Great stuff! Just for your cataloging accuracy, your 1998 Flair Showcase Legacy Collection Row 0 is one of the backdoored/after-market stamped variations. The "legitimate" versions have the serial numbering along the left side and includes Ripken's name in foil above the stats block. Not sure...
INC/INC. variations exist for all the 1992 Donruss Ripken cards except for the Diamond Kings. There is also another subtle variation adding another layer of cards to chase. The name on the front of the cards (again all except the Diamond Kings) shows a variation of color...one is a lighter...
I got my guy about a year ago as well...
Interestingly enough the word "SAMPLE" is written differently on the back of mine vs. yours. It's certainly possible that someone would add the word SAMPLE aftermarket as I also have Ripken's Heroes of the Game card from the same set and it's a blank...
Cool. I let my membership lapse after his 2007 induction. According to the HoF website, the litho is exclusive to Patron, President's Circle and Benefactor members and is limited to 2500. If you have a chance, can you post a picture of it? They just show the litho itself on the website, but...
True.
Can't recall the exact situation, but believe it boils down to a printing issue with the portable press they used on site at the HoF to stamp these. Others here may be able to provide more details.
A very BIG THANK YOU to magicpapa for helping me cross off another tough card for my PC! This one has been a bugger for me to track down, but no more! :)
RustyGreerFan...Or a Ripken True Grit? In all the years I've been searching for one, the ONLY one I've ever seen is from your collection. Would love to cross that one off my list.
I'd be ok with $35 for a BGS 9.5 of either version. Overall, any of the Red/Red test issue versions are pretty hard to come by and are usually pretty condition sensitive. I think I had my ungraded Belle glossy listed a while back for ~$20 so if you can get it for close to the starting bid...
The Buckner side looks like the glossy side to me. I have both glossy/dull versions of Belle/Buckner and when I compare the (bad) listing images with mine, it looks to me that Buckner is glossy because the coloring is brighter. Since they're double fronts, the "back" is relative, but usually...
I have it listed as 1983...Both this one and the 3x5 head shot. Certainly hard to identify with no copyright anywhere, but the commonly held belief is that this set was created in 1983.