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Call me nuts: putting together a MASTER SET of 1990 Donruss

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BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
There hasn't been much in the way of promo cards which I have interest in picking up since summer and although I still love collecting them, I want to start another "unique/ weird" collection.

So since I like error/variation cards and fondly remember 1990 Donruss as a kid, I'm thinking of starting a complete MASTER SET of this.

I think there's well over 700 corrected errors/ variations in this set assuming every card has the "Inc." And "Inc" variations.

I'm in absolutely no rush to complete this and would buy a box here and there, singles here there.

But I have a few questions.

Are there any variations which are actually harder to find? I don't recall seeing any of the Ryan cards without a card number all these years.

Does every card have the "Inc." Variation and are they possible to find in all pack types?

Thanks
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
No aqueous, I'm not that crazy.

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theplasticman

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2008
4,131
243
I've been considering doing something like this to pass time but... I have no extra time LOL

Good luck!
 

gracecollector

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
6,559
215
Lake in the Hills, IL
INC & INC. variations (all cards I believe)

90DONRUSSNOP1STAR.jpg
90DONRUSSP1STAR.jpg


Also, factory set has front ink splotches in different patterns than pack issued cards. I believe all cards as well.

90DONRUSS.jpg
90DONRUSSFACTORY.jpg


Blue/White Test
90DONRUSSBLUEWHITETEST.jpg
90DONRUSSBLUEWHITETEST2.jpg
 

theplasticman

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2008
4,131
243
INC & INC. variations (all cards I believe)



Also, factory set has front ink splotches in different patterns than pack issued cards. I believe all cards as well.

Speaking of... the Grand Slammers set has at least 13 different border splotch variations that I've found (Will Clark). I had a stack of about 150 Clark Grand Slammers cards and found those differences. Some of them, at least in what I have, were significantly less plentiful than the others.
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
Going through some rack packs and noticed most were "Inc." Except maybe one card each pocket was missing the period.


I'll probably just limit my search to cards which came out of packs and factory sets. As for the test cards, I'll leave those for you player collectors.

I've already started digging through my common boxes picking out the one time pricey variations like the Juan Gonzalez, glavine, Ryan's, all stars and my favorite the Harold Baines all star with FOUR errors!
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
1991 Topps master set next please :p

I've thought about that but wouldn't be able to get myself to spend real money on the drabek and whitten variations, let alone the impossible A* B* versions certain players.

I also wasn't into 91 topps as a kid, more ud, other sports cards, school and partying......But I have several hundred variations from 91 topps picked last few years.

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Some players have more than 2 variations.
puckett-90D_zpsf21d800a.jpg

This is the All-Star subset card. I assume a 4th variation exists of INC & No *Denotes Led League.
All cards have the same splotch pattern on the front.

Puckett's base card in #269 , never able to verify that the *Denotes Led League is missing from this card.
Puckett's MVP card is #BC-8 , never able to verity that the *Denotes Led League is missing from this card.
This variation might only apply to the All-Star cards. I have 6 Ozzie Smith's and all are missing the *Denotes Led League.
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
I'm still not one hundred percent sure just how many different versions there are of each all star card.

At minimum, each all star card has four: "recent...." : Inc & Inc.
"All star game....." : Inc & Inc.

Buuuuuut......

Some have the ™ missing on the front and then corrected. Do THOSE have Inc variations meaning there's actually EIGHT??

And the Baines card is a whole different animal.

But should be fun :)



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BenG76

Active member
May 15, 2013
1,819
2
Fancy Gap, VA
Maybe I shouldn't have thrown those 90 Donruss I had in the trash. I still have an unopened wax box in my small unopened box collection.
 

Yanks2151

Active member
Nov 9, 2013
3,231
8
I think when I did all my variation for those donruss cards for my O'neill collection I remember onionring being a bing help. I think that's his user name, the McGwire guy. He was a big help for my variation collection. I couldn't believe these cards had been around for years before I realized these variations exists.

You are doing it the right way though, taking your time. I went searching and buying up the ones I needed and the whole time I had the majority of the ones I needed right in my own collection. The were put away in different collections and or storage. Good luck with this!
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
That's funny! Last night I specifically searched out onionrings site looking to see what he has for Macs.

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fordman

Well-known member
Feb 22, 2013
3,190
32
Ohio
Upon reading this thread and thumbing through an old box, I found these in 10 minutes time: Neither of the Baines cards have the TM by the AL logo and it seems that all that are missing the TM logo are AL cards.

baines1.jpg


baines2.jpg


morris.jpg


valdez.jpg


I found this on the McGwire All Star card: Extra splatter up by the name. One speck looks like dust on the print die. I have three of these so far and they are all the same.

mcgwire2.jpg


Fordman
 

Pinbreaker

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
10,131
287
Laguna Niguel, CA
I've thought about that but wouldn't be able to get myself to spend real money on the drabek and whitten variations, let alone the impossible A* B* versions certain players.

I also wasn't into 91 topps as a kid, more ud, other sports cards, school and partying......But I have several hundred variations from 91 topps picked last few years.

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Don't forget the Desert Shield Logo cards as well.. :cool:
 

BBCgalaxee

Well-known member
Sep 9, 2011
6,475
59
You know, after sorting out all the cards so far today and checking stuff out online, I am actually wondering if the asg cards missing the ™ were ever corrected.

It might be that back when I was kid, I always thought that and never noticed they weren't corrected.

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Jan 14, 2009
595
5
You know, after sorting out all the cards so far today and checking stuff out online, I am actually wondering if the asg cards missing the ™ were ever corrected.

It might be that back when I was kid, I always thought that and never noticed they weren't corrected.

Sent from my HTCONE using Freedom Card Board mobile app

They weren't.

I spent a few years building a master set of this before giving up. Most, if not all base can be found in INC/INC. versions, however, several of the diamond kings seem to only exist in one type. I can't recall the players now (literally junked the 3200ct box), but am sure some only come in one variety or of the second variety exists, it's extremely scarce.

The David Wells error (missing part of stat heading: recent major league...) can be a tough find. Dale Murphy corrected version with the line behind the D from wax (not factory) is very tough to find.

Nolan Ryan NNO is super easy to find, they are all like that in factory sets. Only one INC. variety on that one.

In my opinion, the rarest 90 Donruss error is the Todd Benzinger Grand Slammers with red star (recent discovery) on front. Sold for $7 a few months back, only copy I've ever seen. Other players may exist, though none confirmed.

Also, several players can be found with small black curved lines under their names: Andre Dawson, mark Grace, thigpen among others. These are pretty tough to find too. The lines aren't "plate scratch" stray print marks but rather what appear to be parts of typography or letters.

Mark McGwire's grand slammer also comes in a version where there is a gap in the black line to left of his name, as if Donruss was going to place a yellow star there like the all-star subset cards.

More to come if I can remember anything else...
 
Jan 14, 2009
595
5
In Dick Gilkeson's Error & Variation guide, since the 1990 edition at least, there has been a catalog entry for card #1 Bo Jackson Diamond King.

Nobody has seen this variation or can explain what exactly it is but it has been circulating on e&v wantlists since then.

"Redone I in Diamond Kings" is the description next to it.

The words "diamond king" appear on the card twice (front top and back banner). Four possible 'i's' that Gilkeson could've been referring to. I've yet to see anything odd in any copy I have come across. I used to search ebay and comc regularly for it.
 
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