1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter Rookie Card Breakdown!

No matter what type of sports card collection you already have, the 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter rookie card is a much-beloved piece of cardboard.

Whether you love or hate the Yankees, whether you dabble in junk wax era or avoid it, Jeter’s iconic rookie card is one everyone wants in their collection. This article dives into why that is, examining both the player, the set and the card itself.

Why is Derek Jeter Such a Fan Favorite?

Jeter went about his business on the ballfield like very few before or after him. Playing shortstop for the Yankees has become one of the highest profile spots in sports, much like playing quarterback for the 49ers or playing center for the Lakers. It used to be that center field in the Bronx was the high profile position of choice, but Jeter changed all that.

Consider that Jeter finished his career with five World Series rings, 14 All-Star appearances, five Gold Gloves, with nicknames like “Captain Clutch” and “Mr. November,” due to his postseason prowess, and it’s easy to see why a Derek Jeter rookie card is valuable.

Jeter was the most popular player on the most popular team in baseball over the past 50 years, which makes him a bona fide cardboard hero. He’s a Hall-of-Famer in the biggest media market in the world, and he lasted two decades in baseball, becoming a member of the 3,000-Hit Club and getting his jersey number retired at Yankee Stadium’s Monument Park.

What Makes the 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter Rookie Card Special?

The 1993 Upper Deck SP set is special (sometimes called 1993 SP), as it has come to be known as one of the first sets in the “super premium” category, since the packs were much more expensive than for other cards.

The set was modest, with just 290 cards in the checklist, but the 20 “Premier Prospects” at the end of the checklist is what makes it special. The Derek Jeter rookie card, combined with Johnny Damon’s best rookie card, are the two first-year standouts. But the cards of veterans like Ken Griffey Jr., Cal Ripken Jr., and Nolan Ryan give this set some great depth, too.

The foil-etched surface of these cards was a new look for baseball card collectors, but it’s also the reason why it’s difficult to get this card in great condition. With no borders, it’s tough to know if your card is centered without multiple copies in front of you, and the foil along the edges often gives way to chipping. Bad corners jump out to the eye, as well. PSA says it’s “one of the toughest modern-era rookie cards to find in Mint Condition.”

The image of Jeter is one of the best among his rookie cards, too, with Jeter plausibly soft-tossing a ball to his second baseman to start a double-play.

1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter Rookie Card #279: PSA 8 $300

GemRate.com’s Universal Pop Report shows that over 50,000 Jeter SP rookie cards have been graded among the main grading companies, but there only 0.6% of them were gem mint 10s. While PSA has graded over half of the Jeter SP rookie cards sent in, Beckett has graded over 18,000 of them, with SGC tallying just over 5,000 of them, as of early 2025.

PSA shows just 22 of the 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter Rookie cards got PSA 10 grades, and the most common PSA grade for them was a PSA 8, with PSA 7 close behind. As a baseball card collector, anything PSA 7 or above is a great thing.

Other Great (Cheaper) Derek Jeter Rookie Card Options

Disclaimer: This is not investment advice, as I am not a financial planner. These are my observations as a sports card collector. Please make your own decisions.

Note that we usually reference “mint” PSA 9 slabs, as opposed to the “Gem-Mint” PSA 10 slabs. If you can afford the PSA 10 version, those are almost always better investments. Also, while numbered parallels are generally considered more valuable, some are more difficult to sell because people often just want the base card.

Flagship True Rookie Card: 1993 Topps Derek Jeter Rookie Card #98 Draft Pick PSA 9 $35

This card is awesome – and it’s cheap! The pop-out picture of Jeter with the baseball diamond background is an even more iconic look than the SP photo, in my opinion. With over 53,000 of these cards graded by PSA, this is the seventh-most graded sports card on PSA’s pop report, which means it’s a relatively common slab – but that doesn’t mean it’s not beautiful and worth owning. It has a 7% gem-rate, which is considerably higher than its SP counterpart.

The Topps Gold parallel is worth much more, as it is much less common.

Other Budget-Friendly Derek Jeter Rookie Cards That Cost $50 or Less

1993 Pinnacle Derek Jeter RC #457 PSA 9 $50
1993 Bowman Derek Jeter RC #511 PSA 9 $40
1993 Upper Deck Derek Jeter RC #449 PSA 9 $35
1993 Score Derek Jeter RC #489 PSA 9 $25
1992 Classic 4-Sport Derek Jeter #231 PSA 9 $15

Check out our other great rookie cards and superstar’s cards breakdowns:

The 1993 Upper Deck SP Derek Jeter rookie card owns a spot among some of the all-time greatest cards of the final quarter of the 20th century. Do you own an SP Jeter or are you looking to pick one up? Let us know in the comments!