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Question About Late 80's Tea Discs

Does anyone know much about the 1988 and 1989 Tea discs? Beckett.com's checklist lists the following Will Clark discs:

1988 MSA Iced Tea Discs Will Clark #10
1988 Tetley Tea Discs Will Clark #10
1988 Our Own Tea Discs Will Clark #10

1989 MSA Iced Tea Discs Will Clark #4
1989 Our Own Tea Discs Will Clark #4
1989 Tetley Tea Discs Will Clark #4

I'm trying to determine if these are truly different discs, or if Beckett just listed the same disc three times for each year. I know the disc sets from the 1970s had many versions, so it is possible these are all different cards. Does anyone know?

To add to the confusion, Beckett lists only this disc for 1990:
1990 MSA Iced Tea Discs Will Clark #1

So, it seems that either two brands stopped issuing cards or that Beckett.com lists the single disc a single time.

I've run many searches on eBay trying to find different versions of the 1988 and 1989 discs, but have had no luck. (I tried with many players, not just Will Clark).

Any information about these oddball issues would be greatly appreciated.

AJW.




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Comments

  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    AJW:

    I can only speak for Mike Schmidt, since he is my object of collecting expertise.

    In terms of 1988 Tea Discs, the following were available for Mike Schmidt:

    1988 Super Stars Disc
    1988 Tetley Disc
    1988 Our Own Tea Disc

    I think the Fantastic's Sam and King's-B were both something different than tea discs, but they are Schmidt's "other" 1988 disc cards.

    If I had to guess, I would tend to say that the MSA Iced Tea disc might be the same as the "Super Stars" disc - but that is just a guess on my part.

    And, oh year, Good Luck trying to find a 1988 Tetley Tea Disc. I have seen exactly two copies of the Mike Schmidt Tetley disc in over seven years of looking. All of the Tetley issues are rare and hard to find, but the 1988 Tetley issue is extra ordinarily difficult to track down.
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Thanks a bunch for the info. It's good to know (well, kinda know) what I'm up against. I'll set an eBay search for the Tetley and see what happens. Those are probably the kind of items that can sell for $1 or $100, depending on who knows it's out there.

    Do you know anything about the Tetley Tea discs and why they're so rare? Were they a test issue?

    Also, can you share scans of your Mike Schmidt scans for a reference point?

    Thanks again,

    Drew
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    image
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Do you know anything about the Tetley Tea discs and why they're so rare? Were they a test issue?
    >>



    Not a test issue - but MSA was making these for a bunch of people - and I think that Tetley was just one of the smaller, more regionally-based outfits. That said, I've seen less than a half dozen of the Super Stars Schmidt discs in the same time period. I've seen a few more of the Our Own Tea discs - but I stopped looking for [more] of those after I got my PSA 10-
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    This is a great help. Thanks. Just so I understand, it sounds like you'd rank them like this (in order of difficulty, with the most difficult at the top)

    Tetley
    Super Stars
    Our Own

    Is that right?

    I just picked up a 1988 Our Own disc in fairly rough shape...but I only paid a quarter. The same dealer had a 1989 Super Stars disc for $4. Both Will Clarks, of course. I think I've found my latest mission...thanks a bunch for the info. I'll post scans once I get around to it. (I got over 100 Will Clarks in the mail yesterday, so I've got some work to do with them...but it's good work!)
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    One more question...do you know anything about the Key Food discs? There are Will Clarks in the 1988 and 1989 sets, but I can't find much info.
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>This is a great help. Thanks. Just so I understand, it sounds like you'd rank them like this (in order of difficulty, with the most difficult at the top)

    Tetley
    Super Stars
    Our Own

    Is that right? >>



    Right.

    p.s. The Tetley discs are so rare [in my opinion], but no one really knows about them - so the Schmidt I found and posted here [which was subsequently graded 9 MINT], was actually in a "Schmidt oddball" lot. When you run upon one, do not expect the seller to realize the rarity of the disc.

    ~ms
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>One more question...do you know anything about the Key Food discs? There are Will Clarks in the 1988 and 1989 sets, but I can't find much info. >>



    Sorry - my Key Food Disc knowledge is limited to 1987
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • BoopottsBoopotts Posts: 6,784 ✭✭


    << <i>AJW:

    I can only speak for Mike Schmidt, since he is my object of collecting expertise.

    In terms of 1988 Tea Discs, the following were available for Mike Schmidt:

    1988 Super Stars Disc
    1988 Tetley Disc
    1988 Our Own Tea Disc

    I think the Fantastic's Sam and King's-B were both something different than tea discs, but they are Schmidt's "other" 1988 disc cards.

    If I had to guess, I would tend to say that the MSA Iced Tea disc might be the same as the "Super Stars" disc - but that is just a guess on my part.

    And, oh year, Good Luck trying to find a 1988 Tetley Tea Disc. I have seen exactly two copies of the Mike Schmidt Tetley disc in over seven years of looking. All of the Tetley issues are rare and hard to find, but the 1988 Tetley issue is extra ordinarily difficult to track down. >>





    There are also the Weis Winner's discs, which I believe spring from the same family.
  • Were the Tetleys in the powdered drink mix, or were they included with tea bags? I have a bunch of stuff I havent looked at since the early 90s (Purinas, Quaker Oats, Jiffy Pop, all discs and food product cards) and was curious if I would have any mixed in with them...
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Were the Tetleys in the powdered drink mix, or were they included with tea bags? I have a bunch of stuff I havent looked at since the early 90s (Purinas, Quaker Oats, Jiffy Pop, all discs and food product cards) and was curious if I would have any mixed in with them... >>



    I think it was with the powdered drink mix
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Well, I just bought a few Tetley Tea Squares on eBay. They're not the discs, and I'm guessing they were cut from some uncut sheets, but I thought I'd grab them while I continue looking for the actual discs.

    The first is 1989 and the second is 1990. Interestingly, Beckett doesn't list Will Clark as being in the 1990 Tetley Tea set. Does anyone know if the set was issued or who's on the checklist?

    image

    image

    The more I learn about these discs, the more interesting they become. The Weis Market and Key Food discs only add to the confusion. I've found examples of both from 1987, but not 1988. I'm sure there are some collectors out there that really understand these issues and their history. I'd love one of them to write an article filling the rest of us in...

    Drew


  • << <i>

    << <i>Were the Tetleys in the powdered drink mix, or were they included with tea bags? I have a bunch of stuff I havent looked at since the early 90s (Purinas, Quaker Oats, Jiffy Pop, all discs and food product cards) and was curious if I would have any mixed in with them... >>



    I think it was with the powdered drink mix >>




    I'll have to check the WAY back of the closet in all those "junk" monster boxes. During that time frame, I was force feeding my kids Cookie Crisp cereal, Kraft macaroni and cheese, Quaker chewy granola bars, Jiffy pop popcorn, Lipton instant ice tea, Tetley instant ice tea and anything that had a card inside or a mail in offer for a set. My kids are just glad they werent born in the 50's or I would have made them eat Red Heart dog food...
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>The more I learn about these discs, the more interesting they become. The Weis Market and Key Food discs only add to the confusion. I've found examples of both from 1987, but not 1988. I'm sure there are some collectors out there that really understand these issues and their history. I'd love one of them to write an article filling the rest of us in...

    Drew >>



    Drew:

    The squares are likely cut from a sheet or something of the sort. Nonetheless, they are neat. Whether or not they are legitimate proofs is a different issue.

    Weis Market and Key Food I believe were only available in 1987. I have never heard/seen any 1988 versions of such.

    The resident experts on rare/oddball/esoteric issues are Bobbscards and Bishop - but I'm not clear if either of them has ventured too hard/far into the tea disc sets [especially since none of them are listed as being particularly rarer]. Bob is spending his time looking for Dice Game cards and Bishop is looking for the 1991 Topps contest inserts - but I would love to know if either of them knew anything about these issues.

    You might consider checking the Beckett marketplace. Sometimes this weird stuff shows up there
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Here are scans of the discs I picked up from a Beckett marketplace dealer.

    1988 Our Own Tea
    image
    image

    1989 Super Stars
    image
    image

    I'm guessing that the 1988 was issued in a panel of two cards, probably glued or otherwise adhered on the right side of the Will Clark panel. This must be a *very* difficult disc to find in high grade.

  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm guessing that the 1988 was issued in a panel of two cards, probably glued or otherwise adhered on the right side of the Will Clark panel. This must be a *very* difficult disc to find in high grade. >>



    I think it is actually panels of three. Two cards, with an advertising panel in the middle. If Clark is the middle card [e.g. inside, not visible from the panel form], you are kind of screwed in the grading. You might be able to separate with less damage by soaking or steaming if you find a whole panel that has not been separated.

    For reference, here are some of my 1988 Discs:

    image
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    The resident experts on rare/oddball/esoteric issues are Bobbscards and Bishop - but I'm not clear if either of them has ventured too hard/far into the tea disc sets [especially since none of them are listed as being particularly rarer]. Bob is spending his time looking for Dice Game cards and Bishop is looking for the 1991 Topps contest inserts - but I would love to know if either of them knew anything about these issues.

    >>



    Mike, I've been meaning to ask you about this post. What exactly area "1991 Topps contest inserts"? I've never heard of them. I'd love to hear more, especially if you have a scan, link or checklist.
  • NickMNickM Posts: 4,896 ✭✭✭
    Fantastic Sam's was not tea. They're a discount hair salon chain. They had a bad enough reputation that as a teenager who collected everything, I was still not about to go there for the haircut and free card.

    Wasn't King-B dog food?

    Nick
    image
    Reap the whirlwind.

    Need to buy something for the wife or girlfriend? Check out Vintage Designer Clothing.
  • HoofHeartedHoofHearted Posts: 2,537 ✭✭
    Here is an example of the Tetley 3-disk layout:

    image

    I bought the above and the square-cut Kirby below within the past year:

    image

    <edited to re-create images due to them being moved to another folder in PhotoBucket>
  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭
    I have the 90 Tetley Tea Disc if you need that one? I would send it along just because I think your as insane with Clark as I am with Griffey?

    John
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • HoofHeartedHoofHearted Posts: 2,537 ✭✭


    << <i>Wasn't King-B dog food?

    Nick >>



    King-B was a beef-jerky product that tasted like, well, okay, dog food...
  • HoofHeartedHoofHearted Posts: 2,537 ✭✭
    Here are some examples of 1989 King-B discs from...

    ...baseball...

    imageimage

    ...and football:

    imageimage
  • HoofHeartedHoofHearted Posts: 2,537 ✭✭
    And since jack-"griffey-crazy"-straw may be reading this thread again, here is a 1990 King-B example:

    imageimage
  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭
    I love the disc's , just wish PSA would come up with some sort of insert to make them look nicer in the holders.
    Hoof that is one of my favorite Griffey King Bee's but for some reason the 91 has been tough on me?
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Mike, I've been meaning to ask you about this post. What exactly area "1991 Topps contest inserts"? I've never heard of them. I'd love to hear more, especially if you have a scan, link or checklist. >>



    I think there is someone on these boards [Bishop] who is collecting the different variations of the contest insert that was included in every pack of 1991 Topps. There were something like 264 different contest cards, differentiated solely by the number on the card.

    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I think there is someone on these boards [Bishop] who is collecting the different variations of the contest insert that was included in every pack of 1991 Topps. There were something like 264 different contest cards, differentiated solely by the number on the card. >>



    Seriously? So he's buying cases of 1991 Topps cards for the *inserts*? That's either the most brilliant or most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Either way, I'd love to hear more.

    Bishop?

    Drew
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>I think there is someone on these boards [Bishop] who is collecting the different variations of the contest insert that was included in every pack of 1991 Topps. There were something like 264 different contest cards, differentiated solely by the number on the card. >>



    Seriously? So he's buying cases of 1991 Topps cards for the *inserts*? That's either the most brilliant or most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. Either way, I'd love to hear more.

    Bishop?

    Drew >>



    Drew: I don't think Al [Bishop] is necessarily reading this thread - you can try PM'ing him, though. But I don't think he is buying cases of 1991 Topps product. He's simply putting together a set of cards [like anyone else], and has a handful still on his wantlist of the 264 or so of the 1991 Topps Contest cards that were produced.

    Bishop has a very advanced collection of some of the rare and esoteric issues put forth by Topps over the years.
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • bishopbishop Posts: 2,917 ✭✭✭
    Drew....pm sent
    Topps Baseball-1948, 1951 to 2017
    Bowman Baseball -1948-1955
    Fleer Baseball-1923, 1959-2007

    Al
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Here's a disc I just got from board member jackstraw.

    image

    After receiving it, I noticed that my Super Stars disc from the same year is clearly hand cut. I'm guessing it's from an uncut square, similar to the examples above. I have no idea where or when I picked that one up, but I'm not real happy with the discovery.image Well, maybe it was trimmed from a disc to clean up the common edge problems. Either way, it sucks. Here's that one, as well:

    image
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    image

    Just pulled up this old thread and got a kick out of it. I love the resources and shared information on this board.

    Additionally, I'm hoping to have another scan to add to the thread soon...
  • Glad to see this thread! I will be able to offer a bunch of info on these, as well as scans tomorrow when I am back at my house. I snuck up from watching 'True Hollywood Stories:Mean Girls' with my girlfriend at her house just to check the boards image
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    image

    So close, and yet so far. These 1987 Key Food discs, but Will Clark was only in the 1988 and 1989 sets.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Jay (TheMcGwireMuseum) sent me a Will Clark Weis Winners disc recently, so I thought I'd pull up this old thread.

    Here are some examples of the 1989 Will Clark discs:
    image
    imageimage
    imageimage
    image
    image

    And some from 1990. (The SuperStars disc is clearly hand cut.)
    imageimageimageimage
    And finally, my lone disc from 1988.
    image

    I'm very interested in picking up the other Will Clark variations. Let me know if you have some. I'm also interested in the discs generally, including distribution, perceived rarity and anything else you might now.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    I'm the only one keeping this thread alive, but I thought I'd share my recent acquisitions. Another Will Clark collector emailed me, asking if I needed anything from his list. Shockingly, he had 1988 Tetley and Weis Market discs. Slowly...very slowly...I'm checking these tough discs off my list.

    Here are my 1988s.

    imageimageimageimage
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    I just picked up another 1988 disc, the MSA Super Stars. I added it to the post above, just in case anyone ever digs up this old thread.
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Almost exactly a year later, I knock another of these tough discs off of my wantlist. I picked up the 1989 Key Foods Disc. I'm gonna add it to the post above.

    Tough little bugger, this one...
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    I just added another disc, this one in the unpunched full panel.

    image

    For whatever reason, my girlfriend was drawn to this card, and she clearly wants to "pooferate" it, as she says.

    I've also updated a few of the posts above to show my full collection of discs, panels and squares. I'm still missing a few, but I'm getting close!
  • mcadamsmcadams Posts: 2,611 ✭✭✭
    I just wanted to respond to you since you've posted 6 times in a row and no one has responded to this thread other than you since March 2007......Thats some topic dedication. I just read the entire thread since its inception and I think its great. You're right, some of those discs are tough to come by and many people don't buy all the brand variations because they don't realize that the picture is the same on all the tea discs. Thus, they see 1 and think they already have it. The earlier pictures on the thread that basically have the same design but aren't really on a disc, they are just pieces of paper, I really don't know what these are. I see them advertised on Ebay frequently as "proofs", but there is no real way to tell if they are legit or not because of the non-descript paper stock. PSA, however, does grade the so called "proofs" , at least the King B proofs are recognized.

    -Michael

    Successful transactions with: thedutymon, tsalems1, davidpuddy, probstein123, lodibrewfan, gododgersfan, dialj, jwgators, copperjj, larryp, hookem, boopotts, crimsontider, rogermnj, swartz1, Counselor

    Always buying Bobby Cox inserts. PM me.
  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭
    I would kill for a 90 Superstars disc or square!!! Tough is an understatement.................
    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • Kid4hof03Kid4hof03 Posts: 1,820 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I love this stuff, thanks for keeping the updates coming Drew!
    Collecting anything and everything relating to Roger Staubach
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    I'm glad you guys are enjoying my little tea disc thread. Everyone's got their own thing, right? These forums are a tremendous resource for other collectors, and one reason I keep updating this is because I hope it can help another collector somewhere down the road.
  • Great thread! I emailed you about these a few years ago. Great job tracking down all those Clark's. Some of these are very hard to find. I am a Dale Murphy collector so my knowledge is just 1987-88-89, but here is what I have been told through my search.

    The 1987 issue was widespread including offers for complete sets and uncut sheets
    Including
    Baseball Superstars
    Weis Winners
    Key Food
    Our Own Tea
    also all in uncut square form

    1988 issue Our Own Tea/Baseball Superstars were the major issues
    Other stores in Midwest? did a small run (Weis Market- Winners/Key Food)
    And Tetley Tea did a small run.
    Some can be found in square Our Own Tea/ baseball superstar for sure

    1989 issue Baseball Superstars was the main grocery issue
    Tetley was a pretty heavy run as well
    Our Own Tea/ Key Food / Weis Winners all very limited issues
    Baseball Superstar and Tetley in square run for sure

    I am still looking for the
    1988 Key Food
    1989 Our Own Tea
    1989 Weis Winners
    Dale Murphy's if anyone has one it would make my year.
    I have some extras if anyone is looking for a specific disc
    Hope This Helps, Michael

  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    What? Someone else is posting to my thread?

    image

    I actually have another panel incoming, so I'll be updating my scans in a week or two. I still find these discs to be some of the most challenging cards to track down, and I get really excited when I even see one I don't have. Interestingly, I've alerted other player collectors when I see their discs, and they sometimes say "yeah, but they only book for $.50, and I don't want to pay $3 shipping." For stuff like this, you can throw the book out the window if you have a couple of people that know how tough they are...
  • CrimsonTiderCrimsonTider Posts: 1,381 ✭✭✭
    I give this thread two thumbs up, which is good. I added the last part just in case someone was not aware that thumbs up is a positive affirmation.
    collecting Dale Murphy and OPC
  • jackstrawjackstraw Posts: 3,748 ✭✭✭
    I am still willing to kill for a 90 Super Stars disc,square,panel or offer disc. I also collect the Cadaco discs and square.

    Collector Focus

    ON ITS WAY TO NEWPORT BEACH, CA 92658
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭
    Here's another addition to my collection. I already had this one as a single, but I like adding the full panels, as well.

    image
  • mikeschmidtmikeschmidt Posts: 5,756 ✭✭✭
    I wonder if there are unfolded examples out there w/o the glue stains. Nice pickup
    I am actively buying MIKE SCHMIDT gem mint baseball cards. Also looking for any 19th century cabinets of Philadephia Nationals. Please PM with additional details.
  • WinPitcherWinPitcher Posts: 27,726 ✭✭✭
    Outstanding thread.


    Steve
    Good for you.
  • tunahead08tunahead08 Posts: 1,056 ✭✭✭
    Don't think I ever added one of mine to this thread:

    image
  • ajwajw Posts: 2,279 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Don't think I ever added one of mine to this thread:

    image >>



    Tunahead, how did you manage to get that without any paper loss on the Ripken disc? It's in fantastic shape for the issue...
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