Would You Rather? 1987 Topps Tiffany Bo Jackson vs. 1989 Score Deion Sanders
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A pair of two-sport icons. One difficult choice.
Bo Jackson and Deion Sanders weren’t just elite athletes—they were generational forces who redefined American athleticism. While a handful of others managed to play both Major League Baseball and in the National Football League, none did it with the power, speed, and crossover flair of this dynamic duo.
The two didn’t meet on the gridiron post-college, but on a steamy summer night in 1990 they shared a baseball diamond in one of the most iconic matchups of the era, one of five times they’d face off in the bigs.
Dubbed “The Bo and Prime Time Show,” the tilt took place at iconic Yankee Stadium, with Jackson crushing one over the 408 ft. sign in dead center, the ball sailing over Deion’s head as he desperately scaled the padded wall. Bo went on to hit two more homers that night and even received a standing ovation from the notoriously tough Bronx crowd.
Not to be outdone, Deion—batting leadoff for New York—answered with an inside-of-the-park shot of his own, lining one up the middle past a diving Jackson, who dislocated his left shoulder on the play. It was pure electricity, with arguably the most gifted athletes of the era trading highlights on one of baseball’s biggest stages.
“Deion Sanders is probably one of the main reasons I played as hard as I did,” Jackson would later admit, recounting the memorable contest.
Though one made his mark primarily in MLB and the other in the NFL, both rookie cards represent the moment they entered the national conversation. And both have become staples of late ’80s collecting—cards that defined a generation.
Bo Jackson – 1987 Topps Tiffany #170 (Baseball RC)
Bo’s Topps Future Stars rookie is one of the most recognizable baseball cards of the late ’80s—but the Tiffany version is where the real heat is. Printed on premium white cardstock and limited to roughly 30,000 sets, the Tiffany parallel is far scarcer than the base issue, and it commands a price tag to match.
At the time of writing, recent sales included a PSA 10 for $775 and a PSA 9 for $335, making it a sought after RC in terms of value and visual appeal.
Jackson’s pro career defied convention, as the former Heisman Trophy winner was dominant in both sports. He surpassed 30 home runs in a season, was named to the American League All-Star team, and made SportsCenter-worthy plays on a regular basis. On the flip side, he was named to a Pro Bowl and averaged 5.4 yards per carry as a powerful running back who burst through holes in the defense like a man on a mission. If his career hadn't been cut short by injury, he may have had a plaque in both Canton and Cooperstown.
Nike built an entire ad campaign around the idea that “Bo Knows” everything—baseball, football, even guitar. This guy could shoot a bow and arrow with his feet. That’s not folklore. That’s Bo, whose legend seemingly grows to this day.
Deion Sanders – 1989 Score #246 (Football RC)
The 1989 Score #246 offering is one of Deion Sanders’ flagship rookie cards, widely collected and recognized as a key football issue from that year.
PSA 10s have sold for as high as $700, with the average tipping in at just over $550. A pure rookie card with a classic design, the look on Deion’s face projects the confidence he had from day one.
On October 11, 1992, Deion nearly played in two major pro sports games on the same day—suiting up for the Falcons in Miami, then flying to Pittsburgh for NLCS Game 5 as a member of the visiting Braves. He didn’t appear on the field that night, but the effort alone became storybook fodder, except that it was 100 percent true.
Inducted into the Pro Football and College Football Hall of Fames, Sanders entered the spotlight as “Prime Time”—and today, he’s arguably even more influential as Coach Prime, reshaping college football while expanding his media and brand footprint. The man still moves markets.
When asked by Dan Patrick if he or Michael Jordan was the better athlete, Sanders replied “Bo Vincent Jackson. If it wasn’t for Bo, there wouldn’t be no Prime.”
The Collector’s Dilemma
Bo’s Tiffany RC is sharp, relatively scarce, and forever tied to the myth of what might’ve been. Deion’s Score rookie is bold, clean, and every bit as brash as the man himself. Both are true rookie cards, hovering around the same price tier in top condition and carrying legacies larger than any stat line.
So if you could own just one… Would You Rather?
Scott Orgera is a sportswriter and statistician with more than three decades of experience. He has covered thousands of MLB and NFL games, along with most other major sports. A member of the BBWAA, his bylines appear in the Associated Press, Baseball America, Baseball Prospectus, FanGraphs, and Forbes, among others. He also co‑authored 976‑1313: How Sports Phone Launched Careers and Broke New Ground. Having worked card shows with his family in the 1980s, Scott has remained active in the hobby ever since and now owns a card and memorabilia shop just outside New York City.