A new documentary about the baseball card industry of the late 1980s and early 90s arrived Tuesday but the film promises much more than a wistful look back at an explosive time in the hobby. Jack of All Trades is described as a “unique personal tale with emotional family ties, outlining the details behind the boom, and bust of the once lucrative baseball card collecting … [Read more...]
Early 1990s Baseball Insert Cards Ushered in New Era
Insert cards are nothing new. But while many existed before the 1990s, that decade was really when things started getting interesting. By the early 1990s, new trading card companies were being formed. Score joined the ranks of Topps, Donruss, and Fleer in 1988. Bowman and Upper Deck followed in 1989. And by the early 1990s, companies were creating premium brands to appeal to … [Read more...]
Wild 1991 National Was Promo-Powered, Star-Studded…Theft Plagued
Things may happen at this year's show but chances are it will be relatively tame compared to the headline-grabbing circus by which all others will be measured. Held at the height of the runaway freight train that sports cards had become, the 1991 National Sports Collectors Convention in Anaheim, CA had everything. Some of it was awesome. Some of it was … [Read more...]
Who’s Leaving Junk Wax Cards at NY Supermarket?
We’ve heard of all kinds of ways to unload those late 80s/early 90s baseball cards that generally aren’t worth anything other than memories. We’ve even suggested a few from time-to-time. Apparently, there's another. It’s a novel concept initiated by a mystery shopper (no, not a “mystery shopper”, just a person who hasn’t yet been identified). Bring … [Read more...]
Remembering the 1993 Fleer Final Edition Flop
Early 1990s baseball cards are generally considered to be part of the junk wax era. Much of the value they once had has largely been lost. There are a few exceptions to that and the 1992 Fleer Update set is one of those. Believed to have been produced in lesser quantities than most other sets, the 1992 Fleer Update set is one of the few from the era that still has real … [Read more...]
Previously Unknown 1998 Pinnacle Certified Cards Emerge
Over the past several years, certain baseball cards from the 1990's have reached the very top of want lists for collectors. From the 1996 Select Certified Mirror Gold, to the 1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Gold and the 1998 Donruss Crusade Red, these cards have been highly sought after by player and set collectors alike for about two decades. Limited … [Read more...]
Sox Unveil Bo Jackson Bat Snapping Bobblehead
This news may make every kid who grew up in the 1980s and early 90s lose all control. The Chicago White Sox are selling a Bo Jackson bat snapping bobblehead. The former two-sport star himself was on hand this week in Chicago as White Sox Charities unveiled the new nodders. It’s the first official Bo bobblehead ever made. They show Jackson in Sox pinstripes breaking a bat … [Read more...]
Interactive Infancy: 1997 Donruss VXP 1.0 CD-ROM
Given the advances in computer technology these days — smartphones, iPads, tablets have opened the Internet in ways that were not dreamed of 20 years ago — the 1997 Donruss VXP 1.0 CD-ROM set looks quaint. But it was one of the earliest attempts to bring baseball cards into the computer age. In fact, Donruss marketed the product as the “First-Ever Collectable CD ROM Trading … [Read more...]
Ramblings: Player Collectors Still Passionate
Seeing the link to the story about the Tim Wallach collector (and I have sent him cards in the past and will send more) reminded me about one of the great underrated parts of our collecting base, what we now call the “super collector”. Most aren’t looking to collect every single card of a player ever printed, but they are a dedicated lot nonetheless. I’m sure back in my … [Read more...]
Your Unwanted Sports Cards Can Help Inner City Kids
A music teacher at a South Florida elementary school is striking a positive chord with his students — using sports cards to teach life lessons. For seven years, Nate Adams has been teaching at West Riviera Elementary School, “one of the most challenging schools to teach at in Palm Beach County." Academically, since 1999 the school has had three failing grades — most recently … [Read more...]