Bryce Harper may be tearing it up, but he is far from the first young crusher to come in and sock dingers like its just another at bat. Before him, there have been a slew of young stars to pave the way, and one of them is finally coming back to hobby elite status. Back in 1989, there was one card to rule them all, the Upper Deck #1 Ken Griffey Jr Rookie. It was such a tidal wave of new hotness at the time, that books have been written about its status.

Griffey had long been an Upper Deck spokesman and exclusive signer as a result of his legendary swagger on the field and crazy production, but after years of unfufilled potential, he retired a few years ago. Now that Upper Deck is no longer producing baseball cards, Griffey has been brought back to the forefront of the hobby once again, with his first new licensed autos with Topps in almost a decade. Although Panini has also signed him to a deal, the unlicensed cards are not half of what they are in Topps. Collectors have jumped on board, forgiving the years spent in Cincinatti where he was able to get to 500 HR, but not to the 756 he was supposed to achieve. The prices have been ridiculous.

Here are some of the awesome recent cards from Topps that are just now hitting the market:

2012 Gypsy Queen Ken Griffey Jr On Card Auto SP – One of the best looking Griffey cards ever. Not kidding.

2012 Topps Series 2 Ken Griffey Jr Auto Bat Die Cut

2012 Topps Tribute Ken Griffey Jr On Card Auto

I remember growing up and being ecstatic whenever the Kid was in my packs. I put them in special holders, kept them in my dad’s safe, all with the understanding that one day he would be the next Mickey Mantle. After injuries clouded his once dominant performance, he became just another player. He is a first ballot hall of fame guy, but that is not what he will be remembered for. His legacy is what he COULD have been, and that is beyond unfortunate. Regardless, he is still one of the most recognized players of all time, and I think its great that Topps has brought him back to MLB.

The funniest part is that the comparison to Mickey Mantle was so widespread, he even had a dual autograph card produced back in the 1990s with Upper Deck. Since then, he has been on countless cards as part of the Mariners and the Reds, even his one year stint with the White Sox. As a result, his autograph, like his legacy, isnt worth what it might have been. Topps’ approach is slow but sure, which is exactly what we need, as he has one of the best signatures in the game. I have to admit I am excited to see what cards like this Buyback Redemption turn out to be, as he has been one of those guys with lots of memorable examples over the years.

Its undoubtedly rare that someone like Harper comes along and sustains his performance. Griffey, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and others all have done that and then some. The difference is, no one has had the public attention that shone on Seattle and Cincinatti during the years he was there. Griffey is an icon, both in baseball and in the hobby, but he could have been Ruth. Either way, Im glad he has another chance to shine.