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Roberto Alomar Collector's Thread

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banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
Just for the hell of it...

A 1993 Finest Refractor PSA10 just sold for $760. Not sure that's the all time high I've seen for a Robbie card but it's close.

 
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mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,057
I wish I would have bought the Maddux and Piazza. I bought Albert Belle and Frank Thomas. Thomas took a long time to find one at the price I wanted. If I recall it was even graded, PSA9 I think.
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
Thanks for thinking of me. I'm not looking for that one at the moment, but the price is reasonable and I hope it sells.

I just put this card in my EBAY store.. Let me know if you need it.. :cool:

 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
I landed a pretty big card today, the 1998 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Red /50.

Obviously this isn't the same high orbit as the 1996 Mirror Gold or the 1998 Crusade Red, but it's in the neighborhood. The Gold Label Red parallels are numbered to 100, 50, and 25, so it's a tough run to complete. And with this Class 2 /50 pickup I finally got the run done. Except of course the 9 distinct 1/1's.

Also got a few more cards scanned this evening. This scanning project is going alphabetically, in the order I have the cards arranged, and I'm into the P's. Starting with Pacific. Here are a few from 1998...

1998 Pacific In The Cage #2.jpg

This is the 1998 Pacific "In The Cage" Insert. This was a neat idea that they did for several years. Robbie is featured in the 1998 and 2000 insert sets.

There are some interesting features on this card. First, they slanted the Pacific logo on the front to look like it's parallel with the ground. Second, they die-cut the little holes in the batting cage. As someone with a bit of experience in making stuff, I'll bet this was a major hassle for whomever manufactured that die. There are a zillion little holes making up the "netting", and those holes somehow line up just right with the printing ink to make the netting appear real. The light and shadow effects look really good.

On the other hand the "cage" effect is totally bogus, because actual batting cages are much, much bigger than the batter. Also the back of the card has no attempt at a 3-D perspective like the front has. But whatever. This card is totally sweet, and I fully appreciate the effort that went into making it.

1998 Pacific Red Threatt #17.jpg

This one isn't rare or coveted, it's just cool. It's the 1998 Pacific "Red Threatt" Parallel. This set has three parallels, the Silver, Platinum Blue, and Red Threatt. The Platinum Blue was limited to (but not serial numbered to) a total of 67 copies, so it's damn rare for a 1998 card. But this Red parallel just looks cooler to my eye, even though it was much more common.

However, I can't figure out why this one is called "Red Threatt" as opposed to just "Red", like every other Pacific Red Retail parallel. Was the designer just a huge Sedale Threatt fan or what? If anyone knows...
 

bstanwood

Well-known member
Sep 24, 2016
3,666
332
Mystic, CT
I landed a pretty big card today, the 1998 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Red /50.

Obviously this isn't the same high orbit as the 1996 Mirror Gold or the 1998 Crusade Red, but it's in the neighborhood. The Gold Label Red parallels are numbered to 100, 50, and 25, so it's a tough run to complete. And with this Class 2 /50 pickup I finally got the run done. Except of course the 9 distinct 1/1's.

Also got a few more cards scanned this evening. This scanning project is going alphabetically, in the order I have the cards arranged, and I'm into the P's. Starting with Pacific. Here are a few from 1998...

View attachment 120540

This is the 1998 Pacific "In The Cage" Insert. This was a neat idea that they did for several years. Robbie is featured in the 1998 and 2000 insert sets.

There are some interesting features on this card. First, they slanted the Pacific logo on the front to look like it's parallel with the ground. Second, they die-cut the little holes in the batting cage. As someone with a bit of experience in making stuff, I'll bet this was a major hassle for whomever manufactured that die. There are a zillion little holes making up the "netting", and those holes somehow line up just right with the printing ink to make the netting appear real. The light and shadow effects look really good.

On the other hand the "cage" effect is totally bogus, because actual batting cages are much, much bigger than the batter. Also the back of the card has no attempt at a 3-D perspective like the front has. But whatever. This card is totally sweet, and I fully appreciate the effort that went into making it.

View attachment 120541

This one isn't rare or coveted, it's just cool. It's the 1998 Pacific "Red Threatt" Parallel. This set has three parallels, the Silver, Platinum Blue, and Red Threatt. The Platinum Blue was limited to (but not serial numbered to) a total of 67 copies, so it's damn rare for a 1998 card. But this Red parallel just looks cooler to my eye, even though it was much more common.

However, I can't figure out why this one is called "Red Threatt" as opposed to just "Red", like every other Pacific Red Retail parallel. Was the designer just a huge Sedale Threatt fan or what? If anyone knows...
I had the same question with the red threat, everything else is just color
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
I think its meaning will forever remain a mystery. Locked in a gilded case and buried under the sands of time.

I had the same question with the red threat, everything else is just color

A couple more random Pacific cards from tonight's batch of scans. These are two "Web Cards" from the 1998 Pacific Online set. You can find them with the online code stamped on back either in the lower left corner, or upper right corner. Most of you probably knew about this variation already, but in case you didn't...

1998 Pacific Online Web Cards #79 Code Bottom Left.jpg

1998 Pacific Online Web Cards #79 Code Top Right.jpg
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
So now that 2020 Topps Chrome Update is out, the total number of unique Robbie Alomar issues from 2020 is now at 602.

That is exactly one more than 2003, the previous record holder at 601.

Yes, he's been retired for 15 years. That is what our hobby has come to.

In a more upbeat note, here's the 2001 Fleer Premium run, starting with the base card:

2001 Fleer Premium #114.jpg

The Star Rubies Parallel. It doesn't scan well, but has red foil and is numbered to 125. Not as cool as the 1999 Fleer Skybox Premium Star Rubies, or the 2000 Fleer Skybox Star Rubies Extreme, but still a nice little card.

2001 Fleer Premium Star Rubies #SR114 SN 125.jpg

The White Rose parallel. Apparently Fleer bought out this White Rose toy company in 1999 and was looking to boost that brand. So that year they bundled little White Rose toy cars with Fleer Tradition cards. Robbie wasn't in that set, but he was in 2001 when they did the same thing with Fleer Premium cards. I bought the Indians one, which came with a toy PT Cruiser with the Indians logo, and this card. There are several differences from the base Premium card. The background on the front is not foil-ized, the card has a different number, and the back has the White Rose logo and some other differences in the small print text.

2001 Fleer Premium White Rose #11.jpg
 

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  • 2001 Fleer Premium Star Rubies #SR114 SN 125.jpg
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Dilferules

Well-known member
Aug 10, 2012
1,945
1,738
Auburn, WA
Oh man the White Rose cards...was Alomar tough to find? It took me about fifteen years to track down the Trent Dilfer card from the 2002 set. I finally found it in a lot with four or five other car/card packs. I thought maybe I would be able to sell the others but upon researching, those seemed to be easier to find and not really worth anything. Plus the corners on the cards were pretty beat up from being in the packaging for so long, like how you will sometimes see on SLU's.

The 2002 football set was based on Ultra and had similar subtle differences (no back scan but you can see the logo is different as well as the Seahawks helmet and some of the foil).
1611555954456.png1611555977846.png
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
That 2001 baseball issue is pretty common. The entire toy + card package can still be had for like $10 delivered. The 2002 football issue must have a much, much lower print run.

I really like those subtle differences between base cards and white rose cards. Initially I didn't bother to find the White Rose version, because I had assumed it was just the exact same card but packaged with a toy car, in order to make the toy car sell. But at some point I took another look, and I remember being surprised to see that it was actually a different card. And then I remember gleefully buying one for a few bucks.

Oh man the White Rose cards...was Alomar tough to find? It took me about fifteen years to track down the Trent Dilfer card from the 2002 set. I finally found it in a lot with four or five other car/card packs. I thought maybe I would be able to sell the others but upon researching, those seemed to be easier to find and not really worth anything. Plus the corners on the cards were pretty beat up from being in the packaging for so long, like how you will sometimes see on SLU's.

The 2002 football set was based on Ultra and had similar subtle differences (no back scan but you can see the logo is different as well as the Seahawks helmet and some of the foil).
View attachment 120751View attachment 120752
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
Just one card tonight before I turn in - the 1989 Bimbo Disc!

Below is a link to a nice article from SABR about this set, with some history of the Bimbo company itself (it's bigger than you think it is). Scrolling down on that webpage, I see that I actually posted a comment in 2018. I have no memory of this, but there it is.

Anyway, Bimbo did one set and one set only, and this is it. There were 12 cards, all of Hispanic players, or to be more precise, Puerto Rican players. They were made by MSA (Michael Schecter Associates) who produced basically all of these kinds of oddball sets for the better part of 20 years.


The interesting bit about this particular card is that the photo isn't Robbie, it's his brother Sandy. Funny that a company based in Mexico City decided to produce a set of players from PR, and still managed to get a wrong photo. For the only future HOFer no less :) . This set also has Juan Nieves, who I remember pitching for the Denver Zephyrs, as I listened in on my radio as a kid...
1989 Bimbo Bread Super Stars #12 UER Wrong Photo.jpg
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
One of my all time favorite rainbows is the 1998 Donruss Signature Autograph series. Pack-issued cards were the "base" red card (PR 150 but not numbered), the "millenium marks" green card (SN 1000), and the "century marks" blue card (SN 100). These cards have such a nice design, and the colors are just brilliant.

In addition, some unsigned and un-numbered "executive proofs" also recently surfaced for each of the red, green, and blue cards. The red card has no number, but the green and blue are "numbered" with XXXX. I also stumbled on an autographed blue "sample" card, with no number but SAMPLE printed on back. This one was signed in black ink, whereas the pack-issued blue card was signed in blue ink. Believe it or not, I bought this one from cardcop!

There was also a series of gold "preview" cards, which were issued for a handful of players at the time. Robbie was not included in that preview set, but recently many more unreleased (and unsigned) gold preview cards surfaced. I think most players in the set had one.

1998 Donruss Signature Autograph #NNO PR 150.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Millenium Marks SN 1000 #NNO.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Century Marks SN 100.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Red Executive Proof #NNO.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Millenium Marks Executive Proof #NNO.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Century Marks Executive Proof #NNO.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Century Marks Sample.jpg
1998 Donruss Signature Autograph Preview #NNO.jpg
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
Last week I got a few interesting items from a fellow in Toronto who sells Blue Jays stuff. One of them was this 1991 Barry Colla photo card. It is 8x10 and printed on normal cardstock.

There seems to be absolutely zero reference to this on the interwebs though. Other Colla sets are well known and widely referenced, but this one is a ghost. It uses the exact same photo as the 1993 Colla Diamond Marks Promo card, and the photo was taken a split second before (or after?) the photo on the 1992 Colla All Star card.

One little opinion on these Colla sets. Honestly I'm not the biggest fan of his photography. The shots are clear and crisp, with good colors, but on the whole I always find them generic and workmanlike. I do like the various card sets though, they are a nice little niche in the history of our hobby.

1991 Barry Colla Photo Card #1891.jpg
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
More random Robbie Alomar cards, and commentary. Just what the internet needed to become complete.

Here's the 2000 Pacific Crown Collection Latinos Of The Major Leagues insert, and its parallel numbered to 99. I finally found the parallel a couple weeks ago, on Sportlots, for $10. I keep calling it "parallel" because that is what it's called. Parallel. Not holo or gold or refractor or first day, just "parallel". That's what Beckett, TCDB, and COMC call it. It's the exact same card with a serial number added. Laziest thing ever.

2000 Pacific Crown Collection Latinos Of The Major Leagues #74.jpg
2000 Pacific Crown Collection Latinos Of The Major Leagues Parallel #74 SN 99.jpg

Or is it?

When I finally got the card, I noticed they also embossed a small diamond shape area on the lower right, across from the serial number. It's only small spot, very easy to miss. It reads "Exclusive Series". So this card is exactly the same as the normal insert card, but with a serial number an almost invisible embossed stamp.

So yeah it is.

But somehow I love it anyway. The card itself is a pretty flashy design and I love the bright colors and holo foil. Plus it's one of the cards I most wanted to add to the collection - a Pacific parallel.
 

JVHaste

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2015
4,751
270
Vancouver WA
One of my all time favorite rainbows is the 1998 Donruss Signature Autograph series. Pack-issued cards were the "base" red card (PR 150 but not numbered), the "millenium marks" green card (SN 1000), and the "century marks" blue card (SN 100). These cards have such a nice design, and the colors are just brilliant.

In addition, some unsigned and un-numbered "executive proofs" also recently surfaced for each of the red, green, and blue cards. The red card has no number, but the green and blue are "numbered" with XXXX. I also stumbled on an autographed blue "sample" card, with no number but SAMPLE printed on back. This one was signed in black ink, whereas the pack-issued blue card was signed in blue ink. Believe it or not, I bought this one from cardcop!

There was also a series of gold "preview" cards, which were issued for a handful of players at the time. Robbie was not included in that preview set, but recently many more unreleased (and unsigned) gold preview cards surfaced. I think most players in the set had one.

View attachment 121326
View attachment 121327
View attachment 121328
View attachment 121329
View attachment 121330
View attachment 121331
View attachment 121332
View attachment 121333

wooot wooot, cardcop lives on!!!




nice cards too :)
 

mrmopar

Member
Jan 19, 2010
6,169
4,057
Wondering if someone here or reading this might have snagged that recently ended 92 McDonalds Auto card. I was hoping to win one, after watching out for one for quite a while, but no dice. It went for about $130.
 

banjar

Well-known member
Mar 22, 2015
2,531
869
Lafayette, Colorado
Cardcop.

Cardcop!

Cardcop!!

I wonder whatever happened to him. Has anyone seen or heard from him on any message board lately?

If memory serves, I actually bought that card from an ebay user with the name "Joan" or something or other, AKA his female alter ego.



wooot wooot, cardcop lives on!!!




nice cards too :)
 

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