Home Trading Cards & Memorabilia Forum

1986 Carnation Major League Wrestling Set....Ric Flair Fresh Scans Added

Rick Martel and The Road Warriors


I was so pumped to find this auction last week and ended up winning it for a very low price. As you can tell the seller had no idea that there were two cards in the packet. I actually emailed her and wanted to try and have her turn it into a Buy It Now but no such luck. I set a very high max bid because as you can see there were two cards in the packet and one of the most sought after wrestling cards inside.

The 1986 Carnation Road Warriors is just an awesome card and so rare to find. This set is by far the most rare of any wrestling cards and months can go by without a single card surfacing. I really wanted a strong example of the Road Warriors and to complete the set. I have the two remaining cards I am missing coming in the mail any day now and they are not in the best of condition but I simply wanted to complete the set of six and then perhaps try and upgrade over time if possible.

Unfortunately neither of the two cards are mint and the centering is off on the Road Warriors and it does not have the best surface.

Here are the scans of the four cards so far I have and I will add the other two later once I receive them. The other two are Sergeant Slaughter and Ivan and Nikita Koloff.


image




image




image




image
«134567

Comments

  • TonyCTonyC Posts: 1,399 ✭✭✭
    Dpeck, what is the story with the set? Was it issued in Carnation products, a redemption, or something else? Why is the Road Warriors card in particular so rare?
    Collecting Tony Conigliaro
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    These came in Carnation Hot Cocoa. Quite frankly they are all rare but this is their true rookie card and no one ever wants to sell them that owns one.

    There is a guy who runs a wrestling card website who said he has been looking for years for one. I am not sure if there was any card from the set that is harder to find due to printing numbers.

    I just know these are few and far between and are going to be very expensive cards if they ever surface in high grade.

    The only card I have ever sold that I regret is the Ric Flair I found it for $50 and got it graded and it came back a PSA 8. I got $200 for Flair and $100 for Kamala when I sold them.

    These are super condition sensitive too.
  • eagles33eagles33 Posts: 2,676 ✭✭✭
    I've been debating between this and the 85 all stars card for a road warriors rookie. I friggin ruined my all star card when I tried to straighten the edges before sending it to psa (it's a hand cut card... I'm not not a trimmer). If anyone wants to sell the all star card slabbed in a psa 6-8 let me know
    Scans of most of my Misc rookies can be found <a target=new class=ftalternatingbarlinklarge href="http://forums.collectors.com/m...y&keyword1=Non%20major">here
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    These were printed in 85 but not distributed until 86. I would say technically the 85 Wrestling All Stars from the magazine is a Rookie but the card from this set is worth dramatically more.

    If one of these ever surface in a PSA 9 I would pay a lot for it. These are really cool cards and the picture used for the Road Warriors card is simply awesome!

    I like hard card stock cards for Rookie's and the magazine card is a tougher card stock then the 73,78, and 81 paper cards but not a true trading card.

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Here are the other two cards I was missing.



    image






    image




  • bkingbking Posts: 3,095 ✭✭
    Not to derail, but are the 1985 Topps ones considered anything special?
    ----------------------
    Working on the following: 1970 Baseball PSA, 1970-1976 Raw, World Series Subsets PSA, 1969 Expansion Teams PSA, Fleer World Series Sets, Texas Rangers Topps Run 1972-1989
    ----------------------

    Successful deals to date: thedudeabides,gameusedhoop,golfcollector,tigerdean,treetop,bkritz, CapeMOGuy,WeekendHacker,jeff8877,backbidder,Salinas,milbroco,bbuckner22,VitoCo1972,ddfamf,gemint,K,fatty macs,waltersobchak,dboneesq
  • I loved wrestling growing up as a kid but never collected the cards. I would think that this card would be one that many collectors would want.

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Muhammad-Ali-Hulk-Hogan-Liberace-Rare-1986-Monty-Gum-Wrestling-Sars-Boxing-Card-/170730011043?pt=US_Boxing&hash=item27c04d39a3
    Looking for 1950 Bowman football PSA 7's
  • The guy on the right of the road warriors card looks like Frank of American pickers..
    Link to my current Ebay auctions

    "If I ever decided to do a book, I've already got the title-The Bases Were Loaded and So Was I"-Jim Fregosi
  • TonyCTonyC Posts: 1,399 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The guy on the right of the road warriors card looks like Frank of American pickers.. >>



    I never realized that, but you're kind of right.
    Collecting Tony Conigliaro
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 1986 Monte are the worst packs you could ever open. I busted two boxes and in each I got three packs and there are fifty packs to open. The same cards almost every time!

    I got lucky and got 25 of this card in one box. It could have been much worse if it had been commons.


    These cards come perforated to each other so they are in horrible condition unless you cut them with a razor knife.


  • The set is interesting. They have the NWA World Champ and Tag Champs, and the AWA World Champ (but only call him "heavyweight" Champ) and Tag Champs, along with the America's Champ of the AWA (incorrectly called American Champ) and then...Kamala. I understand they probably didn't have the license to have the WWF World and Tag Champs, but I'm surprised they didn't put a card in for the US or World Class or Mid-South UWF Champion.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The 1985 Topps can be found in packs. They are very common the only thing not is the condition or the grade they achieve.





  • << <i>

    << <i>The guy on the right of the road warriors card looks like Frank of American pickers.. >>



    I never realized that, but you're kind of right. >>



    To tie this to 'mainstream sports,' for those who don't know, the guy who looks like Frank of American Pickers (aka Road Warrior Animal aka Joe Laurinaitis) is the father of the Rams LB James Laurinaitis.

    Here's a cool slideshow from the Sporting News of James morphing into his father. http://aol.sportingnews.com/nfl/story/2011-06-30/james-laurinaitis-and-joe-laurinaitis/slide/1#photo
  • Sorry, linky here: The Little Animal
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thanks for adding that link.


    Here are a few great Road Warriors clips.


    Road Warriors AWA




    Road Warriors 1986



    These guys were monsters.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Thank you to board member Gregmo32 for selling me this 1986 Carnation Ric Flair. Very nice card and helps me complete my set as my other Flair is signed.


    image





    I have a sealed packet I tracked down coming in the mail today with the Slaughter and The Koloff's and hopefully those are in decent shape. The last sealed packet I opened the cards had a small crease in them. I will post scans once I get them.

  • BenG76BenG76 Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭
    Cool looking cards. I will have to keep a look out as well. These are from my favorite era of wrestling.
  • Big yellow stripe down your back...
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Sean you quoting Flair or something?
  • sportscardtheorysportscardtheory Posts: 1,786 ✭✭✭
    Is it possible that Dpeck100 has breathed life into a genre of trading cards otherwise "forgotten"? If so, that's pretty darn cool. Wrestling cards have never been very popular, but it seems ever since Dpeck100 started posting about and collecting rare and older high grade wrestling cards, the market has seen a nice uptake. I just thought it was cool that one or a couple people could invigorate such a niche market.
  • ThoseBackPagesThoseBackPages Posts: 4,871 ✭✭


    << <i>Is it possible that Dpeck100 has breathed life into a genre of trading cards otherwise "forgotten"? If so, that's pretty darn cool. Wrestling cards have never been very popular, but it seems ever since Dpeck100 started posting about and collecting rare and older high grade wrestling cards, the market has seen a nice uptake. I just thought it was cool that one or a couple people could invigorate such a niche market. >>



    i feel that the SMR article certainly did expose a few more "eyes" on the genre
    Big Fan of: HOF Post War RC, Graded RCs
    WTB: PSA 1 - PSA 3 Centered, High Eye Appeal 1950's Mantle
  • BenG76BenG76 Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Is it possible that Dpeck100 has breathed life into a genre of trading cards otherwise "forgotten"? If so, that's pretty darn cool. Wrestling cards have never been very popular, but it seems ever since Dpeck100 started posting about and collecting rare and older high grade wrestling cards, the market has seen a nice uptake. I just thought it was cool that one or a couple people could invigorate such a niche market. >>




    It could be possible. Before I found this forum I noticed that the Wrestling All Star cards were crazy a while back while surfing around on Ebay. I recently got back into cards in the past few months and bought some of the newer wrestling cards and went on Ebay to see what else was out there. 80's wrestling really brings back a lot of memories for me as I am sure it does for others around my age. I will soon be 35. These were the guys I idolized back then. Im still hoping to pick up a Kerry von Erich card in the near future.

    Anyhow these Carnation cards look to be super rare unless someone is sitting on a pile of them somewhere. I can imagine this thread will cause a few more people to be on the lookout for them now as well. I know I will be. Thanks Dpeck100 for sharing info on these and if you find a big lot of these I wouldnt mind a few LOL.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The Carnation cards are the most rare by far.

    Not the most valuable but clearly the hardest to find for sure. If wrestling collectors ever really get serious about high grade cards these one's I have said all along could go for really big money.

    I don't know if it was the article in the SMR or just the market progressing forward but in recent weeks prices have moved up on a lot of the cards. There is very little supply of the Wrestling All Stars and buyers have gotten extremely aggressive with their bids and offers. No telling how long it lasts but the market is on fire and it is not me doing much of the buying.

  • Man those are cool cards. So is this Kamala and Slaughters rookies as well.

    Such a great era.
    dpeck you get any in for grading.
  • wrestlingcardkingwrestlingcardking Posts: 4,555 ✭✭✭✭
    Sgt Slaughter is in the 1982 set...B version.
    BUYING Frank Gotch T229 Kopec
    Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
  • thenavarrothenavarro Posts: 7,497 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Man those are cool cards. So is this Kamala and Slaughters rookies as well.

    Such a great era.
    dpeck you get any in for grading. >>



    Kamala is in the 1985 Wrestling All Stars set
    Buying US Presidential autographs
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have the first two cards in the thread at PSA now. I am hoping they get a PSA 7 and really am excited to get them back. I think The Road Warriors card is awesome.

    Unfortunately many of the cards come with a surface wrinkle so they won't grade high. I had a PSA 8 Flair and Kamala I sold that I wish I could get back. Big mistake even with the prices I got.

    I did get the signed Flair back recently from PSA/DNA and it looks great.

    Kamala like Mike said is in the 1985 Wrestling All Stars set and so are The Road Warriors. SGT Slaughter is in the 1982 Wrestling All Stars series B and so is Rick Martel. Flair of course is in Series A.

    The only person you could truly say has a rookie card in this set is Nakita Kollof and his tag team partner Ivan Koloff is in the 1982 Wrestling All Stars Series A.

    I am constantly looking for these cards but very rarely do I find them. They are that tough to find.

  • So that Kamala and Flair are highest graded PSA 8 so far. Maybe they will show back up on ebay some day.

    So getting a PSA 8 in these is equal to a PSA 10 in most card sets.
  • wrestlingcardkingwrestlingcardking Posts: 4,555 ✭✭✭✭
    I agree that those are amazing grades for this set........
    BUYING Frank Gotch T229 Kopec
    Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Nhl I would say at this point yes.

    I think anything in a PSA 6 or better is a nice card from this set.

    I have opened three sealed packets so far and have not gotten any cards that will grade a PSA 8. Every single card has had some damage. The two I submitted and got PSA 8's on were awesome looking and just centering on the Flair and a touch on the corner for Kamala kept them from being mint.

    It is certainly possible that there are some high grade cards out there but not many. These were never meant to be graded. Picture this, the cards are packed into the flimsy packet, they get packed into a box of cocoa mix and then shipped around the country. Next the box gets put on the store shelf, thrown into the cart, onto the check out stand, into the paper bag, into the car and then to the house. This would be about as bad of a journey that any card could go on.

    The surface wrinkle on the back near the top is what is ultimately going to keep many of these out of a holder higher then a PSA 5.

    Once I get the results of the two that are being graded I will pass them along.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    image





    image




    Here are the two I submitted to PSA. I think the grades were very fare.




    1986 Carnation Set




    I just picked up this set yesterday and can't wait to get them. The seller had them listed and they looked amazing.

    His phone number was listed so I called him to ask a few questions and discuss the cards as I have had issues with creases and surface wrinkles in the past.

    He bought the cards for $1 at his pawn shop in Ohio and put them on EBAY and was shocked at how much action they were getting. The bid was up to $113 and he said he had gotten offers as high as $600 to take them down off EBAY but he doesn't do that. He runs a pawn shop that does gold, silver, sports memorabilia and comics.

    He was a very interesting guy to chat with and we talked for at least 15 minutes.

    He said he would take his loop home and inspect the cards and sure enough the Flair has a crease.

    He canceled the listing and put them back up with an opening bid and a Buy It Now for $395. I sent him a message and said if he would lower it to $250 I would hit the bid and pay right away. Sure enough he did.

    I am very hopeful that the rest of the cards are in NM or better condition. They look very sharp in the packets and if they look good are certainly getting graded.

    The Flair is still a great card with great centering and perhaps I can get it signed or will just keep it raw.

  • Big80sBig80s Posts: 2,758 ✭✭✭
    Congrats on the pickup, D! Are you going to build a graded set of these?
    Let's Rip It: PackGeek.com
    Jeff
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes that is the plan. Six cards is a small set but finding six that are worth grading is a completely different story.

    I would like to have them in a minimum grade of NM. I think that is possible at some point.

    Currently I have 11 cards from the set and three of those are in PSA holders. Two are graded and one is signed. Once I get these next six I may be able to complete the set in PSA holders.

    I said it prior in the thread but The Road Warriors card has tremendous potential. This is there first hard paper stock card and my of my favorite cards in my entire collection. These guys were bad dudes. A high grade example could fetch several hundred dollars easily.

    The Ric Flair that has a crease has tremendous eye appeal and if it has sharp corners I will get it graded and settle for a PSA 4 or PSA 5 and then try and upgrade from there. I have another Ric Flair that is nice but it has a surface wrinkle on the back and it does not have as strong of eye appeal as the one coming.


    Here is the signed Ric Flair. The card itself is probably EX-MT but has poor centering and I would much rather have a PSA 5 that is amazing with a crease then a PSA 6 that is there for poor centering and touched corners.


    This is a fun little side project from the Wrestling All Stars and is extremely challenging which makes for a great chase.


    image



  • BenG76BenG76 Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭
    Nice pickup. These cards arent showing up much. I plan on submitting the three I have to be graded with my next submission. Hopefully they will turn out good.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    If you can, post some scans of them.
  • BenG76BenG76 Posts: 1,054 ✭✭✭
    Here are the scans of the three I have. The Sgt. Slaughter looks yellowed/dirty. The others seem pretty nice. Let me know what you guys think of the scans.

    image

    image
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Those look pretty good.

    There is definately going to be some fresh graded material of these soon. I just spoke again to the seller and he said he lied to me and actually bought six sets.

    He sold them to a dealer for $3,000!!!! That is a big number!!!

    One of the buyers who was in the market for the cards I got was very upset he pulled the original listing and bought the one loose Flair he had for $450!!!!

    I should have mine by Thursday and will post some scans.
  • markmacmarkmac Posts: 412 ✭✭✭
    Did you win the unopened packs of these from the other day. I bookmarked it and never saw a final price. What did they go for?
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yes I did.

    He looked over the cards for me to see if there were any creases or surface wrinkles and found a crease on the Ric Flair.

    I bought the re listed lot for $250.

  • markmacmarkmac Posts: 412 ✭✭✭
    Sounds like a good buy. Hope you get some high grades.
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I feel very comfortable at that price for the entire set.

    It has been four or five months since any have surfaced in the US. There was only one listing from Australia and BenG got those.

    I am really pumped about this buy and have my fingers crossed.

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I tracked down my mail man this morning around 9:20 and picked up the package. I opened the package on the spot to show him the cards and then gently placed them on the floor of my car with the package and drove home.

    I got out some card savers and some scissors and busted them open.


    I knew the Flair was creased but it was worse then expected and the Kamala card comes in the same pack and was creased too. It is such a shame as the Flair otherwise is Mint.


    image




    What a waste of such a great card!







    image





    The Kamala is a great looking example but creases near the top and on the left side.






    Next came the Koloff's and the Slaughter. The Koloffs had a small surface wrinkle on the back and otherwise looks great. The Slaughter has a clean back and should at least grade NM-MT and the only real problem is the centering. All of these cards have tremendous color and surface and look pack fresh.




    image






    Very nice card!





    image





    The pack I was most excited about was the Rick Martel and The Road Warriors. Both cards are super clean but the surface wrinkle hit. The Martel is worse on the back and The Road Warriors is very faint but there. What a shame as this is a beauty. I just love this card and glad to have one with strong centering, excellent surface and very sharp corners. I still plan to get it graded and maybe I will get lucky. image





    image





    Still a great card and for a raw collector this would be perfect!






    image





    Here is the front. One of my favorite cards of all time. These dudes were bad!!!







    image





    You can just barely see it starting above the A in Animal. This is a much more faint wrinkle then many of the other cards I also have from prior purchases.




    Over all I can't complain as this was a gamble and still an awesome set.



  • Dpeck, do you have any cards of George "The Animal" Steele?
  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
  • Thanks. Loved watching that guy eat turnbuckles. And his green tongue.
  • Big80sBig80s Posts: 2,758 ✭✭✭
    Sorry to hear about the latest pickups, D. But they certainly are some sharp looking cards!
    Let's Rip It: PackGeek.com
    Jeff


  • << <i>The pack I was most excited about was the Rick Martel and The Road Warriors. Both cards are super clean but the surface wrinkle hit. The Martel is worse on the back and The Road Warriors is very faint but there. What a shame as this is a beauty. I just love this card and glad to have one with strong centering, excellent surface and very sharp corners. I still plan to get it graded and maybe I will get lucky. image




    image





    Here is the front. One of my favorite cards of all time. These dudes were bad!!!







    image





    You can just barely see it starting above the A in Animal. This is a much more faint wrinkle then many of the other cards I also have from prior purchases.




    Over all I can't complain as this was a gamble and still an awesome set. >>



    So the front correctly lists them as the AWA World Tag Team Champions, and the back states they won the "NWA Title" as rookies? Ugh. Brutally bad.

  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    According to Wiki they won the NWA National Tag Team Championship within six months of their debut. I am sure this is what they meant to say.


  • Dpeck100Dpeck100 Posts: 10,910 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Ric Flair Carnation blowing up on EBAY. I knew this day would come just with I had been able to get more cards. This is by far his most rare card. This could top $700 if a real battle breaks out. Either way a very impressive number for a raw trading card.



    86 Carnation Ric Flair




    The Kamala card is on the move too. No telling where this one will end. I could see $250 if the bidders get serious.




    86 Carnation Kamala
  • wrestlingcardkingwrestlingcardking Posts: 4,555 ✭✭✭✭
    I am amazed at the prices being reached on these.......
    BUYING Frank Gotch T229 Kopec
    Looking to BUY n332 1889 SF Hess cards and high grade cards from 19th century especially. "Once you have wrestled everything else in life is easy" Dan Gable
Sign In or Register to comment.