Rare Errors/Variations 1990s and Older
Brian_S
Posts: 22 ✭
Hello everyone! I have recently started hunting for rare errors/variations just for fun. I am trying to get a really nice error/variation collection and have made good progress so far. I am still learning more about this area of the hobby so I have no idea outside a few cards what really rare and valuable variations are out there. I would really appreciate if you all can let me know of any really rare and valuable variations you can think of for me to start hunting down (any sport). I already know about the iconic ones like the 89 Fleer Ripken, 1990 Topps Frank Thomas NNOF/blackless, and the 89 UD Dale Murphy Negative as (hopefully) every hard-core collector does. Thank you all for any help you can provide!
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There's some in 90 donruss . Concerning Ryan and Juan gonzalas.
if you like the really rare stuff, there are some prototypes/promos that would fit the bill. they are not errors, but really rare.
1990 score promos. super rare. 1990 Donruss Aqueous test cards. 1988 topps cloth. 1998 Topps Sportz Cubez. the 1998 pinnacle bankruptsy never released cards. 98 Crusade executive proofs.
those are a few really rare (and often very expensive) promo's and prototype/proofs to get you started.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Nothing particularly rare in 1990 Donruss despite some fun variations.
Rarest base Topps variation from the 80s or 90s has to the
1989 Topps Tony Oliva Blacked Out Copyright. Only know of three copies. Pack issued, rare transitional variation.
Just to name a few
for errors, there is the 1990 fleer Dave Martinez
the 1991 Topps Mark Whiten is also pretty rare.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
wondering, how rare are the 89 sportsflics promos and are they marked promo? I am a clemens collector and am interested possibly in trying to track one down.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
my brain keeps working. there are also variations in 84 topps with players head shots both in the box and out.
also, the 1982 topps blackless
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Many errors are still unknown. I found this Raines in a box of commons.
https://kennerstartinglineup.blogspot.com/
If you find one of these in will eat my hat!
The 1986 Sportflics #178 card included Mark Funderburk, with Canseco, Tartabull, Greenwell, Lombardozzi and Robidoux.
But there was a rare variation, believed to be a proof card not available in packs or factory sets, that included Jim Wilson instead of Funderburk.
It's notated as #178 b in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards:
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
I actually was able to find a few 1989 fleer position checklists recently. My eyes about popped out of my head when I saw them haha. I was able to pick up four of them for two bucks. One is #659 with griffey's card number on it, which for some reason apparently drives the value up like crazy. Someone has one graded an 8.5 on ebay for around $2000 with like 15 watchers. I would be (pleasantly) shocked if people are actually willing to pay that much for it.
Thanks so much for all your help so far!!! I'm going to add all these that I don't already have to my to-get list. I have plenty to keep me busy the next few days...
If you all think of any more please keep posting thanks again!!!
Welcome to the boards!
There are a few errors in the 1989 Score baseball. 1988 Fleer Keith Comstock and Jerry Brown errors, 1989 Fleer Treadway bullseye error. 1990 Donruss is full of errors but the Nolan Ryan wrong backs seem to be the most significant.
Anyone have any pics of these error cards?
I have several listed on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dkr=1&iconV2Request=true&_blrs=recall_filtering&_ssn=jfkheat&_oac=1&_nkw=error
Thanks!
I can take pics of some rare ones I own once I figure out how to post photos
Ok I think they loaded right. The Todd Benzinger is the red star variation, which is probably the rarest 1990 Donruss error (I may be wrong). The Andy Hawkins Highlights is the extremely rare version with his position listed on the front instead of the "No-Hits White Sox" text. The 1991 Topps Torre is a not as well-known version. Notice on the back picture that it has the 40th logo in the background. The manager cards are supposed to have a different background than the base player cards, but this Torre has the same background as the base players. You can look up a pic of a normal Torre and notice the difference. They call this a "missing stat box" error and they sell for insane prices when they turn up. I saw a Torre sold for $400 last year and a Doug Rader manager card with the same error sold for $750 recently graded PSA 8.
1979 bump willis error card
I never knew about the Benzinger error, thanks for sharing.
A couple more errors not yet mentioned in this thread are the 1988 Topps California Angels team leader card with a red mark on Wally Joyner's sleeve, and the 1990 Upper Deck Mike Witt with a black box on the back covering his stats. I don't have photos of these but they are online.
Go to Trading Card Database, click on a set, and click the Errors/Variations tab. This will help you find some more errors not mentioned above. Good luck in your quest!
buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball cards
also collecting US & Canadian silver coins
They have black stats and bio on back.
FYI the Mike Witt is no longer that rare of a card. An 800 count box of them was discovered in 2013 or so and they have been made steadily available on ebay since. The Checklist card 800 listing Witt with the black box remains extremely rare.
I'll dig the sportflics promo out later @craig44
Another for your list(s)
I have some blank backs from 1985 and 1987 Topps, but those aren't really catalogued errors/variations. I'll have to dig them up somewhere in storage boxes (I think they include 85 Topps Clemens and Gooden, 87 Topps McGwire, and a few other players from those sets).
yes, i would like to see that sportflics promo when you get a chance. Clemens also has the 86 topps "blue streak" variation. I have one of those stashed away.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
These might have already been mentioned -- they came to mind to me while I was trying to fall asleep last night - LOL
1987 Donruss Mike Greenwell -- I think there was a red line on his shoulder
1987 Donruss Opening Day - Barry Bonds(showing some other player)
1985 Donruss Tom Seaver (showing some other player)
I don't recall anyone mentioning the 1990 Pacific Senior League Jim Nettles error. The bat knob has a..hole on it
I have a small stack of these 1989 Score Clemens errors and other errors from that set. The Boggs seems to be one of the hardest one to find.
Speaking of knobs, can't forget the 1991 Proset Super Stars Dread Zeppelin error.
Great, underrated card but very common. Correction is slightly rarer. Maybe they only card to depict genitalia (tough to say).
Because the OP asked for rare variations and the majority of the Nettles cards are the very common a s s h o l e bat version.
This is another common error card, very abundant. The rarer version shows the first 7 in 778 poorly covered up with what looks like whiteout, where you can still make it out. They did the same thing in 1990 with Milt Cuyler and sort of with Earl Cunningham's bat knob.
Did somebody say 1990 Donruss?
Arthur
Do you have a pic of the white out clemens?
Not a great scan/pic but here is my copy on COMC
Is this an 89 Fleer Randy Johnson blue tint?
Arthur
Unfortunately not. If it was the true blue tint variation you were probably hoping for, the MARLBORO letters would be visible. This is one of the box variations, likely some form of a green tint. Still a cool card though, I have learned alot about the Johnsons recently because my brother is trying to get every variation possible for it (within the price range of a 12 year old...)
Rats. I've noticed those dots at the bottom come in different colors.
Arthur
Since I am a Cardinals collector and I have several variations of the 1988 Topps Glossy All Stars Ad Insert card featuring Cardinals Jack Clark.
I would love to know if these exist....I have never seen these.....1988 Topps Offer Ad Insert "Cards Not Included" and the
1988 Topps Offer Ad Insert SILVER ARROW on front. I would love to see and own these.
Shane
They both do exist. I saw a no cards included sold recently on ebay. There is a silver arrow listed on ebay right now but the price is really steep
I've discovered 12 different variations of the 1990 Donruss Howard Johnson All-Star card so far. Most of the All-Stars have multiple variations, as well (aside from the Recent ML Experience vs All-Star Game Experience). Kevin Mitchell and Terry Steinbach each have 6 variations. But my favorite is Bo Jackson. He can be found with a circled "T" by his knee or it airbrushed out.
Arthur
Not mentioned is 1982 Fleer SD John Littlefield throwing left instead of right.
Link to photo and article
https://collectrea.com/archives/2009/Spring/877/1982-fleer-576-john-littlefield-pitching-lefty-error-card-collection-100-plus-uncut-sheet
That "silver arrow" on Ebay just looks like faded black. Doesn't look silver to me.
Shane
I have owned them and I can say with certainty two things:
-the silver arrow in person resembles lottery scratcher ink, kind of a reflective charcoal color and very different than the standard black arrow ink
-I own about 300 various copies of the insert and any low ink/faint black arrow cards are almost transparent, you can read "cards not included" through the arrow
Been a big fan of this cards since I was a kid but really started collecting them heavily after reading the Gilkeson guide.
Here is a bunch I could think of off the top of my head. There's many more I'm sure. There's a ton of minor errors from the late 80s because they were printing so many through different printing facilities and quality control wasn't great. Trading Card Data Base is a wealth of knowledge and has checklists, etc for all variations.
Anyway, Fleer really knew how to party!
1982 Fleer Lee Smith - Cubs logo reversed on back
1982 Fleer John Littlefield - Reverse negative
1982 Fleer Al Hrabosky - "All" as first name on back. / Height listed at 5' 1"
1987 Donruss Opening Day Barry Bonds - Johnny Ray Pictured
1988 Topps Al Leiter - Steve George Pictured
1989 Fleer Mike Heath and Tom Brookens - Backs switched
1989 Fleer Jeff Treadway - Target above head
1989 Upper Deck Gary Sheffield - SS is upside down
1988 Topps had blank front cards for many players, you might be able to build an entire set to be honest.
Uncorrected errors
1985 Topps Gary Pettis - Not corrected, but the photo is his younger brother.
1990 Upper Deck Robin Yount - 7602 career hits