20 years ago these were considered the best sports card investments.-- Hockey and complete sets adde

RedHeart54 · July 22, 2010 7:40AM

For your reading pleasure. Baseball is 1-30. Basketball, football and hockey comprise the rest which I will post later.

You can't really say they were WRONG about many of these picks--this was 1990 after all. It's just that so many never held their values.

VitoCo1972 · July 22, 2010 7:51AM

I think the most expensive card in PSA 8 on that list is the Carew rookie at #28. Actually for the time, it's not an awful list. Blyleven at #4 is shocking, but the only way out of whack one is the Vince Coleman RC.

WinPitcher · July 22, 2010 8:04AM

In PSA 10 many probably are. For those years anyway.

Steve

itzagoner · July 22, 2010 8:07AM

yeah i agree with the great call on the Blyleven, what a visionary.

counter-balanced by #'s 7, 13, 18, 20, 21, 22, 24, 27 for most intents & purposes, and......gulp. 30. poor Gracie.

PSASAP · July 22, 2010 8:11AM

In 1990, Jose Canseco had to be a better pick than at least four cards on that list, including McGwire's rookie. Did they hate him back then, too?

digicat · July 22, 2010 8:14AM

<< In 1990, Jose Canseco had to be a better pick than at least four cards on that list, including McGwire's rookie. Did they hate him back then, too? >>

By 1990, hadn't the Jose Canseco RC already hit $100? Maybe they figured it had topped out and wasn't really an investment anymore.

Heh, #20 (McGwire) and #27 (Bonds) would have been awesome investments in 1990 since they hit monster peaks later.

lsutigers1973 · July 22, 2010 8:22AM

9 cards in the top 30 that can be bought for a buck or less at any card show.

TheCARDKid · July 22, 2010 10:23AM

Will Clark sure brings back memories. I remember a friend of mine, when I was 12 or 13, was huge into Clark, collecting all of his cards. His 87 fleer rookie was, $35 at the time?

The 82 ripken never got very high (regular version). Compared to like the 80 henderson. Production numbers trumped any sort of onfield accomplishments by him.

larryallen73 · July 22, 2010 10:31AM

I remember seeing that, or a similar article, about that time and hoaring Bert Blyleven rookies. I have about 20 now but they are in the PSA 5-7 category so didn't work out so good as an investment when I submitted a few of them to PSA in recent years. I think maybe I got one graded it came back an 8. Actually 3 or 4 of them came back "coloring" and/or "altered."

digicat · July 22, 2010 10:34AM

<< Will Clark sure brings back memories. I remember a friend of mine, when I was 12 or 13, was huge into Clark, collecting all of his cards. His 87 fleer rookie was, $35 at the time? >>

$35 sounds about right. He and Bo Jackson helped draw attention to, and pump up the prices for 1987 Fleer cards.

<< think maybe I got one graded it came back an 8. >>

A PSA 8 Blyleven RC sells for some nice money on Ebay.

mcadams · July 22, 2010 10:39AM

The 84 Donruss Strawberry was the card that got me into the hobby. Still have it and the pack that I opened it from. My grandmother had a small grocery store, didn't sell all of the wax from her 2 boxes she had that year, so she gave me the rest of them. It didn't really become "special" until the first time I read a Beckett a few years later and saw that the Strawberry was 1 of 2 really hot cards from that set. I was hooked. Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either.

Smuggo · July 22, 2010 10:47AM

The dreams today's dollar boxes are made of, some of them that is.

Stone193 · July 22, 2010 10:58AM

Back in 1990 I was thinking of opening a card shop when I retired from the Army - what was I thinking!

lsutigers1973 · July 22, 2010 11:01AM

<< Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either. >>

Sierra was a 5-tool player that was perceived to be a future regular 30/30 guy. 1989 was his career year, finished 2nd in MVP voting and he was only 24.

zep33 · July 22, 2010 11:10AM

<< I remember seeing that, or a similar article, about that time and hoaring Bert Blyleven rookies. I have about 20 now but they are in the PSA 5-7 category so didn't work out so good as an investment when I submitted a few of them to PSA in recent years. I think maybe I got one graded it came back an 8. Actually 3 or 4 of them came back "coloring" and/or "altered."

>>

Got a semi decent one still around you want to get rid of somewhat cheaply? Still need one for my 71 raw set

otwcards · July 22, 2010 11:11AM

<< I remember seeing that, or a similar article, about that time and hoaring Bert Blyleven rookies. >>

Hmmmm, I realize Bert is Dutch and they're rather liberal about such things, but I think he would be concerned that your were turning him out... Gives a new meaning to card tricks, I would think.

Beck6 · July 22, 2010 11:27AM

Intersting it is all baseball, when 1986-87 basketball should dominate that list.

mcadams · July 22, 2010 11:58AM

<< Intersting it is all baseball, when 1986-87 basketball should dominate that list. >>

basketball was a separate section

jradke4 · July 22, 2010 12:48PM

well the first 15 werent too bad picks for the most part. i am sure better % then if you looked at stock picks back then. i am sure google, intel, microsoft werent on most peoples lists in 1990.

Dboneesq · July 22, 2010 1:00PM

<< 

<< I remember seeing that, or a similar article, about that time and hoaring Bert Blyleven rookies. >>

Hmmmm, I realize Bert is Dutch and they're rather liberal about such things, but I think he would be concerned that your were turning him out... Gives a new meaning to card tricks, I would think. >>

HAHAHAHAHA good eyes Scott!

digicat · July 22, 2010 1:07PM

<< Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either. >>

I remember that card being considered a great pull for 1987 Fleer packs in the early 90s.

I've got a 1993 Beckett that has his 1987 Fleer card at $13 with down arrows. I don't know what his card peaked at though.

TheCARDKid · July 22, 2010 1:41PM

<< 

$35 sounds about right. He and Bo Jackson helped draw attention to, and pump up the prices for 1987 Fleer cards.

>>

I think Clark epitomized 80's, early 90's collecting. I wasn't a huge fan, but he was all american, was a good role model, the giants at the time were red hot with Kevin Mitchell. Clark was like Donnie baseball in the national league.

Bo jackson was ridiculously huge. Remember his 1990 score black and white card? Peaked at $12 or something?

My friend had a binder full of clarks.

PSASAP · July 22, 2010 1:49PM

Greg Jeffries called. He's pissed that he wasn't on the list.

elsnorto · July 22, 2010 1:53PM

Very cool... can't wait to see the football list. Bring it on!

Snorto~

Albertdidit · July 22, 2010 1:53PM

<< 

<< Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either. >>

I remember that card being considered a great pull for 1987 Fleer packs in the early 90s.

I've got a 1993 Beckett that has his 1987 Fleer card at $13 with down arrows. I don't know what his card peaked at though.

>>

I have a July 1991 Beckett it was at $12 with an up arrow

Albertdidit · July 22, 2010 1:56PM

<< Back in 1990 I was thinking of opening a card shop when I retired from the Army - what was I thinking! >>

That was the best time in the world to open a card shop! Between baseball cards the soon to come basketball boom (via Shaq) and comics it was hard NOT to make money.

digicat · July 22, 2010 2:09PM

<< I have a July 1991 Beckett it was at $12 with an up arrow >>

Heh. From the back of his baseball cards, he weighed 175 in 1991 and 200 in 1992. Hmm. I remember when he got traded to the A's for Jose Canseco in 1993, the paper noted that Sierra's "intense body building" had messed up his mechanics, thus lowering his average and his HR totals. Oops! He never really got them back either.

kingraider75 · July 22, 2010 2:16PM

You still have a 1993 Beckett readily available, wow, not that is some record keeping. All of those cards were worth some $ in the early 90's. Funny how things change over the years. Football has gone south also, so probably the same thing. All the 80's Topps NFL stars can be had for little dinero these days.

Albertdidit · July 22, 2010 2:41PM

Gone south forever - never to return

RedHeart54 · July 22, 2010 3:14PM

Ok, here's football. Again, they weren't wrong on many of these. Payton, Montana, Rice and Brown are still very much in demand today. A few were just products of the time-- Neil Anderson, Bo, Andre Rison, Thurman Thomas, etc. At least this list didn't come out in 1991-- Dan McGwire would have been on the list!

This reminded me about the funny history of the 1984 USFL set. Remember how Jim Kelly, Reggie White and Herschel Walker were always the big draws in this set? Steve Young ended up as the card to have.

digicat · July 22, 2010 3:24PM

<< You still have a 1993 Beckett readily available, wow, not that is some record keeping. >>

Heh, I got a stack of old Becketts from a collector who was throwing them out a year or so ago. I like having stuff like that around.

digicat · July 22, 2010 3:33PM

<< This reminded me about the funny history of the 1984 USFL set. Remember how Jim Kelly, Reggie White and Herschel Walker were always the big draws in this set? Steve Young ended up as the card to have. >>

At the time this guide was printed, Young was a backup QB to Joe Montana. I don't think anyone would have looked at the 30 year old backup QB and said "Now that guy's gonna be in the HoF!"

Tabe · July 22, 2010 6:21PM

<< 

<< Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either. >>

Sierra was a 5-tool player that was perceived to be a future regular 30/30 guy. 1989 was his career year, finished 2nd in MVP voting and he was only 24. >>

Yeah, he was a heckuva player for Texas and definitely looked like a future megastar. Had another huge year in 1991 (25/116/.307, 200+ hits), dropped a bit in 1992 and then got traded to Oakland. A couple decent years, then he fell of the cliff for several years before recovering to have a heckuva half-season with Texas in 2001 (23/67/.291 in just 94 games). Pretty much done after that. His kid now plays in the Rangers farm system. All in all, I'd say a 20-year career (he missed 1999) - outlasting every other 1986 rookie other than Bonds & Maddux - ain't so bad. Just not "top 30 investment" -worthy

Tabe

nfbuckeye · July 22, 2010 8:57PM

Neal Anderson FTW!

vintagechris · July 23, 2010 8:23AM

Still amazes me at how cheap you can get a Dickerson RC and for that matter, a Dorsett RC.

1989FleerBillRipkencollector · July 23, 2010 8:49AM

The 1987 Fleer Sierra was also counterfitted!

scashaggy · July 23, 2010 9:18AM

where's Elway???

MeteoriteGuy · July 23, 2010 9:27AM

<< 

<< Oddest card on the list for me is the Sierra. I don't remember '87 Fleer Ruben Sierra being a sought after card in '90 or any time around then either. >>

Sierra was a 5-tool player that was perceived to be a future regular 30/30 guy. 1989 was his career year, finished 2nd in MVP voting and he was only 24. >>

Sierra was really hot around here. I had one dealer that paid me $0.75 each for like Topps, can't really recall the prices, but like half book on all three. Must have sold him 200 Sierra RC's.

I had money set on Bobby Bonillia. He is the undervalued one out of the '87's, and one day will sell for big money, trust me.

lwehlers · July 23, 2010 1:55PM

where is emmitt smith and troy aikman in that football investment.

RedHeart54 · July 23, 2010 2:23PM

<< where is emmitt smith and troy aikman in that football investment. >>

Smith's Score Supplemental/Fleer Update/Topps Traded cards may not have even been produced at the time this list came out. Aikman hadn't become the star he became as the Cowboys were pretty mediocre in 1990-- especially coming off of a 1-15 season in '89.

grote15 · July 23, 2010 4:21PM

Seeing Blyleven at #4 just reminds me that he should be in the HOF..

hammered · July 23, 2010 4:56PM

<< where's Elway??? >>

Elway was considered a star QB in 1990, but his career didn't reach legendary status until late in his career with his Super Bowl wins. In 1990, he was a level below both Marino and Montana so I can understand why he wasn't included at that time.

I really like those lists. In fact, I'd put the 86 Rice at #1 on my FB list even today. And you can't argue with Ripken at #1 on the BB list either.

It's cool to see that.

TheCARDKid · July 23, 2010 6:27PM

Did anyone think that Bo Jackson could continue his 2 sport success, for years to come, in the early 90's? Seems like he'd burn out eventually. Or get injured?

Ironmanfan · July 23, 2010 11:58PM

<< I think the most expensive card in PSA 8 on that list is the Carew rookie at #28. Actually for the time, it's not an awful list. Blyleven at #4 is shocking, but the only way out of whack one is the Vince Coleman RC. >>

This book was published prior to Coleman throwing lit firecrackers at fans

IMF

Nathaniel1960 · July 24, 2010 2:55AM

<< 

<< I think the most expensive card in PSA 8 on that list is the Carew rookie at #28. Actually for the time, it's not an awful list. Blyleven at #4 is shocking, but the only way out of whack one is the Vince Coleman RC. >>

This book was published prior to Coleman throwing lit firecrackers at fans

IMF >>

And before this gem of a quote: In 1985, Vince Coleman of the St. Louis Cardinals answered a Robinson-related query with: “I don’t know nothin’ about him. Why are you asking me about Jackie Robinson?”

elsnorto · July 24, 2010 8:56AM

<< 

<< where is emmitt smith and troy aikman in that football investment. >>

Smith's Score Supplemental/Fleer Update/Topps Traded cards may not have even been produced at the time this list came out. Aikman hadn't become the star he became as the Cowboys were pretty mediocre in 1990-- especially coming off of a 1-15 season in '89. >>

Yup, Aikman wasn't even the clear starter as the Cowboys struggled. Steve Walsh was waiting in the wings still and many thought it was just a matter of time until Jimmy Johnson gave his Miami quarterback the nod. Even if Emmitt had rookies cards printed at the time of this article, he came up short of the 1,000 yard mark in his rookie campaign and conventional wisdom at the time believed he was too small to have sustained success (or career) in the NFL.

Thanks for sharing this RedHeart!

Snorto~

stormsurge · July 24, 2010 11:47AM

This post is pure win! Thanks for posting it!

MrVintage · July 24, 2010 11:59AM

So what would todays list look like?

ElToroLoco · July 25, 2010 1:10AM

1. Stephen Strasburg

Stone193 · July 25, 2010 1:26AM

I was just thinking...

Ya can't compare the thinking and trend that was going on back then with today.

I remember alot of investors getting into the game back then - including foreign money - the Japanese e.g.

Back then, a 52T pack made the news...

Gotta say - it was fun.

I used to set up at a few shows back then - it was alot of fun and just about everything sold.

It didn't last long tho.

iahawks55000000 · July 25, 2010 6:40AM

It would be interesting to see what the outcome would be if a person bought equal to PSA 9 copies of those cards in 1990, how much money they would have lost in 2010.

20 years ago these were considered the best sports card investments.-- Hockey and complete sets adde

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