Born in Pequannock Township, New Jersey, Derek Sanderson Jeter is synonymous with baseball greatness. From being selected as the 6th overall player in the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft out of high school to leading the New York Yankees franchise to one of the greatest dynasties in baseball history, Derek Jeter is regarded as not just one of the most talented and influential baseball players in history, but in sport's history.
As such, we've scoured eBay to find the most valuable Derek Jeter rookie cards over the last 90 days and uncovered the top eight most valuable Derek Jeter rookie cards, where they remain among the most collectible commodity in the hobby.
#8
1993 Score Derek Jeter Draft Pick RC #489
Recent sale: $461
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The eighth most valuable Derek Jeter rookie card over the last 90 days emerged from 1993 Score Baseball. Score issued the set in an astounding 36 packs of 16 packs for a 660-card checklist. The most coveted Derek Jeter rookie card can be found in the Draft Picks checklist.
As a quick refresher, Derek Jeter was the 6th player selected in the 1992 Major League Baseball Draft, chosen by the New York Yankees directly out of Kalamazoo Central High School. Derek Jeter posted ridiculous batting averages throughout his high school baseball career, recording .557 as a sophomore, .508 as a junior, and .508 as a senior. As a result, Jeter was nominated by the American Baseball Coaches Association (ABCA) for the 1992 High School Player of the Year Award, USA Today's High School Player of the Year, and the coveted 1991 Gatorade High School Player of the Year.
Although Derek Jeter's rookie cards were produced during the Junk Wax Era, the value of his rookie cards has risen, despite the heightened production runs. While Jeter's 1993 Score Draft Pick rookie card has a PSA population of 5,677 and an additional 2,704 graded by Beckett, just 24% have merited a PSA or BGS 10.
This particular Derek Jeter 1993 Score Draft Pick rookie card is graded a PSA 9, indicating that despite 78% of this card obtaining a higher grade, a PSA 9 still carries tremendous value. In addition, Jeter's 1993 Score Draft Pick rookie card that sold back in May 2022 bears his vivid blue-penned on-card autograph, boosting the card's value.
#7
1993 Bowman Derek Jeter RC #511
Recent sale: $625
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The next loftiest price for a Derek Jeter rookie card over our 90-day timeline arises from 1993 Bowman Baseball, featuring crosstown rival, New York Mets' legend, and MLB Hall of Famer Mike Piazza on the cover of each hobby box.
Speaking of their crosstown rivals, Jeter played 88 games versus the Mets, recording 13 home runs, 44 RBIs, and a sublime .364/.419/.536 slash line. If that weren't enough, Jeter also amassed 19 doubles, and 19 stolen bases versus the Mets, swiping a bag roughly every four meetings.
In Jeter's 88 regular season meetings versus the Mets, the Yankees posted a 51-37 record. Though the most memorable Subway Series between the two clubs came during the 2000 World Series, won by the New York Yankee 4-1, with Derek Jeter taking home the Most Valuable Player Award.
Bowman configured its 1993 set in 24 packs of 14, with each pack containing a special engraved foil card. Derek Jeter's most valuable card from the 1993 Bowman Baseball set is his base card. Derek Jeter's 1993 Bowman rookie card has a PSA population of 7,757 and a BGS population of 3,718.
It's to be expected that Jeter's 1993 Bowman rookie card holds a massive population from both PSA and Beckett; however, this card retains its value from the extremely low percentage (7%) of cards earning a PSA or BGS 10.
Taking things a step further, you'll notice that Jeter's 1993 Bowman rookie card has a PSA 10 population of 852, yet Beckett has yet to award a BGS 10. While Jeter's 1993 Bowman rookie card sits as his 7th most desirable over the last 90 days, one can only imagine what the first BGS 10 graded card could fetch on the secondary market.
#6
1993 Select Derek Jeter First Round Draft Pick RC #360
Recent sale: $700
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Next up, we have Derek Jeter's iconic 1993 Select First Round Draft Pick rookie card, showcasing his defensive signature jump throw. Throughout Jeter's 20-year MLB career, he captured five American League Gold Glove Awards (2004-2006, 2009-2010) for his defensive prowess. Across 2,674 games played, including 23,225 2/3 innings, Derek Jeter posted a 97.62% fielding percentage, good for 45th best all-time for an MLB shortstop.
On the reverse of Jeter's First Round Draft Pick rookie card, the late Gary Hughes, who served as the New York Yankees scouting director from 1978-85, and served as a scout or executive in MLB from 1967 through 2019, touched on Jeter's defensive talents, and suggested he'll "probably hit." Jeter did just that, tallying 3,465 hits across 12,602 plate appearances, registering the 6th most hits in Major League Baseball history.
The 1993 Select Baseball set was distributed in hobby and retail boxes, each comprising 36 packs of 15 cards and SuperPacks containing 16 packs of 28 cards. Jeter's rookie card is inserted in the First Round Draft Picks checklist and is easily the most coveted card from the set.
Jeter's First Round Draft Picks rookie card has a total PSA and BGS 10 population of 489, though in a similar fashion as Jeter's 1993 Bowman rookie card, 486 of them are graded by PSA, and just three BGS 10 have been awarded. Overall, Jeter's First Round Draft Picks rookie card has earned a PSA or BGS 10 at a 7% clip.
Derek Jeter's First Round Draft Pick rookie card from 1993 Select Baseball is one of his most renowned and valuable, confirmed by the recent sale of a PSA Gem Mint 10.
#5
1993 Pinnacle Derek Jeter Draft Pick RC #457
Recent sale: $1,000
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The increased demand and value of Derek Jeter rookie cards continues with his 1993 Pinnacle rookie card, portraying the Hall of Famer as a First Round Draft Pick with his bat resting over his shoulder on the card's front and flinging the ball over to first on the reverse.
Derek Jeter made a name for himself for his defensive abilities, where he ranks amongst MLB's best in countless defensive categories. With 6,605 assists, awarded to a fielder who last touches the ball before a putout is recorded, Derek Jeter holds the 24th most assists in Major League Baseball history. Jeter also holds the 17th most putouts for a shortstop in league history with 3,820, and the 6th most double plays turned for a shortstop with 1,408.
Like 1992 Pinnacle, Derek Jeter's 1993 Pinnacle rookie card was part of a 620-card set, issued in two distinct series. Pinnacle configured hobby boxes in 36 packs of 15 cards, and 24 packs of 27 cards enclosed per SuperPacks.
Jeter's 1993 Pinnacle rookie card is graded a PSA 10, one of 693 cards to merit PSA's loftiest grade. With 693 cards obtaining a PSA 10 out of 6,855 PSA graded cards, collectors have earned a PSA 10 roughly 10% of the time. If you add Beckett's 4,245 graded 1993 Pinnacle Derek Jeter rookie cards, of which only eight merited a BGS 10, collectors have earned a PSA or BGS 10 at a 6% clip.
The inherent of Derek Jeter's 1993 Pinnacle rookie card worth endures the test of time as it carries a ridiculously high condition-sensitivity, featuring one of the greatest and most influential baseball players of all time.
#4
1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy Derek Jeter Draft Pick RC #117
Recent sale: $1,376
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Jeter's next most valuable rookie card over the past 90 days emerged from the 1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy set, commemorating the former Jack Murphy Stadium, home of the San Diego Padres and the host stadium of the 1992 Major League Baseball All-Star Game.
Issued strictly in factory sets, Topps released 128,000 boxes of 1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy, hence why Jeter's rookie card from the set showcases one of the lowest populations of the cards on the list.
Derek Jeter's 1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy rookie card has a PSA population of 4,794, of which 938 obtained a PSA 10. With an additional nine copies meriting a BGS 10, Jeter's 1993 Topps Stadium Club Murphy rookie card has earned a PSA 10 and BGS 10 at a 14% clip.
Topps configured the 200-card set with 100 Draft Picks, 56 Major League Baseball All-Stars, the 25 members from the 1992 Men's Olympic Baseball Team, and 19 cards depicting post-season highlights. Topps also included 12 Master Photo insert cards in each set.
After finishing with a 71-91 record in the 1991 season, the New York Yankees inherited the 6th overall pick in the 1992 MLB Draft, ultimately selecting Derek Jeter. Jeter competed in the Yankees minor league system from 1992 until 1995 before making his MLB debut on May 29, 1995.
Prior to the 1996 MLB season, Jeter was ranked by Baseball America as the 6th best MLB prospect. In his 1996 MLB season, his official rookie season, Jeter compiled 10 home runs, 79 RBIs, and an impressive .314/.370/.430 slash line en route to unanimously capturing the 1996 American League Rookie of the Year Award. Also in Jeter's rookie campaign, he guided the New York Yankees to the 1996 World Series, the first of his five World Series titles.
The Captain's 1993 Topps Stadium Club rookie card has fetched the 4th highest total for his coveted rookie cards over the last three months and will continuously remain among Derek Jeter's most valuable rookie cards for years to come.
#3
1993 Upper Deck Derek Jeter Top Prospect Gold Hologram RC #449
Recent sale: $1,555
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1993 Upper Deck Baseball was issued in hobby boxes, retail boxes, and factory sets, featuring an 840-card set. Derek Jeter's 1993 Upper Deck Gold Hologram rookie card is his most coveted rookie card from the set and can be discovered in the Top Prospects checklist as the last player in the subset.
With a PSA population of 290 and a BGS population of 186, Derek Jeter's 1993 Upper Deck Top Prospect Gold Hologram rookie card bears the lowest overall population of any other card on the list. Only 46 of Derek Jeter's Top Prospect rookie cards, or 10%, have warranted a PSA or BGS 10.
Derek Jeter, who served as the captain of the New York Yankees from 2003 to 2014, is a 14-time MLB All-Star and regarded as one of the most clutch and consistent players in league history.
Throughout his 20-year career, Jeter guided the Yankees to the MLB Postseason in all but four seasons, two of which came in his final two MLB seasons. In 16 postseason appearances, Jeter recorded 20 home runs, 61 RBIs, and 18 stolen bases while slashing .308/.374/.465.
Considering the sale of this particular Derek Jeter rookie card from 1993 Upper Deck merited a PSA 9, the prospective value of a PSA or BGS 10 can reach unprecedented heights.
#2
1993 Topps Derek Jeter Draft Pick Gold RC #98
Recent sale: $2,895
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Derek Jeter's second most valuable rookie card of late arises from 1993 Topps Baseball. Topps released its flagship set in various package types, including but not limited to hobby, retail, and cello boxes, in addition to hobby and retail factory sets.
1993 Topps Baseball holds an 825-card base checklist, though Jeter's most sought-after card from the set is his 1993 Draft Pick Gold rookie card insert.
Besides Jeter's most valuable rookie card, which we'll discuss shortly, his Draft Pick Gold rookie card from 1993 Topps is his most condition sensitive, with just 4% earning either a PSA or BGS 10. Jeter's 1993 Topps Draft Pick Gold rookie card is his second-most heavily graded, with 11,432 graded copies by PSA and BGS combined.
Derek Jeter elevated himself from a top high school baseball prospect to one of the greatest baseball players of all time behind his hitting, defense, and leadership for the most recognized franchise in all of sports. In addition to Jeter's five American League Gold Glove Awards, he also acquired five Silver Slugger Awards (2006-2009, 2012), awarded to the most prominent offensive player at each respective position.
The New York Yankees legend amassed an incredible resume throughout his major league career, ultimately compelling the franchise to retire his number two jersey and placing him in Monument Park at Yankee Stadium, among several Yankees legends.
As one of the most established players in New York Yankees and MLB history, the value of Derek Jeter's 1993 Topps Draft Pick Gold rookie card will continue to fetch four-digit figures.
#1
1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter Premier Prospects Foil RC #279
Recent sale: $10,250
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The most coveted Derek Jeter rookie card of all time arises from the 1993 Upper Deck SP Baseball set, which contains Jeter's Premier Prospects Foil rookie card, regarded as his most condition-sensitive rookie card.
To highlight how challenging it is to find in good condition, look no further than PSA and Beckett's population reports. With 20,095 PSA-graded cards, Jeter's Premier Prospects Foil rookie card has only received a PSA 10 on 21 occasions, roughly .001%.
The sale of this particular Derek Jeter 1993 Premier Prospects rookie card obtained five figures, which is graded a BGS 9.5. Though, the value of a Derek Jeter SP rookie card from 1993 Upper Deck SP Baseball increases 30-fold when a PSA 10 reaches the market, regularly surpassing the $300,000 threshold.
Derek Jeter's baseball career is loaded with both individual and team accolades, hence why he nearly became the first player in MLB history to be unanimously selected to Cooperstown, receiving 396 of 397 votes.
From his regular-season statistics to his clutch postseason performances, Derek Jeter has become one of the most recognized names in sports and one of the most alluring rookie cards for collectors, none more memorable and valuable than his 1993 Upper Deck SP Premier Prospects Foil rookie card.
The Captain and New York Yankees Legend
As you can see, Derek Jeter has delivered a lasting impact on the sport of baseball and the sports card collecting hobby, leading to the unparalleled value of his rookie cards. Derek Jeter's Hall of Fame career is defined not just by his on-field performance but by his off-field impact on the city of New York and baseball as a whole.
To learn more about Derek Jeter's rise to MLB stardom and get a glimpse of never-before-seen access behind the Yankees legend and Hall of Famers MLB career, tune in to the seven-part documentary series title, "The Captain," premiering Monday, July 18 on ESPN after the completion of the 2022 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby.
