Billy Ripken
Baseball • Topps Baseball
Sport & Year
Baseball • 1989
Brand & Set
Topps - Topps Baseball
Card Number
616
Card Type
Error Card
Rarity
Base (with notable error/variation history)
Parallel Variant & Language
Base • English
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Grade
Near Mint (NM 7)
Estimated Market Value
Raw: $5 - $15; Graded PSA 7: $20 - $35
Recent Sales
Recent raw sales on eBay for the 1989 Topps Billy Ripken error card range between $5 and $15 depending on the specific knob variation and exact condition.
Condition Details
Slight corner softening on the top left and bottom right corners, minor edge wear visible along the top border, and centering is slightly heavy to the right and top.
Grading Recommendation
Not recommended for professional grading unless it is the unedited 'Fuck Face' knob variation, as standard base versions in NM condition cost more to grade than their resulting market value increase.
Card Description
The card features Billy Ripken of the Baltimore Orioles in his light blue away uniform holding a fielding glove, framed by a classic 1989 Topps orange border design with team name and player name in cursive and block fonts.
Notable Features
Famous for the knob error controversy where the phrase 'Fuck Face' is written on the knob of the bat in the photograph, which Topps subsequently censored in multiple later variations.
Authentication Notes
Standard 1989 Topps card stock with typical gloss finish. Beware of counterfeit versions of the rare unedited variation, though this specific image shows the standard white-out/scratched-out knob variant characteristic of later production runs.
Scanned: 2026-09-11T04:48:12.303935