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PROMOS/SAMPLES/PREVIEWS/PROTOTYPES/PRE-PRODUCTIONS/TESTS

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banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,540
883
Lafayette, Colorado
I agree - those DLP gold samples from early 2000's Beckett mags are HARD to find. But the silvers are hard too.

On my Robbie checklist I show 17 different DLP sets with Beckett promos, and of those I have found 8 silvers and one gold. Of course that's not too far from the published 10:1 ratio for silver:gold, but given how hard the silvers are to find, those golds are just pure unobtainium.
 

theplasticman

Well-known member
Nov 21, 2008
4,131
243
I agree - those DLP gold samples from early 2000's Beckett mags are HARD to find. But the silvers are hard too.

On my Robbie checklist I show 17 different DLP sets with Beckett promos, and of those I have found 8 silvers and one gold. Of course that's not too far from the published 10:1 ratio for silver:gold, but given how hard the silvers are to find, those golds are just pure unobtainium.

YES. Fun to chase but maddening. I've got quite a few of the Erstad.
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,540
883
Lafayette, Colorado
It makes me wonder how many Beckett magazines were printed each month in the years 2001-2003. Probably a zillion.

It would be fun to calculate how many of each silver and gold sample for each player exist for each set that was promo'd in these Becketts. But the number "zillion" makes the math hard. Need a bit more clarity on actual Beckett print runs...
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
Magazines usually have (or had, thinking an older mag where I saw it) a section in them that discusses print runs. I don't think that is the end all number of copies printed, but it might be. Someone in publishing might be able to speak more intelligently on this matter.
 

DeliciousBacon

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2011
3,444
94
Warwick, RI
Several years ago, I remember running he numbers on these from a 2002 Beckett I had. I recall the circulation was around 250,000; given a 200 card sample set, that's 1250 per card. With the 10:1 Silver/Gold ratio, that works out to 1125 Silvers and 125 Gold. Of course, the numbers vary a bit for a 100 card or 150 card set, so maybe 250 Golds at most.
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,540
883
Lafayette, Colorado
Those numbers sound reasonable to me. But if there really area ~100+ copies of each gold, where are they? They don't appear nearly as often for sale as other #/100 inserts from those years. Either they are still inside the magazines, or people just didn't think they were worth anything and threw them away.

By the way, baseballcardpedia has a breakdown of all these samples, including what year/month they were inserted into Becketts. They also mention how many cards from the base set were released as samples. Most of these issues were partial parallels, like say the first 150 cards of the set. I didn't realize this before now...and was happy to cross off a few samples from my checklist as a result :)

Several years ago, I remember running he numbers on these from a 2002 Beckett I had. I recall the circulation was around 250,000; given a 200 card sample set, that's 1250 per card. With the 10:1 Silver/Gold ratio, that works out to 1125 Silvers and 125 Gold. Of course, the numbers vary a bit for a 100 card or 150 card set, so maybe 250 Golds at most.
 

walt_altmen

Member
Aug 1, 2019
168
2
73 oscar gamble

73%20oscar%20gamble%20proof.jpg
 

DeliciousBacon

Well-known member
Apr 23, 2011
3,444
94
Warwick, RI
Those numbers sound reasonable to me. But if there really area ~100+ copies of each gold, where are they? They don't appear nearly as often for sale as other #/100 inserts from those years. Either they are still inside the magazines, or people just didn't think they were worth anything and threw them away.

By the way, baseballcardpedia has a breakdown of all these samples, including what year/month they were inserted into Becketts. They also mention how many cards from the base set were released as samples. Most of these issues were partial parallels, like say the first 150 cards of the set. I didn't realize this before now...and was happy to cross off a few samples from my checklist as a result :)

2003 Donruss Team Heroes has a sample for all 530 cards. Given the estimated magazine print run, that means less than 50 Gold Samples for that set. As far as where they all are, look at them. Can you pick out a Samples from a base card without checking the back? I've found a few hiding, but they're out there hiding as regular base cards in sets and partial sets and team lots. Good luck!
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099

There are those iconic cards and then there are those that you just forget. I had to check to see if this was an alternate pose. After seeing that this was his issued card that year, I am struggling to remember ever seeing it. I know I did and I probably pulled 1 or more that year, but for the life of me, it doesn't register in my mind. I can picture the 78 and 80 Ryan's like they are tattooed on my brain, but not this one oddly enough.
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
2003 Donruss Team Heroes has a sample for all 530 cards. Given the estimated magazine print run, that means less than 50 Gold Samples for that set. As far as where they all are, look at them. Can you pick out a Samples from a base card without checking the back? I've found a few hiding, but they're out there hiding as regular base cards in sets and partial sets and team lots. Good luck!

The thing is, do we really know if all cards got sample versions and if so, did they also include all with a gold version. You'd like to think so, but I guess only Beckett knows.

I found on wiki a 2005 stat that they had around 800K circulation across what appeared to be all of their guides. I would guess baseball had the lion's share of those numbers. We might be able to do some rough math from there to see where the print run might be sitting.
 

walt_altmen

Member
Aug 1, 2019
168
2
There are those iconic cards and then there are those that you just forget. I had to check to see if this was an alternate pose. After seeing that this was his issued card that year, I am struggling to remember ever seeing it. I know I did and I probably pulled 1 or more that year, but for the life of me, it doesn't register in my mind. I can picture the 78 and 80 Ryan's like they are tattooed on my brain, but not this one oddly enough.

that is ironic. because the jackson proof above it wasn't the original issued card (maybe only 12 of these in existence), but the ryan is. things that make you go hmmm!
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,187
4,099
Yes, that Ryan is actually a pretty good pose for 79 standards. The lack of col,or adds to the appeal for me. However, that 77 Reggie is just a terrible image for 77 standards. Now the 78 Reggie, that is cardboard GOLD!
 

walt_altmen

Member
Aug 1, 2019
168
2
Yes, that Ryan is actually a pretty good pose for 79 standards. The lack of col,or adds to the appeal for me. However, that 77 Reggie is just a terrible image for 77 standards. Now the 78 Reggie, that is cardboard GOLD!

really? cant tell if you're trolling or not bc i woulda pegged you for being a little more versed in this particular reggie 77 proof.

and it most certainly wasn't the image used in the '77 set.

by far one of the most coveted proofs on the planet per just about everybody.

eta:

https://www.robertedwardauctions.co...ltimore-orioles-unissued-proof-iconic-rarity/
 
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