1989 Bowman #220 & #259: Griffey's Oversized Rookie and the Father-Son Card

Topps brought the Bowman name back in 1989, and the revived set gave Ken Griffey Jr. two cards: #220, his Bowman rookie, and #259, a card he shares with his father, Ken Griffey Sr. Both also exist in the glossy Tiffany version of the set. It’s the only one of his core rookie-year sets with a father-son card in the base checklist — which, for a player who went on to share a big-league outfield with his dad on the 1990 Mariners, is a big part of its appeal.

The set in brief

1989 Bowman was the first Bowman release since the original company’s run ended in 1955. It’s a 484-card set, and its cards are oversized: 2.5 by 3.75 inches, a quarter inch taller than the standard card. That size is the single most important practical fact about the set — it means standard top loaders and binder pages don’t fit, and copies stored in the wrong supplies picked up damage along the top edge.

Source: 1989 Bowman at Baseball Card Pedia and Old Sports Cards’ 1989 Bowman guide, which agree on the 484-card count and the 2.5 × 3.75 inch size.

The two Griffey cards

• #220 — the rookie. His Bowman rookie card, and one of the six cards collectors treat as his core 1989 rookies. It’s generally the most affordable route into a rookie-year Griffey with a recognised card number.
• #259 — the father-son card. Ken Griffey Sr. and Ken Griffey Jr. share this card. It isn’t counted among his six headline rookies, but it’s a genuine 1989 card of both men — and it’s the natural centrepiece of a father-son Griffey collection.

Tiffany versions. Topps also issued a glossy Tiffany edition of 1989 Bowman through hobby dealers, in far smaller quantities than the regular set. Tiffany #220 and Tiffany #259 are the premium versions of both cards. The difference is the glossy front finish, so assess listings from clear photos taken at an angle, and buy graded copies for anything that would hurt to get wrong.

Card numbers: CGC and Baseball Almanac both list Bowman #220, Bowman #259 (with Ken Griffey Sr.) and the Tiffany versions of each; Old Sports Cards also lists #220 and Tiffany #220.

How it compares to his other rookies

Next to the 1989 Upper Deck #1, Bowman #220 is the quieter card — no famous card number, no premium-brand story — which is why it’s often the more approachable buy. The 1989 Donruss #33 Rated Rookie and the 1989 Topps Traded #41T round out the most collected group. For all six side by side, see the rookie cards guide.

Storage: get this right first

Because of the tall card size:

• Use tall-card holders. Standard 3x4 top loaders are cut for 2.5 × 3.5 inch cards. Buy holders made for tall cards.
• Avoid standard binder pages. Nine-pocket pages leave the top of a 1989 Bowman card exposed, which is how so many copies picked up top-edge wear.
• Check the top edge in any listing photo — it’s where this set shows damage first.

How to buy the right copy

• Raw #220 is a fine, affordable way to own a rookie-year Griffey — just store it in the right-size holder.
• Graded #220 or Tiffany #220 is the keeper version. Match the slab’s certification number to the listing photos.
• #259 is the buy if the father-son story is what you’re collecting. Search it by number and both names so the results don’t fill up with #220.

We don’t quote prices, and nothing on this site tells you what your own card is worth. For the market on an exact card and grade, the Ken Griffey Jr. card value checker opens eBay’s own sold listings; the card values guide explains how to read them.

Where to go next

Live listings for #220, the Tiffany versions and the father-son #259 open from the eBay rails below. From there:

• Explore the father-son Griffey cards beyond Bowman.
• See the 1989 Tiffany and oddball Griffey cards — the glossy and boxed-set issues around his main rookies.
• Browse every era from the Ken Griffey Jr. trading cards hub.