"Rare" 90s inserts

[ThoseBackPages]

I know this post is long and a lot of you don't like reading long posts but please read it!I would like to know what ya'll are thinking.



Okay...I guess its finally time to ask this.With all of the recent interest in what otherwise was a dead trend...do we start seeing prices really start to creep up more and more for 90's and early 2000's inserts?I know among player collectors they are always sought after because for a while there it was always easy to find these things cheap but it always seemed it was never for your player.Basically it seemed like you were lucky to even find your guy.But even then they were still cheap.But now with all of the recent interest in not just player collecting but in the inserts as a whole...are these things going to start being as popular and valuable as they once were when they reigned back in the day?

I see it possibly happening.I mean I used to go through countless 3 row boxes and pick up stacks of these at card shops for $1 or less a piece and we are talking major stars here.Griffey, Ripken, A-Rod, Maddux, Smoltz...you name it.I will admit that there always seem to be a lot of Nomars and Sosas more than any other player but I suppose thats just because these players are way past their prime and just weren't commanding the prices they once did and now everybody and their brother has an excess they are trying to unload.But seriously I just went to a flea market not a month and a half ago and pulled quite a stack out and I have gone to several shows and pulled them out by the boatload as well as several shops.

I mean...I walked into a shop out in Spring Texas and literally pulled probably 200 cards of all of these star players and they were all 90's inserts and I spent about $200 total.Granted this was 2 years ago but since I got back in to collecting not long ago I really loved these things and was happy to find they ran pretty cheap.So I focused on them and purchased a lot of them.If I were to take that same stack and drop them on ebay or even sell them to members here(I do not want to but its hypothetical)...I'd triple my money at the very least and on some of them I would hazard a guess I could even make back 10 times my money easily.But the point is the only reason I got such good deals is because these cards were basically seen as a dead trend and nobody was looking for them.

I think everyone got so caught up in the auto and GU craze that these were left in the dust like long forgotten treasures just waiting for a group to come along and make them popular again.I know I may sound crazy but there was a time just a couple of years ago that I would get these cards and it seemed like there was only a mild interest in them.Even on the old boards people were semi interested but not like they are now.Now it seems everybody is getting on the train.Its a good thing because if these become more popular then of course not only will they become what they should be worth to begin with but we will also see more of them surface as people realize they are now popular and you can sell them.

What do ya'll think?Are they becoming more and more popular or do you think autos and GU still rule the baseball card hobby?Personally I think they are making a comeback because there could be a lot of younger and even just newer collectors who are just now being introduced to them and all they have known the whole time is the GU and auto stuff.I actually think its kinda cool.

i did read the whole thing! lol

i really wonder if the cards themselves will ever "be worth money" ever again. it's scary
to look back and think that the 90's were almost a full decade ago. 1999 inserts are
now TEN years old. it's pretty crazy

i think that everyone who collects over long periods of time go through phases.

 

[predatorkj]

i did read the whole thing! lol

i really wonder if the cards themselves will ever "be worth money" ever again. it's scary
to look back and think that the 90's were almost a full decade ago. 1999 inserts are
now TEN years old. it's pretty crazy

i think that everyone who collects over long periods of time go through phases.

I agree with the phases part but I also happen to think it may be more than a phase.I think newer collectors are taking the bait too.But its nice to see people are kinda resorting back to the inserts.I personally have a lot of respect for these cards because to me they are way more innovative than today's current stuff and they are so different and there is so much out there.These days...once you have seen one GU you've seen em all.Its kinda why I like good looking base over super nice GU patches and stuff because the patches have been done to freaking death and now we have no good looking base sets hardly.What happened to the solid base set?What happened to a solid insert without it having to be an auto or GU?Now the inserts look like dog crap for the most part.Thats why if you pull a regular insert out of a pack right now its worth nothing.They look like crap.People really crapped on Upper Deck X yet the x-ponential inserts were the closest looking things to 90's style inserts as we have seen in quite some time.Its why I liked the product.

I don't know.I guess I just stuck to the fundamentals of what the hobby used to be about as opposed to what it has grown in to.I am sure there are plenty of others like this as well but not nearly as many as there aren't.I got back in because I liked the GU aspect more than anything and being able to pull autos of a player I may never have the chance to meet out of a pack of cards as convienent to me as my local wal-mart.But after a little while it was back to the basics.Good looking inserts and nice base sets.

 

[bear0555]

When I was a kid, pulling an insert was the thing to do. I could care less about base cards (which is sad, I know). Cards I used to dream about I can now get for a lot less. Pacific was my favorite brand, as I had good luck pulling inserts from packs, and Pinnacle was second. Topps was certainly towards the bottom as I always thought their cards were boring. I've always enjoyed picking up nice die cuts or rainbow foiled cards for cheap. I recently quit adding rookies and prospects to my collection and these are slowly being replaced by cards from my childhood. I could never afford or even knew about things like leaf die cuts and atomic refractors, but it's now interesting to learn about the cards I never got to know.

 

[uniquebaseballcards]

The hobby certainly does go in phases but these cards are also gaining (or recapturing?) an expanding audience because they were really high quality in many cases.

The prospecting bubble has gotten much smaller as pure investing is in decline nowadays and plus more people are beginning to learn how prospecting operates; I think more of these folks are beginning to have fun again and are buying some nice '90s stuff. Plus as you said people are going back to the '90s parallels and inserts again after going to the GU and auto stuff which became big afterwards.

I guess from a hobby perspective its just smart to balance your collection with all the stuff you like and can understand/relate to.

i did read the whole thing! lol

i really wonder if the cards themselves will ever "be worth money" ever again. it's scary
to look back and think that the 90's were almost a full decade ago. 1999 inserts are
now TEN years old. it's pretty crazy

i think that everyone who collects over long periods of time go through phases.

I agree with the phases part but I also happen to think it may be more than a phase.I think newer collectors are taking the bait too.But its nice to see people are kinda resorting back to the inserts.I personally have a lot of respect for these cards because to me they are way more innovative than today's current stuff and they are so different and there is so much out there.These days...once you have seen one GU you've seen em all.Its kinda why I like good looking base over super nice GU patches and stuff because the patches have been done to freaking death and now we have no good looking base sets hardly.What happened to the solid base set?What happened to a solid insert without it having to be an auto or GU?Now the inserts look like dog crap for the most part.Thats why if you pull a regular insert out of a pack right now its worth nothing.They look like crap.People really crapped on Upper Deck X yet the x-ponential inserts were the closest looking things to 90's style inserts as we have seen in quite some time.Its why I liked the product.

I don't know.I guess I just stuck to the fundamentals of what the hobby used to be about as opposed to what it has grown in to.I am sure there are plenty of others like this as well but not nearly as many as there aren't.I got back in because I liked the GU aspect more than anything and being able to pull autos of a player I may never have the chance to meet out of a pack of cards as convienent to me as my local wal-mart.But after a little while it was back to the basics.Good looking inserts and nice base sets.

 

[Hallsgator]

Are these rare? 1999 Finest Peel and Reveal Sparkle
Thanks!

Those are pretty cool cards. Some people say there are three variations, there are really only two. When you got these, they came with a dark sticker back. You peeled off the back to see if you got sparkle or hyperplaid. It was like a pack in a pack. Here's examples of all of them.

Scan 1) unpeeled
Scan 2) sparkle
Scan 3) hyperplaid

Thanks a lot for the help!

 

[muskiesfan]

I know this post is long and a lot of you don't like reading long posts but please read it!I would like to know what ya'll are thinking.



Okay...I guess its finally time to ask this.With all of the recent interest in what otherwise was a dead trend...do we start seeing prices really start to creep up more and more for 90's and early 2000's inserts?I know among player collectors they are always sought after because for a while there it was always easy to find these things cheap but it always seemed it was never for your player.Basically it seemed like you were lucky to even find your guy.But even then they were still cheap.But now with all of the recent interest in not just player collecting but in the inserts as a whole...are these things going to start being as popular and valuable as they once were when they reigned back in the day?

I see it possibly happening.I mean I used to go through countless 3 row boxes and pick up stacks of these at card shops for $1 or less a piece and we are talking major stars here.Griffey, Ripken, A-Rod, Maddux, Smoltz...you name it.I will admit that there always seem to be a lot of Nomars and Sosas more than any other player but I suppose thats just because these players are way past their prime and just weren't commanding the prices they once did and now everybody and their brother has an excess they are trying to unload.But seriously I just went to a flea market not a month and a half ago and pulled quite a stack out and I have gone to several shows and pulled them out by the boatload as well as several shops.

I mean...I walked into a shop out in Spring Texas and literally pulled probably 200 cards of all of these star players and they were all 90's inserts and I spent about $200 total.Granted this was 2 years ago but since I got back in to collecting not long ago I really loved these things and was happy to find they ran pretty cheap.So I focused on them and purchased a lot of them.If I were to take that same stack and drop them on ebay or even sell them to members here(I do not want to but its hypothetical)...I'd triple my money at the very least and on some of them I would hazard a guess I could even make back 10 times my money easily.But the point is the only reason I got such good deals is because these cards were basically seen as a dead trend and nobody was looking for them.

I think everyone got so caught up in the auto and GU craze that these were left in the dust like long forgotten treasures just waiting for a group to come along and make them popular again.I know I may sound crazy but there was a time just a couple of years ago that I would get these cards and it seemed like there was only a mild interest in them.Even on the old boards people were semi interested but not like they are now.Now it seems everybody is getting on the train.Its a good thing because if these become more popular then of course not only will they become what they should be worth to begin with but we will also see more of them surface as people realize they are now popular and you can sell them.

What do ya'll think?Are they becoming more and more popular or do you think autos and GU still rule the baseball card hobby?Personally I think they are making a comeback because there could be a lot of younger and even just newer collectors who are just now being introduced to them and all they have known the whole time is the GU and auto stuff.I actually think its kinda cool.

Awesome post and yes, I did read all the way through.

I think that GU and autos still reign supreme in general, but to dedicated player collectors (who collect players that played in that time period) will always be looking to add these cards. I think that some will rise, but there will still be others that do not.

The 90s inserts are awesome. Some of the designs and technology used are totally brilliant. I am always trying to add more and more of these inserts into my collection. Obviously funds slow that down sometimes, but it's fun to get them. I was a teenager in the 90s, so there's also that nostalgic feeling with them. My grandfather got me collecting in 1982, but I understood it a lot better when I was in my teens and so these cards have that meaning (nostalgia) to me personally. I think there are plenty of other collectors that are in the same boat.

I am very happy to see the younger board members getting interested and picking up these great inserts. It's fun to see the different ages, type of collector, and different player(s) cards that get posted. I don't post in here as much as I used to, but I still check it out everyday. I have a bunch of pick ups that I still need to scan and post.

I don't think I added anything to your post at all. I think I just kind of started rambling, but maybe it will make sense to someone. :lol:




Joe

 

[1st4040]

the biggest thing with the 90's inserts was their long pack pull odds and now the supply and demand has risen as more of the older player collectors have re-entered the hobby and are seeking the cards they didn't have the chance to buy when they were away (I am a good example of this). many of these 90's inserts are much harder to find than any gu'ed of today..alot of them are probably still in sealed packs because people would rather break newer product with GU'ed stuff versus 90's wax which will load you up with useless base and only net you a few inserts per box and usually not one of the scarcer kinds. I know my local card shop broke 1996 circa on a recent pack night which was pretty cool.. a couple raves were pulled from the box.. not big names but I bet if listed on ebay would easily make back their pack night entry fee for that game. I actually told the owner it would be much more fun if he continued to get wax like that to break on pack nite versus using 1989 topps or donruss junk. a chance at some cool insert hits just adds to the overall fun.

 

[George_Calfas]

the biggest thing with the 90's inserts was their long pack pull odds and now the supply and demand has risen as more of the older player collectors have re-entered the hobby and are seeking the cards they didn't have the chance to buy when they were away (I am a good example of this). many of these 90's inserts are much harder to find than any gu'ed of today..alot of them are probably still in sealed packs because people would rather break newer product with GU'ed stuff versus 90's wax which will load you up with useless base and only net you a few inserts per box and usually not one of the scarcer kinds. I know my local card shop broke 1996 circa on a recent pack night which was pretty cool.. a couple raves were pulled from the box.. not big names but I bet if listed on ebay would easily make back their pack night entry fee for that game. I actually told the owner it would be much more fun if he continued to get wax like that to break on pack nite versus using 1989 topps or donruss junk. a chance at some cool insert hits just adds to the overall fun.

I agree with the statement that many cards are still in wax. The prices were high on many cases and too many dealers are still unwilling to sell them at current values. A mid to late 90s case would be a fun break, imo.

 

[Fandruw25]

These just showed up today

1997 Flair Legacy Row 0, 1, 2 (/100)

1998 Flair Legacy Row 0 (/100)

 

[tonsofcommons]

Fandruw- Should have asked earlier, but do you need the 1996 Bowman's Best International Refractor of Andruw? I think it was inserted into packs of 96 Bowman.

 

[Philip J. Fry]

Fandruw- Should have asked earlier, but do you need the 1996 Bowman's Best International Refractor of Andruw? I think it was inserted into packs of 96 Bowman.

I think you mean 1997...

 

[Fandruw25]

Fandruw- Should have asked earlier, but do you need the 1996 Bowman's Best International Refractor of Andruw? I think it was inserted into packs of 96 Bowman.

No, I don't. Thanks for asking though.

 

[predatorkj]

Awesome post and yes, I did read all the way through.

I think that GU and autos still reign supreme in general, but to dedicated player collectors (who collect players that played in that time period) will always be looking to add these cards. I think that some will rise, but there will still be others that do not.

The 90s inserts are awesome. Some of the designs and technology used are totally brilliant. I am always trying to add more and more of these inserts into my collection. Obviously funds slow that down sometimes, but it's fun to get them. I was a teenager in the 90s, so there's also that nostalgic feeling with them. My grandfather got me collecting in 1982, but I understood it a lot better when I was in my teens and so these cards have that meaning (nostalgia) to me personally. I think there are plenty of other collectors that are in the same boat.

I am very happy to see the younger board members getting interested and picking up these great inserts. It's fun to see the different ages, type of collector, and different player(s) cards that get posted. I don't post in here as much as I used to, but I still check it out everyday. I have a bunch of pick ups that I still need to scan and post.

I don't think I added anything to your post at all. I think I just kind of started rambling, but maybe it will make sense to someone. :lol:




Joe

I think you did add some things and I am glad a few people read the whole thing.

I understand where your going with the nostalgia.I think that combined with newer collectors will really start to help the trend upwards for these cards.I think people want these cards.And I do think they will gain some more value along with it.I also think people will list them more and more of this wax will get cracked.I personally love opening older wax for some of this because the base sets are cool as hell and the inserts pretty much pay for the box most of the time.Take a box of pacific crown collection.The whole base set is die cut and the inserts are sharp.I purchased every box of that stuff I could find.I never felt like I wasted my money after opening the box.Some of the football is amazing too with the pro bowl diecuts.


Anyways...enough ranting.

Here is one of my newest arrivals.Scans don't do it justice.

1999 Fleer Brilliants 24 kt. gold #'d to 24

I also got in 2 of the 1993 Upper Deck Gold holograms for Jeff Bagwell.I still need one more and the Iooss Jumbo and then I am done with 1993.

 

[tonsofcommons]

Fandruw- Should have asked earlier, but do you need the 1996 Bowman's Best International Refractor of Andruw? I think it was inserted into packs of 96 Bowman.

I think you mean 1997...

Yeah, I did, sorry :^)

Didn't seem right when I was typing it, but I typed it anyways.

 

[onionring9]

I've seen really only one change.

Whenever somebody posts something new on here, I usually will end up seeing it on ebay within a couple days. A lot of people forget they have some of these cards or forget there is a demand for them. The recognition seems to be a good reminder and the owners and the cards end up on ebay.

When it comes to bidding though, nothing has changed in the McGwire world. But McGwire is a bit different than most other PC's. It is extremely tough to get into because there are at least 13 solid McGwire collectors that are still active on ebay, all of which are at different stages in their collecting and all of which will throw down big bucks on random cards at random times. In my experience it's really hit or miss. Last year for example, I won a #'d/10 (usually goes around $80-$100) for $23, then lost a #'d/100 (usually goes around $30) at $120. Then a few months later I put a $400 bid on a #'d/4 (not auto'd or GU, just an insert) and lost. Then three weeks later I bought a #'d/4 auto for $425. No rhyme, no reason.

 

[predatorkj]

I've seen really only one change.

Whenever somebody posts something new on here, I usually will end up seeing it on ebay within a couple days. A lot of people forget they have some of these cards or forget there is a demand for them. The recognition seems to be a good reminder and the owners and the cards end up on ebay.

When it comes to bidding though, nothing has changed in the McGwire world. But McGwire is a bit different than most other PC's. It is extremely tough to get into because there are at least 13 solid McGwire collectors that are still active on ebay, all of which are at different stages in their collecting and all of which will throw down big bucks on random cards at random times. In my experience it's really hit or miss. Last year for example, I won a #'d/10 (usually goes around $80-$100) for $23, then lost a #'d/100 (usually goes around $30) at $120. Then a few months later I put a $400 bid on a #'d/4 (not auto'd or GU, just an insert) and lost. Then three weeks later I bought a #'d/4 auto for $425. No rhyme, no reason.

Thankfully Bagwell is pretty solid across the board from what I have seen.You can usually tell whats gonna go big and what isn't.And I also think the biggest fish out there (Jimsnewbag) most likely has most everything I go after so I always seem to be competing with the smaller fish(which I consider myself).You try to go after something the big fish wants though and you could be looking at serious $$$$.I think it has to do with the fact that when you reacha certain point your basically just sitting there waiting for something to pop and you are saving money for it when it does so when it does pop your more than ready.

 

[tonsofcommons]

Yeah, It was nice to see a Mac collector (i'm guessing) send me an offer and then just give up waiting and use the BIN on my Mac 00 Ultimate Victory Magic Mark /100.

I had it at a pretty good price ($15 BIN), which isn't quite as good a price as what I paid for it.

 

[thenumberonemetfan]

Beautiful card
/25

 

[onionring9]

Yeah, It was nice to see a Mac collector (i'm guessing) send me an offer and then just give up waiting and use the BIN on my Mac 00 Ultimate Victory Magic Mark /100.

I had it at a pretty good price ($15 BIN), which isn't quite as good a price as what I paid for it.

Man that set has been one of my "most wanted" to be completed for over 3 years primarily because it shouldn't be that difficult. I'm still 1 short on the /100 and 3 short on the parallels!!

 

[onionring9]

Beautiful card
/25

Great scan too! I love it when you get the blue refraction from those. Most always end up with the gold tints.