1991 Topps Desert Shield Chipper Jones Sells for Over $13,000

Not all 1991 baseball cards are worthless (or very little). A PSA 10 1991 Topps Desert Shield Chipper Jones sold for $13,315 on July 15.

Image: PWCC Auctions

The sale came on eBay through PWCC.

It’s the most ever paid for the card in a public sale and comes two weeks before Jones is inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame.

While the card commands significant attention in any condition, the record price was due in large part to the fact of its gem mint grade. Already a somewhat rare card compared to other major releases from the era, 1991 Topps Desert Shield cards are extremely hard to find in top condition.

Image: PWCC Auctions

That’s because they were earmarked for distribution to troops serving in the Middle East at the time where cards were a pick-me-up and supplies were hard to come by. While not all of the cards made their way to the Middle East, the limited distribution among the military left them prone to handling issues like dinged corners and chipped edges.

By comparison, cards graded BGS and PSA 9 Mint have been selling for closer to $1,000 over the past couple of months.

Of the more than 500 copies of the card submitted to PSA, just 28 have received grades of 10. BGS has graded more than 300 copies of the 1991 Topps Desert Shield Chipper Jones. Of those, 41 got Gem Mint 9.5 grades. None have received a Pristine 10.

In March, 2018, another PSA 10 1991 Topps Desert Shield Chipper Jones sold for $10,742.40 through SCP Auctions. Also in March, 2018, a complete set of 1991 Topps Desert Shield Baseball cards went for more than $100,000 through Mile High Auctions. All of the cards came PSA graded, including another 10 Chipper Jones.