Hidden Gems of the junk era: the best unknown errors: 12/18 a quick look at a few 1992-94 Topps vari

jacksoncoupage

I've often attempted to post about what unknown errors, variations and other misc cards to look for amongst all those crappy, overproduced sets of the mid-80's and early 90's several times now, but I usually end up canceling the post because I have to leave or some other type of distraction.

Rich's error of the week thread's have been a real inspiration for me so I've created a blog, specifically to cover this type of thing. Each post will be specific to one set that is worth taking a second (or fiftieth) look at, that may be loaded with unlisted variations or just may have a really cool story to tell.

I see a lot of posts on card sites that go:

"Whut is my 1989 Topps set worth"

And the following 5 replies always include the words "Nothing", "kindling" or "Ricky Jordan".

Which is pretty accurate for the most part. But almost all of these sets have error or variation cards in them that are worth looking for before they get dumped off at the goodwill or the children's hospital (great, now this sounds mean and selfish) or set on fire.

With brands like Topps Heritage capitalizing on the enjoyment of collecting variations, and a renewed interested in 'error cards, it would seem that now is the time to discuss the numerous varieties that exist among the sets that everyone and their mothers have (in bulk). There are thousands, not a couple hundred, but thousands of unlisted true error and variation cards among those sets, many of which, top E&V collector's want lists. I'd even argue that some of Topps' rarest error cards in their history can be found among these sets. I personally cannot walk away from a 1991 Topps box knowing what cards could, however unlikely, be within it.

So far, my first two entries have been on 1990 Bowman Baseball, 1991 Topps Baseball (lengthy - for the reader) with Pro Set issues, early Upper Deck, and various Fleer issues likely to be following soon (aka, as time allows). For those interested, you can find it by clicking here. , if this is somehow against the rules, I'll be happy to remove it and you can PM me for the link.

Hopefully I'll be able to regularly post between work and school, I have a ton of information to share.

Thanks for checking this out and enjoy!

milbroco

Hey Great Read! Thanks for sharing. What other sets do you have this type of information for? I would love to know them all. Now I need to go through an awful lot of "commons" to see if there are any variations.
Thanks again!
Bob

gonzer

Agreed, nice article. Thanks for linking it.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>Hey Great Read! Thanks for sharing. What other sets do you have this type of information for? I would love to know them all. Now I need to go through an awful lot of "commons" to see if there are any variations.
Thanks again!
Bob >>



Thanks for the kind words!

I'll be covering sets like:

1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989 Topps Baseball.

1989, 1990, 1991 Upper Deck Baseball.

1989, 1990, 1991 Fleer Baseball.

1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 Pro Set Football.

1990, 1991 Score Football.

1990-91 Pro Set Hockey.

1990-91 NBA Hoops.

Plus, I'll be periodically posting about "rumored" or urban-legend type error, variation and withdrawn type cards (1990 Upper Deck Mike Witt, for example).

Basically anything that was produced during the mass-production years that is worth setting aside, be it for your own collection, market value or just being worthy of note.

metsfan

Good blog. Look forward to reading more in the future. Shows that "junk" wax isn't all junk!

zep33

great read. This is gonna be a fun one to follow

thanks

Comicgeek68

Great read. I really enjoyed it. Good luck busting more junk wax.

Bunker

Well like others here I guess I will have to go through my cards again! Very nicely done, Thank you for posting!

MeteoriteGuy

Nice read. You almost got me to eBay a box of 1991 Topps....but then logic settled. Looking forward to future postings.

CubsFan41

Good read. Look forward to more info.

jacksoncoupage

Thanks for the support!

Hopefully these blogs will help unearth some of this stuff which could lead to establishing a real market value for much of them and maybe even some space in one or two of the annual guides.

And for the Pro Set fans, I just added part 1 of my 1990 Pro Set section.

GeneralJim

Great blog . I`ll be following along for sure , love to find the variations and oddballs . thanks

VintageCardLover

what a fascinating read. I will be keeping an eye on your blog. It's nice when you can actually learn something new about your junk wax

CWUCAT62

Nice Blog. Can't wait to read more.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector

As always from you, Good Stuff.

jacksoncoupage

I'm glad people are checking it out. I know it's a bit wordy, but with errors and variations it usually requires a good deal of explanation.

Tonight:

Confirm or Debunk? 1990-91 Fleer Dan Majerle #150A ERR....does this card actually exist?

milbroco

Again, another great blog. Keep them coming. By the way, I really hate you.........Now I have to go through an awful lot of cards looking for all of these variations! You are going to be keeping me in my card room for quite some time..........Keep them blogs coming! Looking forward to more to read!
Thanks again,
Bob

bigjed

Love the blog. You have me digging through the junk cards.

For Dave Waymer, is this what you are looking for?

jacksoncoupage

The rumored version has the stat headings in black. Rod Woodson and Wes Hopkins also have this variation. I apologize for typing "red", but it's the black "FUM" heading version that I'm looking to confirm its existence.

richtree

I think it is great !!!!!!!!!!

JC,

I missed this post being it was Thanksgiving.

I have been trying to get a error / variation website off the ground, and I have decided to make it my New Year's Resolution.

I would love to have your blog and your insights, so we must get this going.

I will email you this week.

Rich

jacksoncoupage

Finally! A day off! A big sorry to those who've been reading the blog wondering why there haven't been any new posts lately, but this is the first day off since the 1st and the last day off until Christmas eve. Hopefully I'll be able to sneak a half-dozen or so blogs in between now and then. But for now, the exciting world of....

1988 Topps BIG!!

Okay, maybe not exciting, but this one may be of interest to the 1980's player collectors out there. It's one of my all-time favorite sets and full of weird and arguably stupid, variations that only I could care enough about to pour over 3200 count box after 3200 count box in search of the truth! Enjoy!

WinPitcher

Amazing how you find all this stuff.


Thanks for sharing.


Steve

TNP777

hmm, some players in '88 TB have 3 or 4 print letter variations? Time to start hitting up all the vendors on Beckett and Sportlots to check their Butler stacks. I've only got two so far.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>hmm, some players in '88 TB have 3 or 4 print letter variations? Time to start hitting up all the vendors on Beckett and Sportlots to check their Butler stacks. I've only got two so far. >>



Most of the 3-4 sheet code variety guys are in the series 2 set, I believe. Series 2 and 3 are full of weird airbrushing stuff with the sheet codes. Butler was in series one and believe me, I checked for you a year or so ago and I am certain he has just 2 different. I opened so many boxes of that stuff I literally had 3 3200 count boxes in a basement to pour over. Fun stuff.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>hmm, some players in '88 TB have 3 or 4 print letter variations? Time to start hitting up all the vendors on Beckett and Sportlots to check their Butler stacks. I've only got two so far. >>



Most of the 3-4 sheet code variety guys are in the series 2 set, I believe. Series 2 and 3 are full of weird airbrushing stuff with the sheet codes. Butler was in series one and believe me, I checked for you a year or so ago and I am certain he has just 2 different. I opened so many boxes of that stuff I literally had 3 3200 count boxes in a basement to pour over. Fun stuff.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>hmm, some players in '88 TB have 3 or 4 print letter variations? Time to start hitting up all the vendors on Beckett and Sportlots to check their Butler stacks. I've only got two so far. >>



Most of the 3-4 sheet code variety guys are in the series 2 set, I believe. Series 2 and 3 are full of weird airbrushing stuff with the sheet codes. Butler was in series one and believe me, I checked for you a year or so ago and I am certain he has just 2 different. I opened so many boxes of that stuff I literally had 3 3200 count boxes in a basement to pour over. Fun stuff.

GDM67

Since these and the '89 set were both designed to be reminiscent of the '55 and '56 era Topps cards, I've always been surprised they aren't more popular. Everything I've read about them suggests that the tight cello wrappers were rough on corners, at least if you're trying to get a PSA 10.

leathtech

Good stuff! Almost makes me want to dig through my commons... are these error cards worth anything (I need some financial motivation to undertake the task of looking at junk wax commons!).

richtree

Just got some topps BIG and ready to ripp., lol

Dboneesq

<< <i>Good stuff! Almost makes me want to dig through my commons... are these error cards worth anything (I need some financial motivation to undertake the task of looking at junk wax commons!). >>


Hahahahahaha ... I was wondering the same thing. I still have a case of 1988 Topps Big in my attic!!!!!
Edited to add: And about 5-8 cases of 1988 Fleer and Donruss in the basement! Great choices, no?

baseballfan

very interesting now i have to go back trough all those common boxes i have

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>

<< <i>Good stuff! Almost makes me want to dig through my commons... are these error cards worth anything (I need some financial motivation to undertake the task of looking at junk wax commons!). >>


Hahahahahaha ... I was wondering the same thing. I still have a case of 1988 Topps Big in my attic!!!!!
Edited to add: And about 5-8 cases of 1988 Fleer and Donruss in the basement! Great choices, no? >>



I tried to be note that the 1988 Topps BIG blog was geared more towards the player collector or variation-enthusiast. I known that some variations in the set are tough to pull but since it's not a main Topps issue and since the variations are on the reverse in most cases, they spark little interest from the casual collector. Again, with stuff like this, it just comes down to getting word out there and after enough time, hopefully a market value will present itself.

Basically, if you don't care to own every version of your guy or team's cards, it's probably not worth it to you to dig through them.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>Since these and the '89 set were both designed to be reminiscent of the '55 and '56 era Topps cards, I've always been surprised they aren't more popular. Everything I've read about them suggests that the tight cello wrappers were rough on corners, at least if you're trying to get a PSA 10. >>



Yep.

Also, cello wrapping almost always leaves a hint of blue or red on the corners. Since they were wrapped so tightly, the coloring of the wrappers have bled onto the cards over the last 20 years.

WinPitcher

For those of us with these sets it might be fun to put them into the sets.


Thanks again Jackson for all the info.


Steve

jacksoncoupage

12/11: Another bat handle obscenity? Enjoy!

Past entries:

12/10: 1991 Donruss Andy Hawkins #BC-12

12/10: 1988 Topps BIG

11/28: 1990-91 Fleer Dan Majerle

11/28: 1990 Pro Set Football Part 1.

11/27: 1991 Topps Baseball

11/27: 1990 Bowman Baseball

jacksoncoupage

For those who ask out error master lists, maybe this latest post will help:

12/11: Essential reading for the error & variation collector

metsfan

Interesting about the 1991 Donruss Andy Hawkins. Guess I'll have to dig those out and try to find one! Your also right about 1991 Donruss being ugly cards. As usual, fun read.

Morgoth

I went through one of my 90s star binders I collected as a kid and found that both of my 1990 Donruss Juan Gonzalez RCs are reverse negatives. Not worth much but pretty cool.

HoofHearted

Oh oh. Looks like I've found some more fun-with-cards stuff to do this winter. Thanks for sharing your passion!

meuandthelot

Same here..

Up until now this type of information was put to memory and any written information burned, or sealed in a vault.
But having it common knowledge would seem to help this niche area more than hurt in the long run.

Thank you

PS: I like the intentional blog error right off the bat "Treaures"

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>I went through one of my 90s star binders I collected as a kid and found that both of my 1990 Donruss Juan Gonzalez RCs are reverse negatives. Not worth much but pretty cool.
>>



Congrats! You just helped in the discovery of a new (minor) variation:

Check out the photo cropping on the two Gonzalez cards, especially in the left corner of the photo. One shows more space between his foot and the border than the other. Also, the top of the J in Juan is behind the DONRUSS logo on one type and rightly printed beneath the logo on the other. Pretty cool.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>Same here..

Up until now this type of information was put to memory and any written information burned, or sealed in a vault.
But having it common knowledge would seem to help this niche area more than hurt in the long run.

Thank you

PS: I like the intentional blog error right off the bat "Treaures" >>



Yeaahh, intentional, good eye...

jacksoncoupage

12/12: 1988 Topps Baseball: Some major rarities and more...

Past entries:

12/11: Essential reading for the error and variation collector.

12/11: Another bat handle obscenity? Enjoy!

12/10: 1991 Donruss Andy Hawkins #BC-12

12/10: 1988 Topps BIG

11/28: 1990-91 Fleer Dan Majerle

11/28: 1990 Pro Set Football Part 1.

11/27: 1991 Topps Baseball

11/27: 1990 Bowman Baseball

Morgoth

Hey sharp eyes there! They are definately different. If you look at where the two solid black lines run through the letters in Gonzalez's name, they are clearly differrent. The photo is set higher as well, which you can see from how close it is "Rangers" name above the photo.

It seems like they had some issues with they typeset that was corrected, interesting to see if this variation exists only with the reverse negative issue and if more cards in the set or from this sheet had the same variation.

WinPitcher

Jackson

You should PM AUPT (Bob Lemke) he is the guy who can list some of these in the standard cat. (Can't spell catalogue)



Steve

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>Jackson

You should PM AUPT (Bob Lemke) he is the guy who can list some of these in the standard cat. (Can't spell catalogue)



Steve >>



I've asked before, but he isn't doing any modern stuff at the time. I think 1978 is his cut-off (though I have a ton of info for 1978 Topps).

WinPitcher

Really? That is a shame because these cards should also be included or at least ones that are truly desirable.

1954 Bowman has 45 different variations with many being simply info being changed on the reverse.



Steve

jacksoncoupage

I think that the vintage card collectors have already established a genuine interest in variations, whereas the collectors who got on board in the 80's or 90's such as myself, may have less interest in this information for the cards of "their day" in comparison. This would seemingly make it a priority to get caught up in that vintage area first before venturing into the modern. Just my guess.

I would certainly enjoy the opportunity to shoulder the responsibility one day.

downtown

I bought a case of the 1988 Topps and was the first I believe to have pulled and sold the
3. #778 Keith Comstock with YELLOW NAME.
at a show in Tampa for $20
I remember a woman buying the White letter padres errors - and I showed her my new Yellow Comstock version. She had to have it.
Sorry, did not have a scanner - or computer for that matter then to save an image of card.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>I bought a case of the 1988 Topps and was the first I believe to have pulled and sold the
3. #778 Keith Comstock with YELLOW NAME.
at a show in Tampa for $20
I remember a woman buying the White letter padres errors - and I showed her my new Yellow Comstock version. She had to have it.
Sorry, did not have a scanner - or computer for that matter then to save an image of card. >>



That's a great story! Well, except for the $20 part, it's definitely much rarer than that. What kind of packaging was it in?

I sold the only copy I had ever seen (found it in an ERR/COR pair on ebay a few years ago) as part of a large lot of Topps variations.

WinPitcher

Bob you sold it back in 88?

Then 20.00 is about right.

If you sold it for 20.00 tomorrow then I'd think you sold it too cheap.

Steve