Rare Errors/Variations 1990s and Older
Brian_S
Posts: 10 ✭
Hello everyone! I have recently started hunting for rare errors/variations just for fun. I am trying to get a really nice error/variation collection and have made good progress so far. I am still learning more about this area of the hobby so I have no idea outside a few cards what really rare and valuable variations are out there. I would really appreciate if you all can let me know of any really rare and valuable variations you can think of for me to start hunting down (any sport). I already know about the iconic ones like the 89 Fleer Ripken, 1990 Topps Frank Thomas NNOF/blackless, and the 89 UD Dale Murphy Negative as (hopefully) every hard-core collector does. Thank you all for any help you can provide!
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There's some in 90 donruss . Concerning Ryan and Juan gonzalas.
if you like the really rare stuff, there are some prototypes/promos that would fit the bill. they are not errors, but really rare.
1990 score promos. super rare. 1990 Donruss Aqueous test cards. 1988 topps cloth. 1998 Topps Sportz Cubez. the 1998 pinnacle bankruptsy never released cards. 98 Crusade executive proofs.
those are a few really rare (and often very expensive) promo's and prototype/proofs to get you started.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Nothing particularly rare in 1990 Donruss despite some fun variations.
Rarest base Topps variation from the 80s or 90s has to the
1989 Topps Tony Oliva Blacked Out Copyright. Only know of three copies. Pack issued, rare transitional variation.
Just to name a few
for errors, there is the 1990 fleer Dave Martinez
the 1991 Topps Mark Whiten is also pretty rare.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
wondering, how rare are the 89 sportsflics promos and are they marked promo? I am a clemens collector and am interested possibly in trying to track one down.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
my brain keeps working. there are also variations in 84 topps with players head shots both in the box and out.
also, the 1982 topps blackless
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Many errors are still unknown. I found this Raines in a box of commons.
https://kennerstartinglineup.blogspot.com/
If you find one of these in will eat my hat!
The 1986 Sportflics #178 card included Mark Funderburk, with Canseco, Tartabull, Greenwell, Lombardozzi and Robidoux.
But there was a rare variation, believed to be a proof card not available in packs or factory sets, that included Jim Wilson instead of Funderburk.
It's notated as #178 b in the Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards:
Kiss me twice.....let's party.
I actually was able to find a few 1989 fleer position checklists recently. My eyes about popped out of my head when I saw them haha. I was able to pick up four of them for two bucks. One is #659 with griffey's card number on it, which for some reason apparently drives the value up like crazy. Someone has one graded an 8.5 on ebay for around $2000 with like 15 watchers. I would be (pleasantly) shocked if people are actually willing to pay that much for it.
Thanks so much for all your help so far!!! I'm going to add all these that I don't already have to my to-get list. I have plenty to keep me busy the next few days...
If you all think of any more please keep posting thanks again!!!
Welcome to the boards!
There are a few errors in the 1989 Score baseball. 1988 Fleer Keith Comstock and Jerry Brown errors, 1989 Fleer Treadway bullseye error. 1990 Donruss is full of errors but the Nolan Ryan wrong backs seem to be the most significant.
Anyone have any pics of these error cards?
I have several listed on eBay. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_dkr=1&iconV2Request=true&_blrs=recall_filtering&_ssn=jfkheat&_oac=1&_nkw=error
Thanks!
I can take pics of some rare ones I own once I figure out how to post photos
Ok I think they loaded right. The Todd Benzinger is the red star variation, which is probably the rarest 1990 Donruss error (I may be wrong). The Andy Hawkins Highlights is the extremely rare version with his position listed on the front instead of the "No-Hits White Sox" text. The 1991 Topps Torre is a not as well-known version. Notice on the back picture that it has the 40th logo in the background. The manager cards are supposed to have a different background than the base player cards, but this Torre has the same background as the base players. You can look up a pic of a normal Torre and notice the difference. They call this a "missing stat box" error and they sell for insane prices when they turn up. I saw a Torre sold for $400 last year and a Doug Rader manager card with the same error sold for $750 recently graded PSA 8.
1979 bump willis error card
I never knew about the Benzinger error, thanks for sharing.
A couple more errors not yet mentioned in this thread are the 1988 Topps California Angels team leader card with a red mark on Wally Joyner's sleeve, and the 1990 Upper Deck Mike Witt with a black box on the back covering his stats. I don't have photos of these but they are online.
Go to Trading Card Database, click on a set, and click the Errors/Variations tab. This will help you find some more errors not mentioned above. Good luck in your quest!
buying O-Pee-Chee (OPC) baseball cards
also collecting US & Canadian silver coins
They have black stats and bio on back.
FYI the Mike Witt is no longer that rare of a card. An 800 count box of them was discovered in 2013 or so and they have been made steadily available on ebay since. The Checklist card 800 listing Witt with the black box remains extremely rare.