1988 Score Mark McGwire #5
Mark McGwire · Score (Pinnacle Brands) · Base Card
Player
Mark McGwire
Set
1988 Score
Year
1988
Card #
#5
Condition Grade
PSA 6 (EX-MT) to PSA 7 (Near Mint); Observed centering is heavy to the right (approx 65/35), white chipping visible on the left purple border edge, and slight corner softening.
Category
Base Card
Manufacturer
Score (Pinnacle Brands)
Demand Level
Moderate; McGwire remains a popular 'Junk Wax' era icon, but massive supply limits high-end desirability for raw copies.
Valuation
Raw (Ungraded) Value
$0.50 - $1.50
Graded Value
PSA 7: $10-15, PSA 8: $20-30, PSA 9: $75-90
Comparable Sales
Raw copies consistently sell for under $2.00. Recent PSA 9 sales range from $70-$90, while PSA 10 examples can reach $400+ due to the difficulty of finding perfectly centered purple borders.
Description
This 1988 Score Mark McGwire card features the Oakland Athletics slugger in his iconic follow-through swing. Part of Score's inaugural baseball set, the card is framed by a distinct purple border with the Score logo and three golden stars in the bottom corner. The back features a full-color headshot and career statistics highlighting his record-breaking rookie home run season.
Key Features
Early career card following his 1987 Rookie of the Year campaign; iconic inaugural Score set design; legendary Athletics slugger.
Authenticity Indicators
High confidence; the card displays the correct cardstock thickness (20pt) and the semi-gloss finish characteristic of 1988 Score. This card is not commonly faked due to high original production volume.
Flaws to Note
Significant vertical centering shift toward the right edge. Visible white edge wear (chipping) on the left purple border, which is common for this set's colored borders. Slight fraying on the bottom-right corner.
Selling Guide
Where to Sell
Best sold as part of a lot on eBay or Mercari. High-grade (PSA 10) specimens should go to specialized auction houses, but raw copies are best suited for local card shop 'dollar bins' or bulk Facebook Marketplace listings.
Selling Tips
Do not grade this specific copy as the centering and edge wear will prevent a high score, making the grading fee higher than the card's value. List as '1988 Score Mark McGwire #5' and use clear photos of the purple edges to show condition transparency.