Reminiscing about the 1984 Fleer Update Set

Albertdidit · November 4, 2012 2:30PM

Was thinking how legendary this set once was when it blew up. Yes by 1986 there was the Donruss Canseco, there was the Ripken Traded, the 84 Donruss set but nothing compared to the 84 Fleer Update. It was THE set to have in the 80's

Besides the big 3...who did you think would be another great card to have?

There were alot of players on the rise...Mark Langston, Phil Bradley, Jimmy Key, Alvin Davis, Bret Saberhagen..Mike Young..and some others.

Who was the guy back then that if you had 100 of their cards you would have thought you would have had $$$$$$ for the college fund?

I was a big Alvin Davis fan and tough not to pick him but if i had to pick one I would have thought the Saberhagen would be a real keeper.

jackstraw · November 4, 2012 6:56PM

It was Dwight Gooden all day everyday for me. I am assuming he is one of the big 3
but he was awesome. What could have been.....
Another card from that set that was pretty expensive and I thought had potential was the
Pete Rose in an Expo uniform. I think I paid 20 bucks for that card thinking it was the next T206 Wagner

corncobb · November 4, 2012 8:41PM

Was Gooden in the 84 Fleer Update?

mygotta · November 4, 2012 9:26PM

<< Was Gooden in the 84 Fleer Update? >>

Yup. Clemens, Puckett and Gooden were the top cards. But also Saberhagen which at the time seemed a great card. I was a Mark Langston fan early on, but he seemed to never really rise up. He had potential as a strikeout leader. I remember Alvin Davis had a few good years. Phil Bradley I recall as well as it seemed Seattle had a good rookie crop around that time. In addition was a Ron Darling rookie, John Franco rookie, Jose Rijo rookie, Tom Seaver and Pete Rose traded cards, and a few other almost could of has beens.

I seen this auction up on eBay for a while now and it says its one of 50 copies. Anyone ever know about this?

Limited 84 Fleer Update

AUPT · November 4, 2012 11:21PM

That seal is aftermarket hype; adds zero value to the set.

Yankees001 · November 4, 2012 11:24PM

The best sets of the 1980's are 1988-1989, boxes are starting to become rare.
Dave

gc1213 · November 4, 2012 11:27PM

84 Fleer update was a serious set growing up. I still intend to pick up solid 9's of the Puckett and Gooden. I have an SGC 9 Dwight but need that in a PSA holder. Such an iconic set for so many. The Gooden Traded and Update were my 2 dream cards as a kid in NYC in the 80s. He was a beast.

bishop · November 4, 2012 11:52PM

Bob--is not after market hype worth at least $ 1.49 ?

MattyC · November 5, 2012 12:17AM

I love this set. I remember seeing it in the Becketts at the time and wondering-- where the hell do I get one of these...even just ONE card in it would have been awesome then. It was a chimera to me. The Gooden in PSA 10 was one of the first slabbed cards I purchased. Once owned a nice BGS Clemens but sold it after the whole controversy. The Puckett is still high on my list but I always seem to be the underbidder on that one. I love that simple design. And it seems like the Saberhagen rarely comes up for sale.

A great set to have in a binder and page through every now and then.

Planemonkey · November 5, 2012 12:40AM

The 83 Strawberry was the card long before the 82 Ripken became the one to own.

saucywombat · November 5, 2012 12:44AM

Bought a set raw on Ebay a few years back and the Puckett came back 10 and the Clemens and Gooden 9.

Really was looking for the Gem Mint Puckett, so needless to say I was pleased with my $140 investment.

Saberhagen was a 2 time Cy Young winner and Jose Rijo was a cornerstone of the great Reds team of 1990 or so.

I always thought Tony Phillips was a potential breakout, good player who came on strong late in his career (of wait a minute - hmmmmm, see also Roger Clemens for "late" surges)

Pre-internet 1990 I don't know that you could have even found one of these cards at any of the 5 or so card shops in Charleston. They were just some mythical treasure listed in the Beckett.

MattyC · November 5, 2012 1:04AM

Things I saw in Becketts that seemed like myths:

1. 1984 Fleer Update

2. 1975 Topps Minis (I saw one or two of these growing up; it always said something like "MINIS 2X PRICE" under the set listing. Until I saw one I was like, "What the hell's a mini?"

3. Star Basketball Cards (I remember staring at them in the Becketts, seeing tons of huge prices and up arrows, and never seeing the cards.)

Thankfully the internet age allows us to get our hands on them all now-- but all three are still quite pricey... PSA 10 Updates of Gooden, Clemens, and Puckett run a few hundred. 1975 Topps Minis in high grade will take you broke. And a BGS 9 Jordan #101 or #288 will cost you $7000+.

bishop · November 5, 2012 1:29AM

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 2:20AM

In bayside queens there was a card show every month. A dealer there had cases..yes cases of them. The myth was right there before me. Every month i would go to the show the price would go up and up but it was like $40 then $100 then $150 (trying to remember way back)

I was just a kid so it was out of my reach at that time. It was the talk of the hobby. It just kept jumping up and up.

My friend bought a gooden for $100 - It was like better than a bar of gold to a teenager. It seemed like the best investment on the planet.

I remember the Jose Rijo was getting hot. The Pete Rose was a good card also but since it wasnt a rookie never thought too much of it.

Planemonkey · November 5, 2012 2:46AM

1984 was a pretty good year for little boxed sets when you add USFL football and the first Tiffany Set to the 1984 Fleer Update.
I went to a card show in 1989 armed with $100 of my mom's co-worker's money. My mission was to find him a 1982 and 1983 Topps Traded set for the 80's set run he was working on.
The 83 cost him $80 and the 82 was $20. I remember when those values flip flopped and was like man I wish I had got an 82 for my collection.
Was probably to busy buying Mike Greenwell cards and drooling over that rare 1987 Donruss wax.

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 3:01AM

I bought 5 1985 fleer update sets when they came out. Maybe there were in the $15 range. Boy i was gona show the world!

parkerj · November 5, 2012 3:06AM

These were tough to find. I remember i picked mine up at a local mall show for $24 in spring of 85 or 86 as a high schooler. Only one i ever saw back then.

Planemonkey · November 5, 2012 3:10AM

I only had a lowly John Franco. But I did have some Ralston Purina cards that were rare right.

mygotta · November 5, 2012 3:41AM

I remember them having the mythic quality to them. Rarely did I ever see one. On one occasion, with my brother at a card convention, perhaps in '85 or '86. We saw on one guys table a Roger Clemens from the set. We were not only in awe, but scared to approach it! Never seen one before! I dont remember the asking price. Maybe he wanted $400. It was definitely not something I could afford. It was definitely something to behold. I dont recall any other card capturing my imagination at the time than cards from that set.

I do remember getting a Langston rookie at some point and I was like - OMG! I have a card from the set!!

johnckhall · November 5, 2012 5:39AM

I got into collecting big time around 1989 . . . along with half the country. I just remember seeing that set in the Beckett monthly with arrows next to it nearly every month. It was crazy for a while and I too never laid eyes on a full set back then. I guess the hoarders made it rare. When I got back into collecting last year I had to pick up the "big 3" in psa 9.

Piggs · November 5, 2012 5:54AM

They were very difficult to find. I remember finding one guy that had one set left and I got it. Never saw them in stores or anything, but great cards.

jrboles · November 5, 2012 6:24AM

R. J. Reynolds was my first and it was a significant pickup. I got it in '86 at a hotel card show with music piped into the banquet area. Every time I hear the song, "Sweet Freedom" by Michael McDonald I am reminded of this specific card and not the Mike Pagliarulo and Billy Joe Robidezuaeruasdxasetasx rookies I probably picked up as well.

MattyC · November 5, 2012 6:32AM

Billy Jo was a can't-miss prospect! He was the anchor of my 1986 Sportflics Big Six Rookies with Canseco and Greenwell.

That card was going to be my future house downpayment AND a Ferrari.

God, I was as stupid then as I am now.

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 6:48AM

Here are prices from April 1995 Beckett. Set was still going real strong a decade later.

Complete set $700

Puckett $325
Clemens $300
Key $38
Rijo $30
Saberhagen $30
Rose $30
Seaver $20
Langston $18
Gooden $15
Eckersley $15

And one of my favorites in the set....the Alvin Davis...(at least he had some solid seasons) was booking a lowly $1!

Dpeck100 · November 5, 2012 7:39AM

I bought my 1984 Fleer Set in 2001 for $175 and for a number of years had the Puckett and Clemens on display in those thick screw down holders.

When I got back into collecting and changed my focus I got those two graded and the Puckett came back a PSA 10 and the Clemens a PSA 9 and sold them.

This was the set.

After reading the last post with the prices from 1995 I looked for a site that calculates inflation.

Inflation

It is amazing how poorly cards have performed from this era when you see just how expensive they were back then and adjust for inflation. Pretty wild.

ThoseBackPages · November 5, 2012 8:00AM

<< In bayside queens there was a card show every month. A dealer there had cases..yes cases of them. The myth was right there before me. Every month i would go to the show the price would go up and up but it was like $40 then $100 then $150 (trying to remember way back)

I was just a kid so it was out of my reach at that time. It was the talk of the hobby. It just kept jumping up and up.

My friend bought a gooden for $100 - It was like better than a bar of gold to a teenager. It seemed like the best investment on the planet.

I remember the Jose Rijo was getting hot. The Pete Rose was a good card also but since it wasnt a rookie never thought too much of it. >>

The Adriana Show on Northern Blvd? i was there every month! lol

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 8:44AM

Yes..i used to ride my back there with my friend in the 80's. was about a 30min trip each way.

Those were the days of when getting a hold of a few Chuck Finley 87 Fleer rookies was a big deal

ThoseBackPages · November 5, 2012 8:51AM

<< Yes..i used to ride my back there with my friend in the 80's. was about a 30min trip each way.

Those were the days of when getting a hold of a few Chuck Finley 87 Fleer rookies was a big deal >>

i would usually get a ride or take the bus. i was there monthly from 1983 through the 80s

i think the seller that had the 84FU Stack was LJ Sands

mygotta · November 5, 2012 8:55AM

<< Here are prices from April 1995 Beckett. Set was still going real strong a decade later.

Complete set $700

Puckett $325
Clemens $300
Key $38
Rijo $30
Saberhagen $30
Rose $30
Seaver $20
Langston $18
Gooden $15
Eckersley $15

And one of my favorites in the set....the Alvin Davis...(at least he had some solid seasons) was booking a lowly $1! >>

I think Rose is the most expensive card in the 84 Topps Traded now.

I remember getting a Dion James rookie from the set as well. I had stumbled across it recently and still find a mystique of coolness from it, even if its work less than the cardboard its printed on.

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 9:18AM

<< 

<< Yes..i used to ride my back there with my friend in the 80's. was about a 30min trip each way.

Those were the days of when getting a hold of a few Chuck Finley 87 Fleer rookies was a big deal >>

i would usually get a ride or take the bus. i was there monthly from 1983 through the 80s

i think the seller that had the 84FU Stack was LJ Sands >>

Oh so you remember the cases of the 84FU also?

Good call with LJ Sands. Very possible thats who it was.

Tomi · November 5, 2012 9:50AM

Too bad Mattingly wasn't in that set.

ThoseBackPages · November 5, 2012 10:15AM

<< 

<< 

<< Yes..i used to ride my back there with my friend in the 80's. was about a 30min trip each way.

Those were the days of when getting a hold of a few Chuck Finley 87 Fleer rookies was a big deal >>

i would usually get a ride or take the bus. i was there monthly from 1983 through the 80s

i think the seller that had the 84FU Stack was LJ Sands >>

Oh so you remember the cases of the 84FU also?

Good call with LJ Sands. Very possible thats who it was. >>

Yes, i remember as well. i could never bring myself to lay down the money for the set. my card budget was always split between singles and i HAD to bring home wax! LOL

saucywombat · November 5, 2012 10:24AM

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 10:33AM

<< Too bad Mattingly wasn't in that set. >>

Agreed! i think it would have easily been a $500 card in its prime.

Planemonkey · November 5, 2012 11:06AM

A Joe Carter would have been cool.

Albertdidit · November 5, 2012 12:10PM

Yes...and Eric Davis that would have been a great card as well

MattyC · November 5, 2012 12:28PM

The hypothetical Mattingly would probably be $500 today in PSA 10. The Donruss sells for around $400 still. Even his easily obtainable 86 Tppps fetches a few bucks, like $40 or so I think.

If he had an 83 Traded with Darryl man that would be an awesome card.

mygotta · November 5, 2012 2:18PM

Mattingly would more likely been in the 83 traded, which might be like the Ripken traded today. Barry Larkin and Will Clark were both part of the same USA team that McGwire was part of, but was unable to sign contracts due to age, I think. That certainly would have amped up the 85 set even more.

Reminiscing about the 1984 Fleer Update Set

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