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Rarest cards from EARLY 90s?

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tenballer

New member
Aug 9, 2014
224
1
Cards I don't see that often
1991 Topps C.Jones wrong back
1993 Bleacher Bums gold foil C.Jones
1993 UD 5th anniversary jumbo C.Jones
If anyone has the 93 jumbo I'm a buyer.
92 & 93 Topps blank backs & fronts were tough to find too

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Jan 14, 2009
595
5
Let's say 1990-1993.

I'll throw some out to get it started.

90 UD Witt (does this one still count?)

Absolutely not! Appx 1000 copies exist. Likely more. Now the checklist with black box is another story. Truly scarce...for now!

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Cards I don't see that often
1991 Topps C.Jones wrong back
92 & 93 Topps blank backs & fronts were tough to find too

Sent from my XT1650 using Freedom Card Board mobile app

This stuff is junk and found fairly often. These sheets (and the 1991 Topps w/ 90 Topps NFL or 91 1000 Yard Club backs) were stolen and cut up in pretty large numbers. Jones may not come up frequently since he is a key card but there is a ton of this stuff around out there. The 1992 & 1993 blanks were so common, Fairfield used to package them up and sell them in 100ct blisters at Target ca. 2003-2006. Complete sets in bulk available through Kruk for quite some time too.
 

tenballer

New member
Aug 9, 2014
224
1
This stuff is junk and found fairly often. These sheets (and the 1991 Topps w/ 90 Topps NFL or 91 1000 Yard Club backs) were stolen and cut up in pretty large numbers. Jones may not come up frequently since he is a key card but there is a ton of this stuff around out there. The 1992 & 1993 blanks were so common, Fairfield used to package them up and sell them in 100ct blisters at Target ca. 2003-2006. Complete sets in bulk available through Kruk for quite some time too.
Rare to Chipper collectors. Sorry that some consider them "junk". If they're worthless I'll take any of them you can send me. Thanks!!!

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Jan 14, 2009
595
5
Some big, truly scarce early 90s additions to those mentioned:

1990 Donruss Bo Jackson DK with "redone I in DIAMOND KINGS" on front (took forever to find, very subtle variation, small print run)
1990 Donruss Grand Slammers w/ red star on front
1991 Donruss Canadian (printed in Canada copyright)
1992 Donruss Kevin Mitchell MARINERS NNO (nobody seems to know how these were distributed)

1990 Fleer Daryl Strawberry "DARRYl" on back
1990 Fleer Dave Martinez Yellow '90 (this one is iffy, they show up from time to time)
1991 Fleer Checklist 718 Royals/Brewers printed on both sides
1992 Fleer Prototypes (Puckett Purple, Green, etc)
1992 Fleer Clemens Highlights Sample (Missing printed in USA on back)
1994 Fleer Excel Ray Durham unmarked sample (name above bat)
1995 Fleer Update Chipper Jones Prototype (unconfimed, should say "third base" in bottom right)

1991 Leaf Gold Rookies BC1-BC12 with continuous numbers on back 277, 278, etc ~ yes, they do exist!)
1992 Leaf Series 2 missing stats, bio printing
1993 Leaf Silver Logos

1991 Pacific Nolan Ryan "Ghostwriting" variations
1993 Pacific Rob Maurer (Donald Harris photo)

1990 Score Milt Cuyler Ghost Variation - 1st 6 in 668 games crudely whited-out (only ever seen 4 examples)
1991 Score Jose Canseco DT with copyright line on back (unconfirmed, not sure it exists)

1991 Stadium Club Chuck Knoblauch Missing position on back
1992 Stadium Club Silver foil

1990 Topps Debut Alex Hernandez Awards Luncheon/Pre-Production without Reg Symbol above Topps logo on front
1991 Topps Joe Morgan with '87' hits for Boggs on back
1991 Topps Dennis Boyd with black banner border over wrist
1991 Topps Sergio Valdez with 6/11/66 birthdate on back
1991 Topps Debut '92 Todd Van Poppel Pre-Production Sample (blue/red team/name bar on front)
1992 Topps Rickey Henderson RB with 1.991 on front
1993 Topps Terry Pendelton with A print code (no residual print showing BCDEF)
1993 Topps Terry Pendleton with full ABCDEF print code
1992 Topps Gold Winners with silver foil
1993 Topps Gold green/iridescent foil (print error but enough out there to consider)
1993 Topps Black Gold flat foil on front (non holographic)
1994 Topps A/B sheet cards with A or B letters printed on back in copyright
1994 Topps C/D sheet cards without C or B letters printed on back in copyright
1995 Topps Jason Jacome without mitsubishi logo on back photo
1995 Topps silver foil on front (print errors but recurring)
1996 Topps Laser Mark Grace and Mike Stanley unmarked promos

1990 Upper Deck Ricky Jordan 1/2 position on front (photo cropped slightly higher)
1990 Upper Deck Ben McDonald white circle on front (may be counterfeit, unconfirmed)
1991 Upper Deck Luis Salazar circled i in Luis on back (recurring print defect, very rare, affected large enough % of run)
1993 Upper Deck 1992 Holograms on back
1993 Upper Deck white names on front
1995 Upper Deck Mike Piazza Electric Diamond Promo (horizontal card)
1997 Upper Deck Edgar Renteria cut-out card (can easily be reproduced but very rare)
1997 Upper Deck Mariners Pepsi Ken Griffey Jr with Coke sign on outfield wall
 
Jan 14, 2009
595
5
Rare to Chipper collectors. Sorry that some consider them "junk". If they're worthless I'll take any of them you can send me. Thanks!!!

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First of all, I don't mean they are valueless or shouldn't be collected, I love junk stuff! I've devoted a lot of time to studying and researching and discovering stuff specifically in the junk wax era and firmly believe everyone should collect whatever makes them happy.

What I was saying is, that stuff is A) printer's waste, not pack, promo or intentionally issued cards, but literally stolen and removed from dumpsters and cut into singles and B) they are very far from rare, its the kind of stuff that chokes up "error" or "variation" searches on ebay, lots available and missing the qualifiers for this thread.
 
Jan 14, 2009
595
5
1991 Upper Deck Silver Slugger "Topps Chrome" Prototypes... Has it ever been confirmed that 91 Leaf Gold Rookies (And Henderson/Ryan) have numbers that differ from the #BC ?

Ryan
Will Clark / Mike Brown Collector

Any pics of the 1991 Chrome Silver Sluggers? This is the first I have heard of them.

And the 1991 Leaf regular numbered gold rookies only affect the series one players, not the series two inserts.

EDIT: Found the canseco pic/blog. Very cool stuff!
 
Last edited:

tenballer

New member
Aug 9, 2014
224
1
First of all, I don't mean they are valueless or shouldn't be collected, I love junk stuff! I've devoted a lot of time to studying and researching and discovering stuff specifically in the junk wax era and firmly believe everyone should collect whatever makes them happy.

What I was saying is, that stuff is A) printer's waste, not pack, promo or intentionally issued cards, but literally stolen and removed from dumpsters and cut into singles and B) they are very far from rare, its the kind of stuff that chokes up "error" or "variation" searches on ebay, lots available and missing the qualifiers for this thread.
I've got a couple bgs 9 & 9.5 of blanks. 1 is a bgs 4.5 so I'm always looking. They don't come up. If you have a pile I'd be a buyer.

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Jan 14, 2009
595
5
I've got a couple bgs 9 & 9.5 of blanks. 1 is a bgs 4.5 so I'm always looking. They don't come up. If you have a pile I'd be a buyer.

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Like I said, most keys/HOFs of that printers waste stuff is locked in collections. You could buy complete sets of 1992 and 1993 Topps blank backs from Kruk Cards for the better part of a decade. Same with 1992 Topps blank fronts (can't say the same for 1993 blank fronts). More importantly, this stuff entered the hobby via unauthorized means, this thread covers actually rare items that were produced by the company, be it pack issued, a variation or change made to a card, a test design, rare parallel, etc. There is a huge difference between that and stuff that was meant for dumpster and smuggled out. I think that stuff is great, just, in your examples, NOT rare. There doesn't need to be a "pile" of chippers on hand for that to be true.
 
Jan 14, 2009
595
5
I suppose I misinterpreted the original post. Thanks for clearing that up.

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Here is a list of stuff that Chipper has that, in my experience, is pretty rare, seldom offered/seen:

1990 Classic Blank Back (regular card, not the 4-in1)
1991 Topps without 40th logo on back (this is a print flaw, but affects many players in the set)
1991 Upper Deck Hologram Variations (1990, 90-91 NHL, Comic Ball)
1992 Topps Missing Black Ink on Back
1992 Topps Gold Winners Copper Foil
1993 Bowman Flat Silver Foil (non iridescent, another print error but cool variation)
1993 Leaf Gold Rookies Silver Foil
1993 Upper Deck 1992 Hologram Type on Back (should have two cards with this variation)
1994 Upper Deck Gold Back (stat heading bar and bio info in gold strip instead of bronze)
1994 UD Collector's Choice Missing stripes in borders
1995 Finest Refractor Missing "Refractor" text on back
1995 Fleer Update Prototype (May not exist! Says "third base" on bottom right instead of OF-3B)
1995 Pinnacle Artist Proofs Holographic Foil
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Not sure who else may have versions but the 4 in 1 1991 Classic Yellow Clark w Mattingly etc is very tough. Also I am not sure I have seen one, but supposedly there is a 1991 OPeeChee Preier Promo Blank Back (I may have, but not 100% sure) and an Ad Back version.

Ryan
Will Clark / Mike Brown Collector
 

tenballer

New member
Aug 9, 2014
224
1
Here is a list of stuff that Chipper has that, in my experience, is pretty rare, seldom offered/seen:

1990 Classic Blank Back (regular card, not the 4-in1)
1991 Topps without 40th logo on back (this is a print flaw, but affects many players in the set)
1991 Upper Deck Hologram Variations (1990, 90-91 NHL, Comic Ball)
1992 Topps Missing Black Ink on Back
1992 Topps Gold Winners Copper Foil
1993 Bowman Flat Silver Foil (non iridescent, another print error but cool variation)
1993 Leaf Gold Rookies Silver Foil
1993 Upper Deck 1992 Hologram Type on Back (should have two cards with this variation)
1994 Upper Deck Gold Back (stat heading bar and bio info in gold strip instead of bronze)
1994 UD Collector's Choice Missing stripes in borders
1995 Finest Refractor Missing "Refractor" text on back
1995 Fleer Update Prototype (May not exist! Says "third base" on bottom right instead of OF-3B)
1995 Pinnacle Artist Proofs Holographic Foil
Agreed. But I don't see in the original post that it has to be pack issued or variations. Look at some of the backdoored stuff that has huge value. There's Chippers on eBay now for thousands and it's called rare...could be called junk. I have many variations in my collection that other chipper guys don't have. I choose not to share because I like to keep it private. I posted my opinion of cards that were/are hard to find. I read gilmos comments about getting more traffic to this site but when your opinion is called out it makes people not want to post or join. I quit visiting BO because of the know it alls. IMO, as a chipper collector, tough cards from the years posted (90-93), are the ones I stated. They may have been pulled out of dumpsters and available then but they never show up now. I will admit I have close to zero knowledge of this hobby outside of 90s Chippers. But when it comes the 90s Chippers I don't stop collecting information. As a matter of fact I received an email an hour ago from a fellow collector asking me my opinion of fake or real on a 90s chipper card.
Let my opinion be my opinion and move on.



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Jan 14, 2009
595
5
Agreed. But I don't see in the original post that it has to be pack issued or variations. Look at some of the backdoored stuff that has huge value. There's Chippers on eBay now for thousands and it's called rare...could be called junk. I have many variations in my collection that other chipper guys don't have. I choose not to share because I like to keep it private. I posted my opinion of cards that were/are hard to find. I read gilmos comments about getting more traffic to this site but when your opinion is called out it makes people not want to post or join. I quit visiting BO because of the know it alls. IMO, as a chipper collector, tough cards from the years posted (90-93), are the ones I stated. They may have been pulled out of dumpsters and available then but they never show up now. I will admit I have close to zero knowledge of this hobby outside of 90s Chippers. But when it comes the 90s Chippers I don't stop collecting information. As a matter of fact I received an email an hour ago from a fellow collector asking me my opinion of fake or real on a 90s chipper card.
Let my opinion be my opinion and move on.



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I was just trying to provide some useful info for your collection with that last post. If that is being a know-it-all, then don't worry, I really don't need to offer that info up. Unlike you, as you noted, I am always happy to share information with others since it is a passion of mine.

As far as the dumpster-finds or sheet cut print waste stuff, you're right, it wasn't stated, but it seems pretty heavily implied by the contributions of others in the thread that we are discussing rare items from this era that were intentionally produced for distribution. Collect whatever you want, I am not critiquing it, I collect a lot of junk and am happy add a lot of print scrap stuff just like it to my collections, but the stuff I commented on just isn't rare. At all.
 

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