Help Needed: Identify Mystery 1991 Pacific Set

[Bounty13]

Can't find any examples or mentions on eBay, google, COMC, or beckett. Thoughts?

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bounty13/Scan0007%201.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bounty13/Scan0008%201.jpg

[1989FF]

10 card Promo set? I see they made Senior and NFL in '91. But that's all I could find.

[marktheshark]

I believe these are 1993 Pacific Spanish.

Edit: Nevermind - those just looked similar

[mouschi]

This is interesting. Curious to see if anyone else is in the set!

[marktheshark]

Justice's position as Jardinero leads me to believe this is also a Spanish release though.

[duwal]

Justice's position as Jardinero leads me to believe this is also a Spanish release though.


But doesn't jardinero means gardener in Spanish??

[Onions]

But doesn't jardinero means gardener in Spanish??

Outfielder too, I had to google it.

Funny that the Justice is the only one in spanish.

Numbering leads me to believe this is a 10 card promotional set. Wonder who 2,4, and 9 were?

[sbfinley]

It's not in the SCC from what I could quickly before leaving for dinner.

[Skipscards]

Yeah, I am almost positive these are promo cards. I don't think Pacific did baseball until later. I remember there being a rare Sandberg Pacific prototype card back in the day but that was blank back, not like these.

[JUNKWAX]

I remember 1991 Pacific very well and never saw any MLB releases from them that year other than the Nolan Ryan sets. They look identical to the NFL version that year so my guess is those had to be some sort of prototype that they never followed through with producing for what ever reason.

[JUNKWAX]

Bet that Frank Thomas would be worth some decent money to a super collector.

[mouschi]

OP, where did you find these?

[Bounty13]

Attempting to identify for a friend, they have no recollection of where they came from. Lots of hobby knowledge here, surprised there's no easy answer for this.

[DaveTaplin]

I think it was a magazine insert. I remember Baseball Card Price Guide (poor kids version of Beckett in the early 90's) had inserts every so often or even monthly.

I was 13 in 1991 but I know I had these and at the time they weren't worth anything. Today may be different story.

[LCM1223]

I remember 1991 Pacific very well and never saw any MLB releases from them that year other than the Nolan Ryan sets. They look identical to the NFL version that year so my guess is those had to be some sort of prototype that they never followed through with producing for what ever reason.

Agree. They're identical to the football ones

[Onions]

I remember 1991 Pacific very well and never saw any MLB releases from them that year other than the Nolan Ryan sets. They look identical to the NFL version that year so my guess is those had to be some sort of prototype that they never followed through with producing for what ever reason.

After doing some looking online:

Pacific wasn't even given an MLB license until 1993 - apparently they tried very hard to get one prior to then. Even when they did finally get it; they were limited to bilingual releases only until 1998.

[Corky]

I wonder if they were part of an unproduced set that went out the back door. With Dave Justice being in Spanish maybe they created them to get an approval for a license.

[joejoemay]

I think it was a magazine insert. I remember Baseball Card Price Guide (poor kids version of Beckett in the early 90's) had inserts every so often or even monthly.

I was 13 in 1991 but I know I had these and at the time they weren't worth anything. Today may be different story.

I remember these but I thought they always looked like old Topps cards (or maybe that was Tuff Stuff). I could be wrong, but still have those old magazines out in storage...perhaps I will give them a look through this weekend to see.

[TarjetasBéisbol]

Update: Info I listed doesn't pertain to these cards.

[TarjetasBéisbol]

Update: Info I listed doesn't pertain to these cards.

[1989FF]

I remember these but I thought they always looked like old Topps cards (or maybe that was Tuff Stuff). I could be wrong, but still have those old magazines out in storage...perhaps I will give them a look through this weekend to see.

Correct most would look like Topps cards. I used to get those in Tuff Stuff and SCD. These are not those though.

[ScooterD]

I have seen these before, and it's driving me a little crazy that I can't remember where they came from. My first thought was a Tuff Stuff magazine insert, too.

The other option was a magazine called "Sportscard Collector" from the early-90's had specials around Christmas with off mixtures of low-end or "off" brand cards that you could buy as a package. Remember the 1991 Pacific Nolan Ryan set? That was 1991 and the type of thing that was included in those packages. That set had MLB logos too, so they had to have some kind of limited licensing, no?

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/2/d/1991-pacific-nolan-ryan-nolan-sets-a-met-record-for-strikeouts-psa-gem-mint-10-e24ec39bb62ebf3a3854b584b91b09e7.jpg

Anyone else remember these things?

[LCM1223]

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/2/d/1991-pacific-nolan-ryan-nolan-sets-a-met-record-for-strikeouts-psa-gem-mint-10-e24ec39bb62ebf3a3854b584b91b09e7.jpg

Anyone else remember these things?

Weren't these in like 110-card set format? Worth a couple bucks for the set

[JUNKWAX]

Weren't these in like 110-card set format? Worth a couple bucks for the set

You could buy them in set format or in foil packs. I still have a unopened foil box of them for my junkwax display.

The complete set also spans 3 series and 2 or 3 years. Series 1 was 1991 and 2 was 1992 and a third and lesser known series was printed when he retired after 27 seasons. That 3rd series was mostly reprints of the 1st and 2ed series but with the 27 season logo on it but it also had a few new cards in that series as well.

[Bounty13]

These are too clean and well-centered to be cut from a page, plus if there's 10 of them...

Would PSA slab them if they don't know what they are?

[Jack Straw]

These are too clean and well-centered to be cut from a page, plus if there's 10 of them...

Would PSA slab them if they don't know what they are?

I highly doubt PSA would grade them if they have no info on the set.

[base set]

Aren't cards carefuuly cut from test strips, sample panels, etc. going to be perfectly centered?

I think Pacific is becoming my favorite 90s brand, from opening repacks. I'm going to start looking for cheap old boxes. I think Topps could do well with a Spanish language set across multiple leagues and sold in multiple countries.


Great thread.

[Orange October]

Interesting thread. It inspired me to buy two packs of the 1993 Pacific Liga Mayor de Beisbol on ebay for $1. Hopefully someone solves the mystery of the 1991 cards.

[Skipscards]

Yeah, I am almost positive these are promo cards. I don't think Pacific did baseball until later. I remember there being a rare Sandberg Pacific prototype card back in the day but that was blank back, not like these.

Ok, I found some info on the 1991 Sandberg card that leads me to believe these were simply promo cards that prepared them for their eventual 1993 release. From Beckett:

This (1991 Pacific Ryne Sandberg) standard-size card was produced by Pacific Trading Cards in order to help them secure a liscense with Major League Baseball. The front has a photo of Ryne Sandberg along with the necessary identification. The back is basically blank. The card has room for vital statistics, a brief biography and some statistics and each section is framed in red. A very limited number of these cards were produced. Almost all of these cards were destroyed. A prototype card of Leon Durham was produced in 1988. As far as is known, no copies of the Durham card have ever surfaced in the secondary market.

[SunDevilCards]

I have seen these before, and it's driving me a little crazy that I can't remember where they came from. My first thought was a Tuff Stuff magazine insert, too.

The other option was a magazine called "Sportscard Collector" from the early-90's had specials around Christmas with off mixtures of low-end or "off" brand cards that you could buy as a package. Remember the 1991 Pacific Nolan Ryan set? That was 1991 and the type of thing that was included in those packages. That set had MLB logos too, so they had to have some kind of limited licensing, no?

http://d2ydh70d4b5xgv.cloudfront.net/images/2/d/1991-pacific-nolan-ryan-nolan-sets-a-met-record-for-strikeouts-psa-gem-mint-10-e24ec39bb62ebf3a3854b584b91b09e7.jpg

Anyone else remember these things?

Yes. I have waaay too many of these.

[TarjetasBéisbol]

I think Topps could do well with a Spanish language set across multiple leagues and sold in multiple countries.

Donruss tried it in 2002 and it didn't work out so well. I still have a few boxes from a case I bought.

http://thumbs.ebaystatic.com/images/g/hXEAAOxy7nNTRHe9/s-l225.jpg

[Bounty13]

One more card was located, this time a Spanish version of the Gooden. So it's possible two versions of each card were made.

These will be headed to eBay shortly. PM me if you'd like more information. Thanks to all who tried to identify.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bounty13/DwightGoodenSpanishFront.jpghttp://img.photobucket.com/albums/v330/Bounty13/DwightGoodenSpanishBack.jpg

[jjr67]

I thought everyone would be interested to know another copy of the Thomas card is out here. I have absolutely no recollection how I came to own it, but I saw an auction recently for another copy, and as I usually do with oddball cards, I checked my own collection to see if I own it...and I do! I don't remember if it came in a lot I purchased on eBay, or by itself as an oddball from someone who didn't know what they had. All I know is I sent it off to PSA, and, as you guys surmised previously, they didn't grade it.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v224/The_Infidel/whywontthiswork.jpg~original

[etherealsoc]

I thought everyone would be interested to know another copy of the Thomas card is out here. I have absolutely no recollection how I came to own it, but I saw an auction recently for another copy, and as I usually do with oddball cards, I checked my own collection to see if I own it...and I do! I don't remember if it came in a lot I purchased on eBay, or by itself as an oddball from someone who didn't know what they had. All I know is I sent it off to PSA, and, as you guys surmised previously, they didn't grade it.
]

Great info. Thanks for letting us know. It's interesting to confirm there are more out there, but PSA doesn't know enough about them to grade them. To me these are some of the most desirable cards from the junk era and I'm glad I landed my PC guy.

[jjr67]

Hey, if anyone is interested, I'm selling the Frank Thomas Pacific card I pictured before. Also selling my 90 Topps NNOF, BGS 8.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/152603917567
http://www.ebay.com/itm/152603916120

[MeteoriteGuy]

I think they are fake...meaning unlicensed and made by who knows.

If they are real...why would they claim a license they didn't have....although wanted. Such action would insure they never got such I would think...and is pretty much fraud.

[HYPTZEMDSTRPLES]

Ignore.

[HYPTZEMDSTRPLES]

Never mind, the Gooden is in Spanish too. What was so bad about the Donruss set?

[HYPTZEMDSTRPLES]

How rare are the Thomas rookie with no name on the front?

[THE(NEXT)LEVEL]

I think they are fake...meaning unlicensed and made by who knows.

If they are real...why would they claim a license they didn't have....although wanted. Such action would insure they never got such I would think...and is pretty much fraud.

Agreed, these don't pass the smell test. I don't ever remember seeing these, and this was when I collected the most. I could be wrong, but.....

[bobthewondercat]

I really don't think these are fakes / counterfeits. Baseball card fakes are almost always of a product that is already valuable. Why would you produce a sheet of this and include Tony Pena et al if you were in the market for scamming? Especially then, Pacific had no MLB track record at all.

Most likely, out-of-license promo / test prints for a product that didn't occur until years later. Because its Pacific, market value won't be super-high, but they are apparently very rare (unless more turn up!) and IMO are very cool pieces.