S.I. The Last Iconic Baseball Card: '89 UD Griffey

[Halonut]

funny they should bring up win lose or draw...when i lived in anaheim i used to go there quite a bit to buy minor league hats. it's true what they say about his inventory...the store is full of starter jackets, proline and zubaz :lol:

 

[Vagrant]

I think in order for a card to be iconic, it has to have mystique. The '52 Mantle, the '89 Griffey, the Strawberry XRC. The commonality? All were fairly mass produced. I would dare say there is an "iconic" card that wasn't mass produced save the pre war era cards.

With the Pujols, there are only 500 in the world. Maybe even less than that.

There will never again be another card, NEVER again, that was:

1. As relatively easy to find as the '89 UD issue.

2. In as high of demand as the Griffey in the beginning.

3. As recognizable at a glance.

4. As revered even by casual collectors.

There are simply too few of them.

For a brief spell, I remember Kerry Wood's 1997 Bowman Chrome card hitting NEARLY the level of epic that the '89 UD Griffey hit.... but that was the last.

With the advent of Superfractors, Red Refractors, Gold Refractors, etc. There is simply no "easy to recognize" card to become an icon.

Scanning my memory, without having seen it in months, I can't even remember what the Pujols RC looks like and I would consider myself a pretty hardcore collector.

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

Back in 1989, collectors still had faith in base cards. You never saw collectors busting wax, picking out one card, and dumping the rest in the trash. Griffey's 89 rookie is iconic because the average collector had access to it, Griffey was the hottest player on the planet, and UD was the hot new company featuring glossy cards and premium photography that dwarfed anything else then available. It being a base card, it was readily available if you wanted to pay for it.

I feel a limited parallel like the Pujols auto rookie or whatever hot Bowman Chrome stud of tomorrow delivers just won't ever feel as "iconic" as the Griffey rookie because of its scarcity. Collectors can relate to the Griffey because at one time or another most of them owned it or at least saw it in their hobby shop or friend's collection. That's not the case with Chrome autos and refractors. Familiarity breeds iconic stature. We held that card in our hands, admired the million dollar smile, and loved the way Griffey smacked the ball and chased down long fly balls.

I haven't read the article yet, but I think I agree with the author. The 89 Griffey is the last iconic RC.

I actually think the '89 Topps traded is a better looking card... the Tiffany even better...although both not from packs.
You're right though...about the Pujols Chrome... if we're looking at the ease of getting one. Even though it was the first out of the gate.
...but that makes the few base Pujols RC's more important.

Your comments bring back good memories though.


'89 UD wasn't glossy!

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

Yep. Then Eric Anthony and Ben McDonald. ::facepalm::

Started to read the SI article- agosto 24, 2009 Huh? Spanish and the future?

It's the issue date of the new S.I. It's "for the week of"
::facepalm::

 

[gracecollector]

I actually think the '89 Topps traded is a better looking card... the Tiffany even better...although both not from packs.
You're right though...about the Pujols Chrome... if we're looking at the ease of getting one. Even though it was the first out of the gate.
...but that makes the few base Pujols RC's more important.

Your comments bring back good memories though.


'89 UD wasn't glossy!

Wax Heaven had a great blog entry about why UD was the Griffey RC that transcended the other offerings. And it basically came down to the photo. Griffey is smiling a mega-watt smile on the UD card, while looking serious on Fleer, Donruss and Topps Traded (no smiles). Everyone loved the way Griffey played with a boyish quality, and UD captured it perfectly.

You're right about the gloss... ::facepalm:: should have said premium stock.

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

Maybe the last iconic baseball card in that specific writer's lifetime.

As long as they make baseball cards, there will be more and more iconic ones.

One of his points is that the hobby is DOOMED. I agree with that. Losing COLLECTORS...not gaing much.

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

I actually think the '89 Topps traded is a better looking card... the Tiffany even better...although both not from packs.
You're right though...about the Pujols Chrome... if we're looking at the ease of getting one. Even though it was the first out of the gate.
...but that makes the few base Pujols RC's more important.

Your comments bring back good memories though.


'89 UD wasn't glossy!

Wax Heaven had a great blog entry about why UD was the Griffey RC that transcended the other offerings. And it basically came down to the photo. Griffey is smiling a mega-watt smile on the UD card, while looking serious on Fleer, Donruss and Topps Traded (no smiles). Everyone loved the way Griffey played with a boyish quality, and UD captured it perfectly.

You're right about the gloss... ::facepalm:: should have said premium stock.

it's all good, we all make boo-boo's (glossy)
No doubt about the photo on the U.D. release. It caught my eye.... reminded me of the '52 Mantle. But I think '89 Topps is a better looking card...and the phot is almost as good. That's just me though. ...especially on Tiffany card stock with gloss!.


You think this article may jump start '89 U.D. sales? I think it might...and all others as well.

 

[allstars]

[I almost forgot about Fleed and Donruss too, but they came later than UD.

Incorrect. The Donruss came out first, then the Fleer, then the UD.

 

[gracecollector]

You think this article may jump start '89 U.D. sales? I think it might...and all others as well.

Any pub is good pub. I'd expect a little uptick on 89 UD sales this week as people read the article and get a little nostalgic.

 

[Billy Packer]

I think in order for a card to be iconic, it has to have mystique. The '52 Mantle, the '89 Griffey, the Strawberry XRC. The commonality? All were fairly mass produced. I would dare say there is an "iconic" card that wasn't mass produced save the pre war era cards.

With the Pujols, there are only 500 in the world. Maybe even less than that.

There will never again be another card, NEVER again, that was:

1. As relatively easy to find as the '89 UD issue.

2. In as high of demand as the Griffey in the beginning.

3. As recognizable at a glance.

4. As revered even by casual collectors.

There are simply too few of them.

For a brief spell, I remember Kerry Wood's 1997 Bowman Chrome card hitting NEARLY the level of epic that the '89 UD Griffey hit.... but that was the last.

With the advent of Superfractors, Red Refractors, Gold Refractors, etc. There is simply no "easy to recognize" card to become an icon.

Scanning my memory, without having seen it in months, I can't even remember what the Pujols RC looks like and I would consider myself a pretty hardcore collector.

Bingo! The Pujols will be a valuable card but in my opinion, to be "Iconic" a card needs to transcend the hobby and enter into popular culture. The Pujols surely hasn't to this point and given it's scarcity, it never will. Maybe that'll be one good thing to come out of the Topps exclusivity - the ability for a single card to achieve critical mass. That is as long as they don't ruin it by producing 97 different base parallels, SP versions, serial # variations, etc.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

i tend to agree that the 89 UD Junior is the last iconic card, and RC for sure

The thing to keep in mind about the Pujols BC is that 80+% of collectors who were around when
UD was born were no longer around when 2001 rolled around (myself included)

 

[Cobra29svt]

No one thinks the '90 Leaf Thomas was iconic? Maybe not quite the same level as the '89 UD Griffey reached, but it seems to fit the bill to me.

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

[I almost forgot about Fleed and Donruss too, but they came later than UD.

Incorrect. The Donruss came out first, then the Fleer, then the UD.

I remember U.D. coming out first. Well, either way, it did for me. I used to have to buy all of my cards at a flea market in Tazwell, TN. That is what I recall!... don't make me change my memories! :lol:

 

[ThoseBackPages]

No one thinks the '90 Leaf Thomas was iconic? Maybe not quite the same level as the '89 UD Griffey reached, but it seems to fit the bill to me.

For Sure it was, but never on the '89 UD Level

 

[Greg Cleveland]

A few thoughts about Griffey vs. Pujols popularity contest:

You have to compare Griffey "then" with Pujols "now." Can't compare now and now.

Griffey did a lot more endorsements nationally than Pujols does now. He was a younger man than Pujols is now, smiling all the time, wearing the hat backwards, having a good time--he was a kid! (not just "The Kid.")

Pujols is very business-like. Sure he smiles, but when he's on the field, he's all work, and no play--at least that's the aura he projects.

Can't compare cities--Seattle doesn't hold a candle to St. Louis when it comes to sports--maybe music or coffee, but it's a non-factor for popularity.

Similarly, both were/are in every set, and had/have an insert or 3-4 in nearly every set. It's pretty hard not to come across a new Griffey card (90's) or Pujols card (now).

There's probably more, but I'm running low. Is Pujols more popular than Griffey--I'd have to say no. Can Albert pass Junior? Maybe.

 

[AKA Coastal]

You guys are crazy that think there will never be another iconic card. As long as there is baseball and sports card there will be new iconic cards.

 

[ThoseBackPages]

You guys are crazy that think there will never be another iconic card. As long as there is baseball and sports card there will be new iconic cards.

When will baseball card collecting get back to 1989 levels?

 

[MattinglyAlexander]

You guys are crazy that think there will never be another iconic card. As long as there is baseball and sports card there will be new iconic cards.

So umm yeah...that's what this is all about. ::facepalm::

 

[UMich92]

I'd consider the T206 Wagner to be an iconic card along with the 52 Mantle and 89 UD Griffey. The iconic cards will tend to mark the era of the sport and/or of the collecting community and someday I think the Pujols BC will be considered iconic also.

Alex

 

[AKA Coastal]

You guys are crazy that think there will never be another iconic card. As long as there is baseball and sports card there will be new iconic cards.

When will baseball card collecting get back to 1989 levels?

Doesn't need to be. Down the road there will be Player X that becomes a hobby stud that is either the hitter or pitcher of the century. Even if he has a few RC cards , there will be "the one" to have. If the card industry sticks around long enough it will happen.