For Bill Ripken Error Collector...

HoofHearted

...I came across some premier-issue magazines while browsing through my collection this afternoon and found this issue from May 1990:



If you notice on the cover there's an article on the Bill Ripken error card. I thought you may enjoy reading it. Coincidentally, as I was looking through cards to send in to grade this afternoon, I found my FF version of the card. That's the only version I have, I believe -- oh, and the one in an unopened factory set. I have no idea which version would be in there. Do you?



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Stone193

Hi Mike
Thanx for sharing.

I was never an error collector but enjoyed the era and all the mania that went with it.

I may have some of the pubs put away somewhere also.

By today's standard of scarcity - having about 100K of them in a few million cards is actually a lot IMO.

mike

SlangNRox

I guess 100k of those cards would be realatively rare. I remember how I never pulled one of those Donruss Elite cards or whatever they were called that they only made 5000 of. Now there are base cards numbered out of 250.

this almost makes me want to open my 2 unopened boxes of 89 fleer that i have stashed away.

oddball

<< <i>I remember how I never pulled one of those Donruss Elite cards or whatever they were called that they only made 5000 of. >>



the Donruss "Elite" inserts #'d/10,000.

I pulled TWO of the rickey hendersons in 1990 or 1991. both stuck together in the same pack.

at the time they booked something like $300 or $400 each.

stupid me held onto them until like 1998 when they were down to $60 each.

those things were tacky.

Twinsthreepeat

So here were 2,000,000 cards made for each player. 660 cards in the set. That's 1,320,000,000 1989 fleer cards made.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Hello

It kinda bugs me when people put in their listing RARE Bill Ripken FF card or even more funny is the RARE Black Box. Guess they just dont know. Beckett estimated over 100,000 errors cards were made If I remember right. There are rare versions but not those two. The Black Box was made on 132 card sheets. Imagine how many of those they put out !!

Thanks for the info!!!!!!!! I sent a PM to two of you. I already have that issue but sincerely appretiate the effort. I currently need any issues or issue info (name of mag and date) on articles I do not have. I need SCD ? with Pete Rose on cover,Playboy FF article,Time FF article any many others I dont know about. There is a collector who posted he has the Playboy article but will not divulge info. I offered money,trade,first born ect....but no luck. I want a issue or just the month/year it was made. Please.

Its the collectors like you two who has helped me build a collection of FF versions and print that so far seems to be the largest. I hope someday the mainstream is able to notice what was really made. I know there are many harccore collectors who want every version. With limited sources for info and many unwilling to share info it makes this 17 year old mystery pretty difficult. Throw in shady sellers who doctor their copies to sell makes it even harder. Thank You for remembering my collection.

Questions on the FF card? Just ask. I only mention versions I have in hand as I know of others but cant really afford to have more competition for versions I need.

BTW-GEM grades fakes
Whiteouts easily faked
B/W Test card is fake
So far proof shows only Black Box in factory sets
With my help GAI now grades the FF saw cut version. Well... they graded 3 of mine.

Happy Hunting, Donovan

baseballfanatic

<< <i>So here were 2,000,000 cards made for each player. 660 cards in the set. That's 1,320,000,000 1989 fleer cards made. >>





And those are Fleer numbers, so you cant even imagine how many cards Topps cranked out. Just remember those numbers when you are bidding on "rare" PSA 10's when there have only been 100 of a card turned in for grading..........

ToppsCo1lector

<< <i>So here were 2,000,000 cards made for each player. 660 cards in the set. That's 1,320,000,000 1989 fleer cards made. >>



Maybe in 98 or 99 my Pops(Whos a Tool&Die guy by trade but works on Printing Presses) actually worked at Fleers' factory in Raleigh-Durham. He went down there to do some repairs on the Pokemon lines and was astounded by what he saw. I mean he collected back in the 1950s and was just in shock by the sheer volume of cards made. He knows somethings that I just don't want to repeat. Needless to say, I might buy now 4-5 hobby boxes a year of modern just to bust. It's sickening how many cards are made today.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Wonder what company produced the most product from 88-90? Sad as I was a kid hoarding up these .45 packs and I complained when Upper Deck came out with a $2 pack. Man I miss those $2 packs.

ToppsCo1lector

^^Seriously! I remember thinking nearly the same thing when I got into collect(albeit a little later and for a little more) when a topps pack was a buck and I scoffed at any pack over 4.00. Now; somebody can drop 3 bills on a PACK. It's insane.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

I made the mistake of bringing my fiancee in with me once to the card shop when I had some money to blow. I grabbed some $10 and $30 packs and her jaw dropped. Now whenever we have money issues she wins the fight as I spend alot on cardboard. I remember she pointed to the $1 packs and said whats wrong with these? Oh those 88 Donruss- I have a few of those already.

I always wanted to see inside a Factory warehouse or printing shop. Imagine all those pallets of cases. I have a clip from TV on Fleer and they have a pallet jack with uncut sheets on them. 132 card sheets up to your waist. Lotsa cards.

Brian48

Hey, I remember having bought that issue myself. Wow. That was really a while back. I was still in the Marines back then.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

If anyone wants one of those issues- I have 4 or so of them. $4 ppd.

ToppsCo1lector

<< <i>I made the mistake of bringing my fiancee in with me once to the card shop when I had some money to blow. I grabbed some $10 and $30 packs and her jaw dropped. Now whenever we have money issues she wins the fight as I spend alot on cardboard. I remember she pointed to the $1 packs and said whats wrong with these? Oh those 88 Donruss- I have a few of those already.

I always wanted to see inside a Factory warehouse or printing shop. Imagine all those pallets of cases. I have a clip from TV on Fleer and they have a pallet jack with uncut sheets on them. 132 card sheets up to your waist. Lotsa cards. >>



Tractor trailers running 24/7 to the cutting/packing factory. Printing Presses running 24/6.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

At least in 1989 I know Fleer printed at the factory and a outside printing shop in Colorado.

ToppsCo1lector

Well this was in the late 90's. At that plant was also where the Pokemons were printed(Remember packs where Pokemons ended up in some Fleer Tradition and such?). I believe at that time the Cut/Pack plant was somewheres in Michigan/Dakotas area. Not to sure on that b/c my memory seems to fail me on that.

jfkheat

Donovan, I just joined this forum and saw that you collect the '89 Fleer Billy Rikpen cards. You mentioned the "sawcut" version of this card earlier. Is this the one with the inch or inch and a half notch cut in the card from the bottom up? This is the fisrt time I have seen these cards mentioned anywhere. I have 2 or 3 with this notch that I pulled from packs back in 1989. How much are these cards worth? What's the story behind them? Why were they cut and put in the packs?
Thanks, James

mikeschmidt

<< <i>Donovan, I just joined this forum and saw that you collect the '89 Fleer Billy Rikpen cards. You mentioned the "sawcut" version of this card earlier. Is this the one with the inch or inch and a half notch cut in the card from the bottom up? This is the fisrt time I have seen these cards mentioned anywhere. I have 2 or 3 with this notch that I pulled from packs back in 1989. How much are these cards worth? What's the story behind them? Why were they cut and put in the packs?
Thanks, James >>



James:

A) You sometimes see them on Ebay, so you can get a proxy of price there.

The story is that Fleer apparently, in order to remove the obscenity, tried to put the sawcut in some of the Bill Ripken cards in order to have the cut go through the barrel of the bat. Evidence seems to suggest that, by and large, they missed on that front.

C) Probably put into packs for the same reason that the Alex Gordon frame got into 2006 Topps packs.

D) The sawcuts can be easily forged. I mean, it's pretty much just taking a cut out of a card. I think the highest 'value' on the sawcuts are those that are showing on top of sealed packs. You see them pop up occassionally on Ebay.

~ms

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Hello and Welcome

Saw Cut-Accordind to Donald Peck ex VP of Fleer in 89." The cut was done do mark the card to be pulled by employees and discarded,and apparently some slipped by". -Not word for word but close-. I have heard this was done with a skil saw by the maintenance man on pallets of uncut sheets as the FF was on the bottom of the sheet. I heard they cut the cards that they recalled as well. When they recalled the product they apparently opened up all the product to remove the FF card as I got in a sealed rack case a card with a wax stain !! The cut was not done to remove the words. The cut is found with different cut placement,lenths and apparently widths. I have saw cuts in 5 versions and a 6th a fellow collector has but with little info on it unsure if legit or not.

This card can easily be made so the value is minimal. I have seen sales of the FF saw cut beteween $10-30. With the FF being the most common the other versions in saw cut form can bring more. Usually the longer the cut the more $$ it can bring. The longest cut of the few I have is to the neck.

Some have told me the only cut version was the FF. I argue that with pics/articles from past magazines and my unopened/untampered rack with a cut white scribble.

Hope this helps-Donovan

jfkheat

Thanks for the response. I had never looked for them on Ebay. I'll check it out.
James

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

Theres a seller from Canada on ebay with the FF and scribble saw cut Buy it Now around $25 ea. They have/had a few other oddball miscuts/discards as well.