1990 Donruss Diamond Kings Ken Griffey Jr. #1
Ken Griffey Jr. · Donruss · Insert / Subset
Player
Ken Griffey Jr.
Set
1990 Donruss Diamond Kings
Year
1990
Card #
#1
Condition Grade
PSA 6 (EX-MT) - Visual centering is slightly off (Right/Left), noticeable whitening/chipping on the bottom right and top right corners, and moderate edge wear along the red borders.
Category
Insert / Subset
Manufacturer
Donruss
Demand Level
Moderate. While Griffey is one of the most collected players in history, this specific card was mass-produced in the millions, keeping supply high and price low for mid-grade copies.
Valuation
Raw (Ungraded) Value
$1.00 - $3.00
Graded Value
PSA 8: $20 - $30, PSA 9: $50 - $65, PSA 10: $250 - $400. (Note: A PSA 6 is worth less than the cost of grading).
Comparable Sales
Raw copies typically sell for $1-$3 plus shipping. Recent PSA 9 copies have settled around $55, while PSA 10 copies fluctuate between $300 and $400 due to the difficulty of finding perfectly centered, chip-free red borders.
Description
A classic specimen from the 'Junk Wax' era, this 1990 Donruss Ken Griffey Jr. Diamond Kings card features original oil painting artwork by Dick Perez. The card showcases a large portrait of a young Griffey in his Seattle Mariners cap alongside a smaller action pose of him watching a home run. The vibrant red speckled borders are iconic to the 1990 Donruss design, making it a nostalgically significant card for any Hall of Fame collector.
Key Features
Hall of Fame player, iconic Dick Perez Perez-Steele artwork, card #1 in the set, extreme nostalgia factor for 90s collectors.
Authenticity Indicators
High confidence in authenticity. The card stock is standard 1990s clay-coated cardboard; the 'Perez' signature within the artwork is crisp; the red ink 'splatter' pattern is consistent with production. This card is rarely counterfeited due to high production volume.
Flaws to Note
Chipping and whitening on the corners (especially the bottom right); top right corner shows a soft tip; red borders are prone to showing even tiny nicks; centering is shifted slightly towards the right border.
Selling Guide
Where to Sell
Best sold as part of a Griffey lot on eBay, or in a local card shop's 'dollar bin'. Grading is not recommended for this specific copy due to visible corner wear.
Selling Tips
Avoid grading this card unless it is a flawless PSA 10 candidate. Use keywords like 'The Kid', 'Mariners', and 'Perez Artwork'. Ship in a penny sleeve and top loader. For a card of this value, eBay Standard Envelope ($0.60 - $1.15) is the most cost-effective shipping method.