If you eagerly awaited the arrival of 1988 Fleer baseball cards, chances are you were disappointed.
There were a few reasons for that …
After an initial perceived shortage, it became clear 1988 Fleer was part of the burgeoning Junk Wax Era — these cards were pretty much everywhere.
The 1988 rookie card class was pretty weak, especially compared to the stellar 1987s.
The cards looked like Little Debbie Snack Cakes.
So, not all that inspiring.
Even so, as we sit here three-plus decades later, these cards are old and a few of them still hold a decent amount of collector appeal. (There was even a “glossy” version of this set that was much more limited but still pretty plentiful by today’s standards. Generally speaking, you might see a slight premium for the glossies, but it’s not all that dramatic.)
With that in mind, here are the most valuable 1988 Fleer baseball cards, using eBay sales for PSA 10 copies as our guide (note that raw copies of all these cards can generally be found for much MUCH less).
Let’s dig in …
(Note: The following sections contain affiliate links to eBay and Amazon listings for the cards being discussed. Check out our other posts about baseball card values here.)
25) 1988 Fleer Matt Williams Rookie Card (#101)
There was a time when Matt Williams was just about the most feared slugger in the game and the odds-on favorite to lead the charge toward Roger Maris‘ single-season home run mark of 61.
Way back in 1994, Williams sat at 43 home runs through 112 games with the San Francisco Giants, and the press and hobby were gearing up for what promised to be a historic run.
Then diamond tragedy struck — The Strike.
Not only did the The Strike wipe out the rest of 1994 (including the playoffs and World Series) and the beginning of 1995, it stopped Williams’ march in its tracks.
He was a prime-time 28 years old in 1994 and never found quite the same power stroke after the game came back online in ’95.
Even so, Williams played until 2003 and amassed 378 home runs over his 17 year career.
That power and his subsequent stint as Washington Nationals manager in 2014-2015 have kept Williams from fading completely into obscurity.
Value: $15-20
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link)
24) 1988 Fleer Mike Schmidt (#315)
After Schmidt won his third National League MVP award in 1986, he mustered a final power surge in 1987, smashing 35 home runs to join the vaunted 500-homer club.
A rotator cuff injury sapped his power in 1988, though, and he retired early in 1989 when he couldn’t get back on track, but his legend was sealed by then.
Today, all of Schmidt’s cards remain among the most popular 1970s and 1980s cardboard, and his dramatic 1988 Fleer is no exception.
Value: $15-25
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link)
23) 1988 Fleer Reggie Jackson (#283)
After a storied career that produced more than 500 home runs and five World Series rings, Reggie Jackson returned “home” to the Oakland A’s for one last go-round in 1987.
But, even though Reggie was one of the most beloved (or at least talked-about) players of his generation, only Fleer produced a career-capper card for Mr. October in 1988.
Value: $15-25
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link)
22) 1988 Fleer Dale Murphy (#544)
After four straight seasons of hitting 36-plus home runs each summer, Dale Murphy dipped to “just” 29 in 1986 while also watching his batting average dip to .265.
Reports of his diamond demise were greatly exaggerated, though, as the Braves legend roared back to hit .295 with 44 dingers and drive in 105 runs in 1987. He also scored 115 times himself and even swiped 16 bases, his most since 1984.
It would be Murph’s last true superstar-level season, but it was enough to boost his cards yet again and further cement his status as a future Hall of Famer (though some of that surefire case crumbled away in subsequent years).
Value: $15-25
Check prices on eBay (affiliate link)
Check prices on Amazon (affiliate link)
21) 1988 Fleer Greg Maddux (#423)
Greg Maddux made his Major League debut for the Chicago Cubs in 1986 but failed to win more than a third of his decisions or score an ERA below 5.50 in his first two go-rounds with the Wrigley denizens.
That all changed in 1988 when the 22-year-old put together an 18-8 record with a 3.18 ERA and garnered his first All-Star appearance. That performance was enough for collectors to start taking notice of Maddux’s 1987 rookie cards, especially his Donruss Rated Rookie.
Another few mostly successful seasons in Chicago had us thinking he was a solid rotation piece until Maddux reeled off a 20-11, 2.18 line in 1992 to cop his first National League Cy Young Award.
Fast forward a quarter century, and we can look back to see Maddux’s scorched earth — a free agent deal with the Atlanta Braves after that CYA campaign led to three more CYs in a row and a 23-year career that ended with an amazing 355-227 record, 3.16 ERA, and first-ballot election to Cooperstown in 2014.
Along the way, of course, Maddux also became a collector favorite, and his 1988 Fleer second-year card is no exception.
Value: $20-25