'87 Donruss Factory Set Version Help Needed

[dblack]

Trying to confirm how to tell the difference between the factory set version and the pack-pulled version of '87 Donruss baseball cards. I know the back is "reversed" but which is which? Thansk!

[Archangel1775]

I usually look at the corners. There is a slight rounding to them, the factory set ones.

[Jazz Chisholm]

Edit: I’m an idiot

[towerymt]

Cool. I never knew this.

Number on right side:
https://ebay.com/itm/125265269904



Number on left side (far more common among all the PSA-10s I just clicked through on ebay):
https://ebay.com/itm/395016512502

[dblack]

Thank you everyone.

[dblack]

Originally Posted by Jazz Chisholm

Turn the card over. If the name and # are on the left hand side, it's from wax. If they're on the right, it's from a factory set

I believe it's the opposite. Name and # on the right, it's from wax. Name and # on the left, it's from a Factory set.

[clsports]

Well, damn. I never knew this either.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by dblack

I believe it's the opposite. Name and # on the right, it's from wax. Name and # on the left, it's from a Factory set.

Yep, and shows just how many of the PSA 10 examples come from factory sets (most psa 10s on ebay seem to be name/# on left, which is factory set). If anything you'd expect a slight premium for wax pack versions in psa 10s, based on the number you see. Doubt most people care/know about it though.

[f2tornado]

Originally Posted by DynaEtch

Yep, and shows just how many of the PSA 10 examples come from factory sets (most psa 10s on ebay seem to be name/# on left, which is factory set). If anything you'd expect a slight premium for wax pack versions in psa 10s, based on the number you see. Doubt most people care/know about it though.

It's possible many collectors don't even know about the variation. I didn't until I read this post and that was more formative collecting years. Now, if the graders could flag them as complete set variants like the more recent Topps stuff then there probably would be some added demand on the more difficult to find in high grade version.

[daveyc1]

I always hated the factory-set versions. they all had slightly rounded corners because of that boa constrictor-tight cellophane.

[JWBlue]

Aren't some of the 1980s Donruss factory set cards slightly smaller? I believe 1984 was.

[RiceBondsMT2Yng]

If I ever knew this, I had completely forgotten. Thanks a lot for the knowledge! Gonna go check my cards now.

[DynaEtch]

Originally Posted by f2tornado

It's possible many collectors don't even know about the variation. I didn't until I read this post and that was more formative collecting years. Now, if the graders could flag them as complete set variants like the more recent Topps stuff then there probably would be some added demand on the more difficult to find in high grade version.

I don’t see why the main graders don’t denote the versions on the label, pretty cut and dry different variants here.

A loose analogy perhaps, but almost like newsstand comic variant vs direct market, with the differing bar code. And generally newsstands are harder to come by in high grade like 9.8 since they were on the stands. For whatever reason (and a different reason than that), the factory set ones are the much more common psa 10 version. Being so tightly sealed in a packet within a factory set, vs inside a wax pack I guess. Also many wax pack cards were taken out and collected, acquired wear etc.

[JWBlue]

Does this apply to any other years besides 1987?

[RiceBondsMT2Yng]

Originally Posted by JWBlue

Does this apply to any other years besides 1987?

I found this online, which was helpful. I wonder if the site owner is a BO member?

http://www.oddball-mall.com/faq.htm

"1. What is the factory set variation on 1987 Donruss cards?

"Backs of cards issued in wax and rack packs face to the left when turned over, while those issued in factory sets face to the right." -- 1995 Sports Collectors Digest Baseball Card Price Guide

2. What is the factory set variation on 1988 Donruss cards?

"The design pattern of the factory set card fronts is oriented differently from that of the regular wax pack cards." -- 1993 Beckett Sports Americana Baseball Card Price Guide

If a player's card from wax packs has stripes in the upper left and lower right, his card from a factory set will have stripes in the upper right and lower left.

3. What is the factory set variation on 1990 Donruss cards?

The black dots on the borders of cards from the 1990 Donruss factory sets are in a different arrangement than on their wax counterparts.

4. What is the factory set variation on 1991 Donruss cards?

The colored stripes on the borders of cards from the 1991 Donruss factory sets are in a different arrangement than on their wax counterparts. Furthermore, the addition of yellow stripes on the borders of factory set cards is prevalent.

5. I got a 19-- Donruss "factory set variation" card from you and it is identical to the card I already had. What's the deal?

All of the factory set variation cards I send are pulled straight out of factory sets so you received the factory set version. The card that was in your collection (that you thought was from wax) was actually from a factory set. Now you need the regular wax version of that card.

6. What is the factory set variation on 1987 Sportflics cards?

"The cards in the factory-collated sets are copyrighted 1986, while the cards in the wax packs are copyrighted 1987 or show no copyright year on the back. Cards from wax packs with 1987 copyright are 1-35, 41-75, 81-115, 121-155, and 161-195; the rest of the numbers (when taken from wax packs) are found without a copyright year." -- 1993 Beckett Sports Americana Baseball Card Price Guide

7. What is the factory set variation on 1992 Upper Deck cards?

The small hologram on the backs of cards from the 1992 Upper Deck factory sets is made of "gold foil" as opposed to the "silver foil" which composes the holograms on regular Upper Deck cards.

8. What is the factory set variation on 1993 Upper Deck cards?

The silver/gold hologram explanation from 1992 Upper Deck still holds, but at most only a couple (possibly only one) factory sets in each case of factory sets contained cards with gold holograms. These are much rarer than the gold hologram variations from 1992.

9. What are the production numbers for the parallel sets you're selling singles from?

Baseball: 1984 Topps Nestle - estimated 4,000 sets*; 1988 Score Glossy - estimated 5,000 sets*; 1989 Bowman Tiffany - estimated 5,000 to 10,000 sets*; 1987 Fleer Glossy & Glossy Update - estimated 100,000 sets*; 1988 Fleer Glossy - estimated 60,000 sets*; 1992 Stadium Club East Coast National - 1,100 of each card*; 1992 Stadium Club National Convention - only 200 of each card*; 1993 Stadium Club Members Only - estimated 12,000 sets**; 1998 Topps Inaugural Diamondbacks & Devil Rays seals - 5,000 sets; 2000 Fleer Tradition Glossy - 10,000 sets; 2000 Topps Limited Edition - estimated 4,000 sets; 2001 Topps Limited Edition - estimated 4,000 sets; 2001 Topps Employee seals - less than 200 sets
Football: 1993 Stadium Club Members Only - estimated 10,000 sets**; 1996 Sportscall $2 Phone Cards - 5,040 sets

* - per 1997 Sports Collectors Digest Standard Catalog of Baseball Cards
** - per 1998 Beckett Football Card Price Guide"