Rookie Card #220, 2. Youd wait all week or all month for a chance to pick up a few packs at the grocery store or local card shop and then rush home to dig into your new treasures. (Speaking of beautiful Frank Thomas cards, his 1992 Topps card ranks among my all-time junk wax non-RC favorites.) The Junk Wax era is mostly considered from 1986 and 1993. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $76,100 on July 2021. Rather than write Bill, he apparently chose to make his baseball card PG-13and found his way into memorabilia history. And he hit like he was using a piccolo for a bat. However, there are still unopened packs circulating among high-end collectors, and only the incredibly brave would risk ripping open one of these packs in search of Jackie Robinson, Willie Mays, or the coveted Mickey Mantle. In 1983, though Donruss and Fleer started to figure things out and issued their best sets to date. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,900 on March 2021. The card is part of the 1993 SP (Special) set, which Upper Deck produced. And then along came the 1980s, with its baseball card boom and the incessant hyping of every rookie from Paul Assenmacher to Paul Zuvella. Could the in-between hold a Wade Boggs, Tony Gwynn, or Ryne Sandberg rookie card? In recent years, the value of the card has fluctuated due to Rodriguez's controversial career. These cards are ranked by PSA 10 values. 1984 Fleer Update Kirby Puckett RC #93. *Valid on any order $100+. As the older generation of baseball writers move on, allowing room for those who love analytics and arent as hardened against PED use, well probably see plenty of the steroid stars on this list get enshrined. Its unclear if SP means short print, or not, but thats a decent assumption. Maybe inspiring the imagination with their funky shapes. And if you can resist any Champ Summers baseball card, youre a stronger man than I. Would you rather have Keith Hernandez or Mike Schmidt on your team? Easy enough to cherrypick rack and cello packs, and even wax packs had theirproblems ever hear of resealing? Whether you're a serious collector or just curious about the value of your old cards, this article is a must-read. 1980 Topps Rickey Henderson rookie card #482, 13. 30 Standout Baseball Cards from the Junk Wax Era PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $19,100 on October 2022. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $3,300 on January 2023. Now, of course, Upper Deck solved this conundrum in 1989 by encasing their cards in MRE Wrap, but did you know that Donruss actually beat them to it? I was blown away with the quality. The Yankees drafted Jeter in 1992. Damon might never make it into the Hall of Fame, but this guy was a huge fan favorite with two storied franchises (playing four of his 18 seasons with the Red Sox, and then four more with the Yankees). Like someone fought them with his Sharpie light saber or tried to force them into being Topps or Donruss cards through creative will. The headline for this 1979 Topps baseball rack pack says, GO 4 OZZIE SMITH RC.. In the summer of 1984, Don Mattingly came out of nowhere to win the American League batting title, snatching it away from New York Yankees teammate Dave Winfield. How Junky was the Junk Wax Era? - Sports Collectors Daily It may be time to head back to school, but that doesnt mean you cant have fun with it. If youre reading this, chances are pretty good you spent at least part of your childhood as I did ripping open (or carefully unflapping) wax packs of baseball cards. Just like the Clemens from the box Interestingly enough, there are not many notable rookie cards in the 4th series (or high number series). In the third panel is Buddy Schultz. Baseball Cards All Rights Reserved, What are your baseball cards worth? How much would you pay to complete your baseball card collection? Did you know the Atlanta Braves drafted Randy Johnson in the 1982 MLB Draft? 10 Greatest Junk Wax Era Baseball Card Hobby Boxes. By 1986, the hobby was fully engulfed in the flames of rookie card mania thanks to the exploits of young phenoms like Darryl Strawberry, Dwight Gooden, Eric Davis, Don Mattingly, and that summer of 86, Jose Canseco and Wally Joyner. There it has been documented. Let me tell you you would if you were 12 years old in 1984 and had the chance to add another set to your burgeoning collection via several thousand calories worth of Cookie Crisp. Jr. initially hesitated to sign a contract with Upper Deck because he had already signed an exclusive deal with another card company, Score. Finding Underrated Basketball Cards of the Junk Wax Era They were amazing at the time (and now, too, imo). Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network and Amazon Associates. A 12th was an autographed Cal Ripken Elite card, which was limited to only 5,000. But, hey, at least these beauties still deliver 36 cards per pack, which means youd score a cool 432 Topps cards for you $175. The next time youre lamenting how todays safety-first regulations and advertising are robbing us of everything fun, come back to this eBay listing (affiliate link) and remind yourself the joy-robbing started no later than the mid-1980s. If you continue to use this site, we'll assume you're OK with that. Heck, you might get really lucky and pull a Craig Worthington noggin. That has to be good right? Its sad, because the Buy-It-Now price is only $79 and these cards were supposed to be gold by now. Junk Buying and flipping unopened baseball card boxes is fairly common in the modern collecting era. ), 3. Or popcornless movies? This page is dedicated to reliving those thrills of youth by bringing to light one incredible (in some way) unopened lot of baseball cards each day. Check out the full eBay listing here (affiliate link). Web1990 score football series 2 most valuable cards. If you grew up collecting cards in the 1970s or 1980s, this thing will take you back like that! The 1984 Fleer set has basically the same lineup as the Topps set from that year, except with fewer cards overall (less special subsets, mostly). They were golden days full of anticipation and hope, joy and (yes) disappointment when you pulled Tom Brookens instead of Alan Trammell. I believe my 1984 set was made from those cards. Its the stuff from which collections and lifetime cardboard connections are made! When they do not perform well, you want to punch a wall! Below is a list of excellent cards of excellent players you should consider tracking down. (Not sure why I didnt make the set because I once tied for the Major League lead among all fans for fewest games attended in person.). What Utah college basketball players have entered the transfer portal. As much as I cant stand Donruss cards from the 80s, the 86 set is pretty sweet. 1990 Topps Tiffany Frank Thomas rookie card #414, 11. Speedsters can help fantasy players a lot, but its all about power and WAR in collecting. The photo is colorful and sharp, and the Montreal colors look good inside the love-it-or-hate-it black border. His Fleer rookie card was controversial because it had a Marlboro ad in the background at the stadium, so later prints blacked out the billboard. Top 30 Most Valuable Football Cards From the Junk Wax Era Not only did you get a new Fleer set and a new Donruss set, both with enough errors to keep your English teacher in haughty bliss all the way through high school, but you got extras. Highly coveted by 90s card collectors, CSG recently c" Certified Sports Guaranty on Instagram: "All junk wax is not created equal! cards The Fleer cards also seem to be a bit more scarce, though the demand may also not be quite as strong. The Most Expensive Ken Griffey Jr. I know that we all know now that 1987 Donruss is not rare, but its still awesome to me. Out of over 21,000 of these submitted to PSA to grade, only 21 have received a Gem Mint 10 as of April 2023! Unfortunately, the (over)production runs keep this beautiful card from being more valuable. What we do have here, though, are 36 paper pouches, each containing three baseball buttons, and theyre spectacular! But there the packs were, with a god-awful Babe Ruth drawing but tremendous waxy promise. The 2018 Topps Allen & Ginter X checklist not only features two key rookies Ronald Acuna and Shohei Otahni but it also includes framed mini autographs of big-time active players like Aaron Judge and Mike Trout, retired players like Don Mattingly and Bo Jackson, and non-players like Lindsey Vonn and Tony Hawk. Still, how cool is it to see these unopened cello packs that have somehow remained sealed since they came off the grill four decades ago? For arguments sake, were going to use pricing based on PSAs Price Guide. Rookie Card #98T, 8. Mostly, though, its happy because there are 12,000 Topps baseball cards inside. Bush. Then, if you manged to tear open the pack without ripping the stickers themselves, you could affix them to the appropriate page in the accompanying sticker album. While the 1985 Donruss set may not have one signature card that defined a whole hobby era, like the 84D Mattingly above, this set is loaded with big-name rookies . We cover the most valuable baseball cards from the 80s and 90s. Heads Up Baseball Stars. Junk Wax Gems | Uncovering the Best of the 1980's and Cards Topps released it as part of their 1990 set, which included a subset of cards featuring famous people. There were several hobby retailers who sold complete sets, but you could also buy them in individual paper packages containing three buttons each. And, for only $200 or so, you could relive the thrill of searching for them under wax wraps. 4. 10 Greatest Junk Wax Era Baseball Card Hobby Boxes But one thing 1986 Topps did have going for it was Pete Rose like, all over the place. The 6 Most Valuable Upper Deck Baseball Cards of the Junk Either way, this is a sweet blast from the past, and an unusual issue that wont break the bank. These scratch-offs came in three-player panels, and you could play a baseball game by scratching off the dots like a lottery ticket for Little Leaguers. Why not just give us powerless video games? PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,930 on March 2023. In my new role of sommelier of junk wax, I would say the 1990 Fleer football set combined forceful star density and design with delicate hints of chase cards before finishing with a lovely sense of nostalgia. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,510 on March 2023. Different card numbers, sometimes a different photo. Because so many baseball cards were printed between roughly 1987 and 1993, the values plummeted significantly.. 10 Greatest Hockey Rookie Cards Jose Cruz was actually six feet tall but felt Patek-ish because he crouched like a tiger. Check out the full eBay listing (affiliate link). Add steroids and controversy to the overproduction stigma, and many of the rookie cards of this period pale in comparison to those from a decade earlier or even a decade later, in many cases. Youve heard of wearing your heart on your sleeve, right? And, among the 66 luminous luminaries who were Major League Leaders, youll find high-luminosity guys like Mike Smithson, Walt Terrell (Hoosier! Cowabunga! Its another strong pick from the junk wax era, and the French version vastly exceeds the value of the typical US UD card. Another oddball set from 1984, Topps Supers were exact replicas of the base card for each of the 30 players included in the set except huge. He made his major league debut in 1986, and his rookie card was included in the 1987 Topps set. The 1986 Fleer Michael Jordan rookie card is one of the most iconic, most popular, and yes, most valuable junk wax cards of all time. Id get a vending case, pull all the Mark McGwire rookies or Vince Coleman rookies or Bill Doran rookies or first Padres Steve Garvey cards, and then sell the excess for beaucoup bucks. In 1991, the junk wax era was in full gear. The SP Foil set was a limited edition run, with only 5,000 copies of the Rodriguez card printed. It used to be that you had to do something pretty special, like hit three home runs in one World Series game, before you could have your own baseball-themed candy bar. For $7 per box you can hardly go wrong, and truthfully you can probably find boxes for less. The card was produced in limited numbers, with only 241 copies ever made. ), Junk wax baseball cards didnt get their name because theyre rare and valuable. Anyway, how cool would it be to have a big ol cutout of Ken Griffey Jr.s head suction-cupped inside your locker? Here is a list of five of the most expensive baseball card boxes to date. Web168 likes, 6 comments - Certified Sports Guaranty (@csgcards) on Instagram: "All junk wax is not created equal! And, for only $200 or so, you could relive the thrill of searching for them under wax wraps. Today, though, how can you not get all warm and giddy at the prospect of nine American League cards and nine National League cards and a stick of gum inside a four-decade-old wrapper??? Especially one from the 1970s? Baseball Card Values Of course, you could only answer the big question by opening the packs is there a Bob Dernier pin lurking within? OK, there are two things you learn quickly; the other thing is that rookie cards are king. They often have fuzzy corners and creases, and, somehow, about a third of the 1982 Fleers Ive ever encountered have marker marks on them. Wax listingshere.). While there are other cards from the Junk Wax Era that still have some tangible worth, the above list is populated with rookie cards of current and future Hall of Famers, as well as those who, unfortunately, will be forever linked to baseball's ugly Steroid Era. My rules for making this list: they must be base cards, not inserts. Super cool, right? Its a great cross-section of a spiraling hobby that could have lost its soul but looks pretty good all these years later. Sit back and enjoy the ride, and be sure to check back regularly to see what new goodies weve discovered. $7.95 FLAT SHIPPING ON ALL ORDERS UNDER $175, The Most Valuable Baseball Card Boxes Ever, How To Clean Sports Cards (And What Not To Do), The History of the 1952 Topps Mickey Mantle Card, Top NBA Rookie Prospects Going Into the 2022/23 Season. In 1984, he won the American League batting title with a .343 average and was named the American League Most Valuable Player in 1985. Oh, and they have fuzzy perforated edges. The odds are against you on all those fronts considering theres just one card in the pack, but it sure is fun to wonder, isnt it? 1984 Donruss Don Mattingly Rookie Card 248#, 6. Those memories are part of what draws me to lots like this one, a full 1987 Topps vending case. Apparently, thats how Topps felt in 1984. Unless, of course, you have the willpower to keep it intact. Yep, and hes looking pretty svelt there, too. In any case, this lot falls three packs short of a full box, but you do get the display box. All told, there were 112,500 Elite cards. 15 Most Valuable Baseball Cards from the 80's and 90's Gems Or your TV, if you were feeling lucky in dealing with your dad. As a kid collector from the 1980s, this type of post does strike a chord with me! The 1986 Topps baseball card set was not the greatest in the companys history. Posted by Adam Hughes | Baseball Cards for Sale, Experimental, Unopened | 6 |, (Check out our previous Wow! Granted, most of those dudes fell short of Hall of Fame standards, but theyre still standards among 1980s rookie cards. Speaking of Bonds, his rookie card appears on two of these eight cello packs. Then Id reinvest, maybe in another full vending case if I made enough the first time around, and do the whole thing again. No one realized they lived through the Junk Wax Era, until the bubble burst and prices plummeted. It is quite a cautionary tale. Just because its known as the Junk Wax Era doesnt mean all the cards are worthless. Recently, some of these cards have been surging in value. See, a single vending case contained 24 vending boxes, each with 500 brand new, perfect cards (probably not perfect, but thats how it seemed). If theyre from this era, probably not much, A Mickey Mantle baseball card is selling for more than $10 million, PSA value of $360,000 for a condition grade of 10, The 12 most iconic (and valuable) rookie cards from baseballs junk wax era, 30 Standout Baseball Cards from the Junk Wax Era, Deseret News Week 37 high school star athletes of the week, The list of departures only continues to grow for Utah State, 3 Utah Jazz players, 3 former Utah college players make The Ringers list of 150 best NBA players, What to make of Kody Epps 11th-hour move, Grading the Jazz: Kelly Olynyk proved he has something left in the tank. Thin cardstock, terrible photography, more errors than a Dick Stuart highlight reel, slightly self-indulgent card backs. If you were looking to pull your own out of an unopened 2009 Bowman Draft Picks or an unopened 2011 Topps Update hobby box, then expect to pay up to $17,000 for the chance to acquire some of the most valuable baseball cards of the last couple of decades. With a passion for Animation, Brand/Graphic Design, and Illustration, Yanni offers a unique outlook on alternative investments. Because, even though Fleer managed to finally break the Topps monopoly and pulled Donruss into the market with them, the onslaught of new cards did little to excite the senses or capture the poetry of the game. The Mantle card, which was graded at 9.5 by the card Between this card and the F-Face Billy Ripken (see below! Thanks for sharing some fun memories! I mean, the 1987 Topps woodies were everywhere 1987 Donruss was scarce but seemed to exist in pockets. And this lot offers up a bunch of that all in one convenient package. Best Junk Wax Basketball Hobby Boxes To Buy RARE does not usually apply to baseball cards of the Junk Wax era. I mean, sure youd give up hard-earned money for your cardboard fix but would you chuck down box after box of gut-churning, cavity-inducing powdered, compressed, malted, generally blech wheat products? Ken Griffey Jr.s rookie year was 1989. The greatest closer in baseball history looks like hes posing for his high school yearbook editors photo, and somehow, it makes Mo even cooler than he already is. If you have a box from this era, here are a few resources to help you know what to look out for: Copyright 2023 Deseret News Publishing Company. Here in 2019, of course, Bert Blyleven is a Hall of Famer and these cards are 41 years old. Measuring standard card size and packaged with gum for 25 cents, Star Stickers were like another whole parallel (125 cards) but one that you could stick on stuff. Start hoarding away the latest baseball hobby boxes and take advantage of free shipping on orders over $175 and same-business day shipping at Giant Sports Cards. 4. Five Underrated Baseball Card Products Which Was Your Favorite Old-Time Baseball Cards Publica 1987 Topps Baseball Cards 25 Most Valuable R 1978 Topps Baseball Cards The Ultimate Guide, 1987 those who had access to 1987 Fleer baseball cards, 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Your Set U-Pick (#'s 201-400) Nm-Mint, 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Your Set U-Pick (#'s 401-600) Nm-Mint, 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Your Set U-Pick (#'s 1-200) Nm-Mint, 1981 Topps Baseball Cards Complete Your Set U-Pick (#'s 601-726) Nm-Mint, Change-Ups, Spirals, and Swishes Droolworthy Cards for August 24, 2018, Flash Market Report What Old Baseball Cards Sold Big This Week? He won a World Series title with both teams, too. In recent years, weve seen a rise in collectors acquiring unopened wax boxes and hobby boxes, and some of these sealed boxes go back 50 years, making them some of the most valuable factory-sealed baseball cards on the market. So, are your baseball cards worth anything? Pitchers with 300 Wins and Their Baseball Cards! Someday, somehow, we all know Bonds will get into the Baseball Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, nobody really knew who Don Mattingly was when the 1984 season began, so hes not here but the Darryl Strawberry rookie is. Baseball As a side note, 1987 was the year of Mitchells mini-breakout, two seasons before his monster MVP campaign in 1989. For that reason, there are a lot of cards out there from this era, which makes them relatively cheap. And thats why this eBay lot is so jaw-dropping. Defense matters very little in both fantasy and collecting. You could see three players on the front and three players stats on the back. Fleer cleaned things up even more and put out a really nice, solid set. The 12 most valuable rookie cards of the junk wax era and more And so does the Will Clark rookie card, one of the iconic images of the decade. Weve seen pitchers with harder stuff (Roger Clemens and Nolan Ryan) and pitchers with better singular seasons (Justin Verlander, Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw). But back in 1971, hoarding away sealed boxes of cards wasnt necessarily a commonly practiced financial endeavor. And, oh yeah if you dont like the stars showing on this lot, the seller has two other 1985 Topps Rack Pack lots to choose from here and here (affiliate links). And, really, what else could you call a near life-size rendering of the great Al Holland? Looking back at their careers, its pretty easy to say that Schmidt will give you more peak value and more long-term value than Mex. You excitedly tear open the wrapping paper and unfurl your treasure, a 1978 Topps Baseball Holiday Rack Pack. Baseball hobby boxes have some of the most valuable cards and are far more desirable because there is generally a greater chance of hitting parallels, numbered cards, memorabilia cards, and autographed cards than in a blaster box or retail pack. Of the sealed boxes that were sent overseas, some were opened, some were tossed, and apparently some were used as kindling for fires. While McGwire's legacy has been somewhat tarnished by his involvement in performance-enhancing drugs, his rookie card remains an integral part of baseball card collecting for its association with one of the game's greatest power hitters. Let me know if you enjoy this sort of post so I know whether I should continue with new updates. Still, its pretty cool to see an unopened box of these things, like this lot offers up 37 years old and as fresh as the day they drove off the showroom floor. In recent years, This card features the 41st President of the United States, George H.W. And, like with just about everything else surrounding the hobby, Topps was the king of 1980s oddball issues. Theres not much to say about todays Wow! Henderson's legendary career is attributed to his status as one of the greatest base stealers in baseball history. $240 for a PSA 10, $40 for a PSA 9 11. Far too many were printed, theyre littered with quasi-errors and print issues, and rare chase cards are numbered in the thousands. And this eBay lot lets you relive all that with an unopened box of 100 packs of 1981 Topps stickers. How Junky was the Junk Wax Era Limit one per person. I remember those rack packs, and having my mom buy a couple for me when we were on vacation that summer. JUNK WAX CARDS - Junk Wax Cards HOMEPAGE But card overproduction and their own PED transgressions have hamstrung the values of their rookie cards. If there were a Mount Rushmore of baseball cards, this Junior card might earn that Teddy Roosevelt spot just because it represented the era when more people collected cards than any other time in history. 15 Most Valuable Basketball Cards 1990s for Investment, The Complete Guide to Pokmon Card Grading, 15 Most Valuable Luka Doncic Rookie Cards. PSA 10 graded card was last sold for $1,150 on March 2023. Chipper Jones, a prospect for the Atlanta Braves, was included in the Desert Shield set, and his rookie card quickly became one of the set's most valuable and sought-after cards. And the baseball cards that commemorated the occasion pure and utter cardboard blasphemy. Cards from the 60s and 70s were starting to appreciate in value as card collectors began to appreciate in age and look back fondly on their own childhoods. The only question here is would you eat this stuff? Very meta, and very cool, even if not extremely valuable. Most Expensive