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Any unopened collectors collect Donruss Canadian?

I've been going through my collection recently and came across a lot of obscure items that I picked up -- stuff that only someone as neurotic as me would be interested in -- and thought I would throw out a thread to see if there are any other people collecting it as well. Specifically, late-80s/early-90s Donruss Canadian.

While Leaf stopped producing Canadian-specific sets after 1988, they continued to package Donruss for the Canadian market through at least 1991. I first learned about Canadian Donruss right here on CU in one of the Aqueous Test threads. Someone had mentioned that the first surfacing of Aqueous Test cards were packaged in Canadian Donruss wrappers. This piqued my interest since I had never heard of them before and I began searching relentlessly for them. I'm a big fan of variations and oddball items so this was right up my alley. Since that time I've been able to find Donruss Canadian boxes and packs from 1989, 1990, and both series in 1991.

Unlike Fleer Canadian, the Donruss cards themselves have no identifiable markings (that I can tell) that would separate them from their American counterpart. But the wrappers, boxes, and cases have slight differences. The most obvious difference is the card count on the pack -- 15 cards for America and 10 cards for Canada, as seen below.

image
image

The 1990 box doesn't appear to have any noticeable difference from the American box but they are smaller and that would be apparent if you had one sitting next to an American box. The 1989 boxes do have different markings on the back panels, as seen below.

American 1989 Donruss box
image

Canadian 1989 Donruss box
image

I've never come across a case for 1989 or 1991 but I was able to pickup the one case of 1990 that I found. There are 12 boxes in it (I've yet to see a 12-box American case) and it appears to have it's own product code.

image

Gauging rarity is difficult. First, it's really only something that can be collected in unopened form. Second, demand is, as you might guess, almost nonexistent. Are they truly rare or do they just never come up for sale because no one cares? In my searches I spoke to a few dozen Canadian dealers and almost all of them had American Donruss wax so it wasn't a case of everyone in Canada getting the Canadian Donruss. This was also the case with a few O-Pee-Chee issues as almost all of them reported having Topps product, which helps explain why issues like 1989 and 1990 O-Pee-Chee are so difficult to find. So it appears that some dealers/retailers got American and some got Canadian.

There's at least one other person as crazy as I out there as the one time I remember an unopened dealer having Donruss Canadian in stock we both hopped on it at the same time. I got most of the 1989 and they got most of the 1991. One interesting tidbit is that when I opened a few boxes of 1989 to try and find any noticeable difference in the cards themselves, I was lucky enough to find a 1989 Donruss Canadian pack with the Ken Griffey Jr. rookie card on back. Which, for someone with my niche interests, was something of a thrill.

Anyway, thanks for letting me ramble and if that one other person out there that's collecting these happens to read this, shoot me a PM and we can compare notes.

Arthur

Comments

  • tsalems1tsalems1 Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭✭
    "Unlike Fleer Canadian, the Donruss cards themselves have no identifiable markings (that I can tell) that would separate them from their American counterpart. But the wrappers, boxes, and cases have slight differences."

    This is true. While you do have differences in the packaging, the cards are all basic Donruss.
    1991 Fleer did the same thing. The 1991 Fleer were packaged 48 packs/box where the US version only has 36 and the cards are all the same.

    opcbaseball.com
  • junkwaxgemsjunkwaxgems Posts: 253 ✭✭✭
    I'm a fan of 1990 donruss and would love a box to open for research purposes. I have somewhere, recorded 1990 Donruss error and variation info from boxes I opened. If these are cheap, I'd be interested.
    fka jacksoncoupage, comc.com: junkwaxgems, ebay: junkwaxgems
  • dytch2220dytch2220 Posts: 1,681 ✭✭✭
    I too am a big fan of 90's era Donruss. That was the brand I collected the most enthusiastically when young. Similarly, would be fun to rip some of these open. If this is gauging interest for some kind of group buy, I'd be in.
    The N8 Collection: PSA Registry Sets & Showcases
  • dytch2220dytch2220 Posts: 1,681 ✭✭✭
    The N8 Collection: PSA Registry Sets & Showcases
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I appreciate the interest but these would be an absolutely horrible rip. You're paying a premium for the packaging and then getting regular Donruss cards. Much cheaper to just buy American Donruss.

    And is it me, or are cases from Kruk Cards always opened?

    Arthur
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>I'm a fan of 1990 donruss and would love a box to open for research purposes. I have somewhere, recorded 1990 Donruss error and variation info from boxes I opened. If these are cheap, I'd be interested. >>



    They've been cheap when I found them. But I've only found them twice in about 3 years.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭
    Great read Arthur. Similar to you, but only with the 1980's I like to collect cards in packaging that were not as readily available such as the 1983 Donruss rack packs with the cards showing as opposed to the much more common wax pack racks. Half the fun is the hunt for this stuff and the excitement when it actually shows up someplace.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • tsalems1tsalems1 Posts: 3,442 ✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Great read Arthur. Similar to you, but only with the 1980's I like to collect cards in packaging that were not as readily available such as the 1983 Donruss rack packs with the cards showing as opposed to the much more common wax pack racks. Half the fun is the hunt for this stuff and the excitement when it actually shows up someplace. >>



    1983 Donruss racks with cards showing - These don't come up very often like the racks with the sealed packs like you said.

    I was lucky enough to pick up 60 racks a couple weeks ago

    image
    opcbaseball.com
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have to say, it wasn't my intention, but if this thread turned into an oddball 1980s unopened thread I'd be pretty happy.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭
    That is a nice hoard Tom. I think I have around 30 or so that I've collected over the years and pick them up when I see them. And like what Arthur collects, they won't break the bank, but I enjoy the rarity of them.
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • cpamikecpamike Posts: 5,565 ✭✭✭


    << <i>I have to say, it wasn't my intention, but if this thread turned into an oddball 1980s unopened thread I'd be pretty happy. >>



    It is a niche within a niche. image
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep.
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep."

    "Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans."

    Collecting:
    Any unopened Baseball cello and rack packs and boxes from the 1970's and early 1980s.
  • JWBlueJWBlue Posts: 489 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Great read Arthur. Similar to you, but only with the 1980's I like to collect cards in packaging that were not as readily available such as the 1983 Donruss rack packs with the cards showing as opposed to the much more common wax pack racks. Half the fun is the hunt for this stuff and the excitement when it actually shows up someplace. >>



    1983 Donruss racks with cards showing - These don't come up very often like the racks with the sealed packs like you said.

    I was lucky enough to pick up 60 racks a couple weeks ago

    >>



    I am looking for one with a Gwynn showing if anyone has one.
  • yankeeno7yankeeno7 Posts: 9,248 ✭✭✭
    On 1990 Fleer Canadian unopened, the cards say Printed in Canada. Do these Donruss say they are Printed in Canada or Printed in USA?
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Printed in USA. To the best of my knowledge, there's no difference between the Aerican and Canadian cards themselves. It's all packaging.
  • xbaggypantsxbaggypants Posts: 2,185 ✭✭✭
    Wow, I just realized that i have 6 of those 89' boxes
  • dytch2220dytch2220 Posts: 1,681 ✭✭✭


    << <i>Printed in USA. To the best of my knowledge, there's no difference between the Aerican and Canadian cards themselves. It's all packaging. >>



    Interesting that these aren't mentioned in he standard catalog at all. I wonder if it is because there is no difference?
    The N8 Collection: PSA Registry Sets & Showcases
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Printed in USA. To the best of my knowledge, there's no difference between the Aerican and Canadian cards themselves. It's all packaging. >>



    Interesting that these aren't mentioned in he standard catalog at all. I wonder if it is because there is no difference? >>



    I would imagine that's exactly the reason. It's a packaging variant, like Michigan Test wrappers.

    Arthur
  • waxman2745waxman2745 Posts: 760 ✭✭✭
    Is it possibe to pull the errors (All-Star, Ryan, Baines, etc.) from these packs?
    Adam
    buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball
  • esquiresportsesquiresports Posts: 1,360 ✭✭✭
    I went through 100s if not 1000s of cases of baseball cards between 1989 and 1991, and don't recall ever seeing 1990 Canadian Donruss. That is some really cool stuff!
    Always buying 1971 OPC Baseball packs.
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Is it possibe to pull the errors (All-Star, Ryan, Baines, etc.) from these packs? >>



    No idea. I've been able to find 1990 only twice -- once was the sealed case and once was a complete wax box. I think I opened one pack of 1990 to look for differences in the cards but didn't pull anything that would have determined if the errors were in the packs.

    Arthur
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited September 11, 2023 8:00AM

    Thought I would revive this thread and let people know that I finally got the Griffey pack graded and it's up on eBay for anyone that might be interested. After the 8 years since this thread was started, my two Griffeys are still the only two I'm aware of existing. If you have one, please chime in so I know.

    Also some Leaf (Clemens RC, Bonds RC) and O-Pee-Chee (Bonds RC) showing on packs if that tickles your fancy. Lots of 1977 Stars Wars, too, including a super tough Series 1 '77 O-Pee-Chee pack.

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/175894192061

    Thanks for looking and let me know if I can answer any questions.

    Arthur

  • waxman2745waxman2745 Posts: 760 ✭✭✭

    89 pack w/Griffey added to my eBay watch list. My only experience with Donruss Canadian was around 1996 when I opened a 1991 Series 2 wax box. As mentioned above, cards are regular Donruss printed in USA. Still a fun rip and I have 1 unopened pack remaining from that box. Wish I had kept the box unopened, as it seems that these don't come up for sale very often.

    Adam
    buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball
  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭

    It's been my experience that none of the three years are easy to find. I haven't found any more since this thread went up. But the least I've found has been 1991. I found one box of Series 1 and one box of Series 2 and that's it. I suspect with the amount of product produced in 1991 that many Canadian vendors ended up with the American version.

    Arthur

  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cool listing, any chance you will ship to Canada?

  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @80sOPC said:
    Cool listing, any chance you will ship to Canada?

    I should have the listings set up to show that I'll ship worldwide but if they're not showing it, yes, I'll ship to Canada. Thanks for your interest!

    Arthur

  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Ok cool, ty

  • ick.. Canadian cards.. ick.

  • one billion % better than Mexico cards I guess :)

  • 80sOPC80sOPC Posts: 1,370 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Well I won the OPC Bonds. Sent you a request for invoice on eBay.

    @ReggieCleveland said:

    @80sOPC said:
    Cool listing, any chance you will ship to Canada?

    I should have the listings set up to show that I'll ship worldwide but if they're not showing it, yes, I'll ship to Canada. Thanks for your interest!

    Arthur

  • ReggieClevelandReggieCleveland Posts: 3,818 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Someone had contacted me about buying my sealed '90 case back when this thread was bumping and I can't find the PM. If you're reading this, please reach out to me again. Thanks

    Arthur

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