards on this list?
Barry Bonds and Derek Jeter! (That should make Sooz over at “Card Chat” happy!)
If you enjoyed this post about great baseball cards, check out these posts you might have missed:
We list the best rookie cards from each flagship release in all four major sports since the 1950s.
Best MLB Rookie Cards From Every Year!
Best NFL Rookie Cards From Every Year!
Best NBA Rookie Cards From Every Year!
Best WNBA Rookie Cards From Every Year!
Best NHL Rookie Cards From Every Year!
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