1996 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Trade Card Insert

This item is a 1996 Upper Deck baseball trading card featuring Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. of the Seattle Mariners. The card showcases a unique, collage-style design on the front, depicting Griffey in a Mariners home white uniform while surrounded by several television monitors displaying his image. A caption on the front reads, "Ken takes time out for an Upper Deck photo shoot 7-20-96," confirming the promotional nature of the shot. The card features high-gloss photographic printing typical of 1990s premium card stock. Notably, the bottom nameplate identifies him as "Ken GRIFFEY JR. - of" and includes the diamond-shaped Upper Deck logo. The card appears to be housed in a clear semi-rigid plastic top-loader for protection. Physically, the card displays sharp corners and no obvious surface flaws like creasing or staining, though the centering appears slightly biased towards the top. The color saturation is vibrant, reflecting the high-quality production standards of the Upper Deck Company during the mid-1990s. This specific card design was often used as a 'Trade' or checklist style insert rather than a standard base card.

I have completed a visual inspection of the 1996 Upper Deck Ken Griffey Jr. Trade card. This specific insert, which features a 'behind-the-scenes' photo shoot aesthetic, is representative of the high-production quality characteristic of the mid-90s 'junk-premium' era. From my observation, the card displays sharp corners, excellent color retention, and gloss consistent with authentic Upper Deck stock. Centering appears slightly shifted toward the top edge, common for this set, but the card remains in an estimated Near-Mint to Mint (PSA 7-8 range) raw condition. Market demand for Griffey remains consistently high; however, this specific trade/checklist insert was produced in large quantities. Recent sales of raw copies typically fluctuate between $5 and $12. While a Gem Mint 10 graded specimen would command a significant premium, raw examples are abundant. My valuation is based on the current liquid market for uncertified 1990s inserts. Please note: This appraisal is based on digital images only. A definitive determination of authenticity requires a physical examination to verify paper density, UV light reaction, and microscopic print patterns to rule out high-quality reprints. To achieve maximum market value, I recommend professional third-party grading (PSA or SGC) to solidify the condition grade and guarantee authenticity to prospective collectors.