Rememberwhen Upper Deck released their debut set in 1989, they changed the hobby forever and forced Topps and other manufacturers to up their game. Topps entered the sports cards market in 1952, so the value of this set of cards is very high. During his debut season in 1982, Gwynn barely missed the .300 mark by batting .289 in 190 at-bats over the 54 games he played that year. These things were always hit-or-miss in terms of player selection, depending on who was moving around. For young fans of that time, Topps couldnt compare to the vibrant and youthful Upper Deck, Leaf or even Topps brand-new offshoot, Stadium Club. While PSA has graded close to 60,000 Desert Shield cards, just about 12,000 check in at PSA 10. By 1991, Mattingly boosted his slugging percentage to .394 and in the following seasons above .400, although barely. The price guide is linked in the top menu of this page. I Took No Shortcuts: Jerry Rice Talks Georges St-Pierre Sales Highlights Beckett Pricing Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 1991 Topps Baseball, Junk Wax Journeys: 1991 Donruss Baseball Cards, Upper Deck Hologram Baseball Card Box Sets of the 1990s Box Set Boom. Here is a look at the baseball cards that have exceeded a million-dollar price tag, including two by one of the sport's top active players: 1. Read our methodology . INSTANT WIN, each pack proclaimed in the bottom right corner. KEY: RB=Record Breakers, MGR=Manager, AS=All-Star. I was well into my prime childhood collecting days when the 1991 Topps baseball cards were released. Jones rookie card is one of the few notable ones. While Topps didnt do anything to move away from their traditional mushy brown cardboard in base sets until 1992, we could always count on Tiffany. That wasnt the case in 1990 and 1991, but you can get some idea of relative print runs based on the PSA Population Report. Other cards that come from the same set that are also worth a mention include Mark Whiten and Don Mattingly. Like the 1991 Bowman, Donruss, Fleer, Leaf, Score, Stadium Club and Upper Deck sets, far too many of them were printed and the market is over-saturated with them. The highlights of the checklist are really the rookie card of Jones and the big-name cards of veterans. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2008-2023 The Cardboard Connection. And, the numbers indeed show it as his slugging percentage and OPS plummeted to .383 and .714, respectively. The 1991 Topps baseball cards issue was a product of its time and of much earlier times. See, in 1990, Topps had issued a set of comic-book bordered cards that marched alongside the garish red of Donruss and the general ickiness of a crappy Fleer set as the three traditional. As the fortieth anniversary of their first sets 1951 Topps Red Backs and Blue Backs dawned, Topps unveiled a classy, understated base set in the spring of 1991. This unique close-up shot of The Big Unit only adds a different dimension to the mans massive mystique. Upper Deck had an advantage over other. Cheapest, One of the most important rookie cards of the 1990's, this card is routinely in high demand. And Topps answered the challenge a couple of years later with their own premium offering: the "Stadium Club" line. 3. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network. Albert Pujols Cardinals Signed 2000 Multi Peoria Minor Rookie Card 5. 1 Nolan Ryan - Texas Rangers 2 George Brett - Kansas City Royals RB 3 Carlton Fisk - Chicago White Sox RB 4 Kevin Maas - New York Yankees RB 5 Cal Ripken Jr. - Baltimore Orioles RB 6 Nolan Ryan - Texas Rangers RB The blog covers a number of sets from that period, even from other sports, but readers keep returning to the posts about 1991 Topps, and many are armed with questions: * I have a Carmelo Martinez (who) played for the Pirates (and) all the Pirates cards have a black border around them but Car-melos border is grey is it (an) error., * I have a Steve Olin #696 with a faded logo, and the E*F* print code., * Is there a way of finding out all the errors that people have found (and) posting them on one post?, Dylans answer to the last question was, No, there is not. The set also offers several tiers for variation or master set collectors. Thankfully, McGwire took the offseason to work out all of the kinks and would be back on track for the 1992 season. An earlier Sports Collectors Daily article with a first-hand account from a soldier in the Middle East mentions cards being thrown away and even burned as part of fires. Other subsets include All-Stars and Record Breakers. If theres a cooler card capturing MLBs stolen base king in his dust-filled, head-first glory, we probably havent seen it. 397 Eddie Murray - Los Angeles Dodgers AS. The 1991 Topps set debuted just as America was engaging in the first Gulf War. Back then, we were always clamoring for limited print runs, premium (white) card stock, and clear photography. Of those submitted, eleven graded gem mint 10, 797 mint 9, and 1,460 near-mint to mint 8. Apparently, at least, as we were unwilling or simply unable to absorb the oceans of product on the market even as we continued to slobber over the gorgeous UD offerings in their second year. Im familiar with all the cards shown. Card Number: #302. When you click on links to merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. I have an actual 91 Topps unopened box set. We are user supported. Contact him at [emailprotected]. Learn more here. By entering your email address you agree to receive email versions of the Baseball Card Market Report. Our articles may contain affiliate links. 2. From 1984 through 1991, Topps gave collectors what we wanted sort of. 1991 Donruss Original Ken Griffey Jr Error Card 3. The rise of the Bowman brand dates back to 1927 when Jacob Bowman founded Gum Inc. in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. As regal as 1991 Topps Baseball is in retrospect, why would kids collect something that looked like their fathers set when so many younger products were calling to them? PSA Price Guide for 1991 Topps Baseball Card Values - Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) Professional Sports Authenticator (PSA) & PSA/DNA Authentication Services Services Few cards shine a light on Jose Canseco's athletic splendor like the 1991 Topps Desert Shield #390. . I have some Topps baseball cards (1988-1991).How do I get the value of these cards? And to date Ive only pulled a single vintage card, a 1968 common!. While they still fell short this set had great photography and design and was clearly one of Topps better sets in the Junk wax era. The cards are exactly the same as the normal Topps cards, except for the presence of a gold foil Desert Shield emblem stamped on card fronts. Im looking for the way to the honest price for a van load of NFL hockey baseball basketball collection. So which of the 1991 Topps baseball cards are most valuable? We don't know how big a role nostalgia plays with this one, but it still regularly sells north of $40. The fact that this gem from Gwynns 10th season has a $60 sticker today isnt quite as amazing as some of the Padres legends hitting stats, but its still impressive enough. 1933 Goudey Babe Ruth: $4.212 million. Many cards are inexpensive and simply not worth the time to grade. As with previous Topps Traded sets, the cards stick with the year's Topps design. Heres How to Tell Them Apart. I got my dads card collection going back to the mid 1940s. Each wax and cello pack contained an Instant Win Game card that provided the opportunity for the collector to win a complete set from Topps past 40 years. If you would've asked anyone at the time if he was on his way to an eventual induction into Cooperstown, they may have looked at you in disbelief, unsure if you were joking. Vintage Topps Cards. 1991 Topps. At the time, the slugger was dealing with issues off the field that McGwire would later say affected his performance on the field. However, the 1991 Stadium Club set will always be remembered as a game-changer for Topps with its unique place in hobby history. 1989 Topps Randy Johnson Rookie Card 4. Honus. In the opposite corner, Topps trumpets its 40th Anniversary, a 792-card salute to its reign as the preeminent bubble gum card company in the world. Some of the game's greats had more than one season that could be considered the greatest of their careers. I have 6 of those cards, and two of them in mint condition, and the other 4 near mint. Pricing - 1991 Topps Baseball | Trading Card Database Baseball Sets 1991 Overview 1991 Topps Pricing Complete Set: $20.99 ( Submit a Price) 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Prices as submitted by site members. 1985 Topps Tiffany Nolan Ryan baseball card #760 PSA 10 Value: $1,079 1985 Topps Tiffany Nolan Ryan baseball card #760 graded PSA 10 Check prices on eBay I have hundreds of cards from this 91 set in plastic holders in my basement. Others reported pulling a lone 70s checklist for their opening labor. The story of Jackson's professional sports career finally came to a close after the strike during the 1994 season cut his time with the California Angels short and caused him to retire for good. A double border in two different colors houses the photo image, except when that image is breaking out of the design. As mentioned, it is believed there were roughly 6,500-7,000 of the cards printed for each player. I have about 200 cards baseball, my oldest son started collecting ,Dow to youngest,49 yrs ago , how do I find value. This was a big motivating factor behind starting Junk Wax Gems. Because of his NFL contract, Sanders missed all of the Braves' games in August and most of September and couldn't play for them during their playoff run that year. 1987 Donruss Open. The price guide can be accessed in the top menu of this page. Ripken's streak has since been broken multiple times. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Page: Related: FAQ - Pricing The guy had just broken out, to say the least, the season before when he appeared in his first All-Star Game while winning his first MVP, Silver Slugger and Gold Glove Awards. Amazingly, during his twenty years in Major League Baseball with the San Diego Padres, Gwynn hit below .300 just once. So in 1991, Topps experimented with that by creating its Stadium Club brand a glossy, upscale Topps branded product. However, they have a special gold foil stamp on the front of them with a palm tree inside of a shield. Raw commons in the set typically start in the $2-$4 range and many minor stars can be purchased for under $10. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Copyright 2022 by Old Sports Cards, LLC. PFEW as I did sell every card to one guy who appreciates them and will take care of them, and yes, much more than $1000. 1991 Topps Ken Griffey Jr Seattle Mariners Rookie Card. Day Barry Bonds Err. They have remained in a safety deposit box since 1991. Thanks to the inclusion of more than 20 Team USA members, the set also boasts rookies of Jason Giambi and Charles Johnson. Wax Pack Gods, 100 Most Expensive Magic The Gathering Cards Sold on eBay in the Last 30 Days, 1989 Upper Deck Baseball Cards 28 Most Valuable Wax Pack Gods. Check Tiffany prices on eBay (affiliate link), Check Tiffany prices on Amazon (affiliate link). Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. Be careful if you pursue these babies, though, and watch out for telltale signs like . There was no need for Bonds to panic, however, since he'd add six more MVPs and multiple top-five voting finishes before his storied career came to a close in 2007. Topps gesture would have been appreciated, surely, but, well, troops had bigger issues to worry about. I started high school in 91 so by late summer I packed all the cards safely away and never checked them out. The fact that he didn't appear in the 1991 Midsummer Classic has to be one of, if not the biggest, All-Star Game snub in the game's history. Yeah, 1991 Topps Baseball contained those old familiars the record breaker cards, league leader cards and ugh checklists, each issued on gray cardboard for one last time. Card #311 Mickey Mantle is one of the Topps baseball cards with the highest value on the market. Love that Benny Santiago card you guys posted in the checklist page. But he was also a baseball legend who was on the verge of 3000 hits, and his cards were among the most consistently popular in the hobby. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. In his first full season, Thomas batted .318, belted 32 home runs, drove in 109 runs, and scored 104 runs in a body of work that eventually earned him his first Silver Slugger and a third-place vote in the AL MVP race. Loved Beckett back then and Im gonna check it out again. One of the many hats that 1991 Topps Baseball wears is its reputation as one of the most variation-heavy sets ever created. Rating: 7.1 (153 votes) Click here to Rate. With that likely came mistakes, he said. Key rookie cards include Jeff Bagwell, Luis Gonzalez and Ivan Rodriguez. So why is the set so expensive? To pay homage to that longevity, they added a 40th Anniversary logo on the cards and that is found in addition to the Desert Shield stamp. Here are the top deals on boxes currently listed on eBay. And the rarest of them all is the Mark Whiten card where his hand extends over the border of the card. We may earn an affiliate commission if you In addition, the sets featured a super glossy finish on card fronts. Despite that rarity, many of these cards are very affordable. We'll respect your privacy and you can unsubscribe at any time.. Posted by Adam Hughes | Baseball Card Values, Baseball Cards, Topps Baseball Cards | 2 |. Although it's not one of the card maker's most valuable releases, it's one of their most attractive. If you do not receive the verification code within 60 Seconds, we will send you the activation link again. Among the more popular ones are Ken Griffey, Jr., Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken, Mark McGwire, Frank Thomas, Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, and others. Click on any card to see more graded card prices, historic prices, and past sales. 1. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Stay in the know about the latest sports card, hobby news, and promotions from Beckett. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The funny thing was, he would waste almost no time breaking his own recordwhen he threw hisseventh and final no-hitter against Toronto on May 1, 1991. In that year Uribe won the Millie Mac Award for his spirit and leadership efforts with his team. This action shot of a post-swing Griffey doesnt get the props it probably deserves in Juniors canon of cards. 1991 Topps was, to be honest, nothing remarkable to my kid self while products like Upper Deck, Leaf and Stadium Club were demanding allowance dollars.. 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle: $12.6 million. A short bio is added for those players with enough space. There are clearly two, distinct, packaging types for two different market destinations and with each, specific variations are found. I'd like to imagine him having just blasted one of his towering home runs by the looks of him in this image Don Mattingly was another one of those players who was on top of every collector's want list back in the late 1980's and early 1990's. One of the most important rookie cards of the 1990's, this card is routinely in high demand. He manages a pre-war sports card blog and database at www.prewarcards.com . And, just over seventy years later, they came close to pulling off an even worse move when they traded Jeff Bagwell to the Houston Astros for reliever Larry Andersen. Well past his prime but still pitching at a high level in 1991, it was anyone's guess at how long his career would eventually last.