Show Off Your Rare 90's Inserts Thread

[hatchd]

Originally Posted by Big35Hurt

This is generally what I collect...1990-2005 Frank Thomas from his playing days with the Sox. I try to avoid stuff from his Jays/Athletics playing days and stuff from after he retired. I am also not a fan of his minor league or Auburn playing cards but some of those seem be desired.

Sounds like about 90% of the Frank collectors. I make a few exceptions for post posting days (Heritage Blacks, black/gold refractors) but there is very little interest other than that. I want to grab an 87 Auburn card but there always seems to be something more interesting to buy


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[Imnottheonly]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

I would move Larkin up to Tier 3. His market is absurd right now. I am repeatedly getting outbid on cards that I put bids that are double what I think the card will go for. And the prices realized are much higher than those others listed in Tier 3.

This list was a stab based on a little research I’ve done for a PC project I’m starting but there is definitely more research needed to refine it a little more.

It’s tricky with the scarcity of a lot of the cards that finding a good number of the elite players from the same set that sell around the same time isn’t that easy so it’s been a bit of an interpretive exercise so far.

To add to that there is also a question of how many tiers, I’m not sure if 5 is right, players still can easily jump up or down a tier for a time based on how much of the rare stuff has come to market. But expanding the tiers makes it worse, not better, and reducing the tiers might create too much of a range within the tier. IDK something to work on, appreciate the insight, I’ve admired your collection on this board and I’ll take the feedback!

[hatchd]

Originally Posted by Imnottheonly

This list was a stab based on a little research I’ve done for a PC project I’m starting but there is definitely more research needed to refine it a little more.

It’s tricky with the scarcity of a lot of the cards that finding a good number of the elite players from the same set that sell around the same time isn’t that easy so it’s been a bit of an interpretive exercise so far.

To add to that there is also a question of how many tiers, I’m not sure if 5 is right, players still can easily jump up or down a tier for a time based on how much of the rare stuff has come to market. But expanding the tiers makes it worse, not better, and reducing the tiers might create too much of a range within the tier. IDK something to work on, appreciate the insight, I’ve admired your collection on this board and I’ll take the feedback!

When I do this exercise I generally look at Flair Legacies and Green/Purple Crusades. Rare enough to fetch good prices but common enough to have actual recent sales data. But even that's a crap shoot sometimes


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[NYBBFAN]

If we really want to be true to the 90s, we’d call the tiers "rows" and start with 0.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by NYBBFAN

If we really want to be true to the 90s, we’d call the tiers "rows" and start with 0.

Good idea. But I'm a Gold Label fan. Let's go with Class 1, 2, and 3.

[OhioLawyerF5]

Originally Posted by Imnottheonly

This list was a stab based on a little research I’ve done for a PC project I’m starting but there is definitely more research needed to refine it a little more.



It’s tricky with the scarcity of a lot of the cards that finding a good number of the elite players from the same set that sell around the same time isn’t that easy so it’s been a bit of an interpretive exercise so far.



To add to that there is also a question of how many tiers, I’m not sure if 5 is right, players still can easily jump up or down a tier for a time based on how much of the rare stuff has come to market. But expanding the tiers makes it worse, not better, and reducing the tiers might create too much of a range within the tier. IDK something to work on, appreciate the insight, I’ve admired your collection on this board and I’ll take the feedback!

Yeah, your list was good. I'm just frustrated losing out on some big cards the past 2 weeks that went for Bonds-like numbers. And it doesn't help that I paid twice what I wanted to have to pay for the Crusade Red. But it's my favorite card of all time, so I can't complain.

[hatchd]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Yeah, your list was good. I'm just frustrated losing out on some big cards the past 2 weeks that went for Bonds-like numbers. And it doesn't help that I paid twice what I wanted to have to pay for the Crusade Red. But it's my favorite card of all time, so I can't complain.

Brother, I collect Ray Lankford and his 99 PMG just went for $450. For a Ray Lankford card that might as well be Bonds prices


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[Imnottheonly]

Originally Posted by hatchd

Brother, I collect Ray Lankford and his 99 PMG just went for $450. For a Ray Lankford card that might as well be Bonds prices

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I think all 90s collectors should have their own Ray Lankford, a way to get some of those top shelf 90s sets without paying the prices. Might need to start snapping up some Ryan Klesko's. But man $450 is rough for an above average regular.

[hatchd]

Originally Posted by Imnottheonly

I think all 90s collectors should have their own Ray Lankford, a way to get some of those top shelf 90s sets without paying the prices. Might need to start snapping up some Ryan Klesko's. But man $450 is rough for an above average regular.

This is EXACTLY why I started collecting him. I got back into this in 2014 when I could pick up Thomas PMGs for sub-$200, Legacies for $50, most /100 cards were $40 or below. His stuff got so expensive that I switched to Ray to go back to the good ol' days of spending lunch money on cards, not car payment money. Told myself I'd never spend over $100 on a Lankford card. That didn't last long.

BTW Klesko is a perfect 90s player to collect. He still has some hardcore collectors but not so many that kill his prices.

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[bbteamw]

=
Tier 1: Griffey

Tier 2: Jeter, Bonds, Thomas (in that order)

Tier 3: Ripken, Jones, Big Unit, Pedro, Maddux, Vladdy, Mo Rivera, Ortiz (for the limited stuff he has from that time), McGwire.

Tier 4: Bagwell, Gwynn, Piazza, Pudge, Walker, Thome, Beltre (also not a ton from the era) Larkin

Tier 5: Biggio, Glavine, Edgar, Rolen, Mcgriff, Helton, Mussina, Smoltz, Halladay, Alomar

I collected Rivera pretty heavily as he became a superstar and there just aren't many super high end 90s inserts of him because he didn't debut until 1995, was only a middle reliever in 1996, and became the closer in 1997.

Aside from the 1997 Flair 1/1s, the only real inserts of note (to me) in 1997 were the Flair Legacy Collection/100 and the 1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Gold/30.

Things picked up in 1998 and 1999, when you had the following sets:

1998 Bowman Chrome Golden Anniversary /5
1998 & 99 PMG/50
1998 & 99 Super Rave/25
1998 Century Marks/100
1998 Fleer Vintage Classic/63
1998 Zenith Z-Gold/100
1999 Bowman Chrome Gold refractors/25
1999 Skybox Star Rubies/50
1999 MVP Super Script/25
1998 Gold Label Red/25
1999 Fleer Starting 9/9
1998 & 1999 Fleer Platinum Medallion/100 & 99

The volume of inserts just isn't there as compared to the star players who were more established earlier in the 90s.

Rivera's hobby popularity didn't explode until the early to mid-2000s, which made it great to be a player collector in the 90s.

I managed to pick up one or more copies of all his major 90s inserts except the Starting 9, the 99 Super Rave, and the Bowman Chrome Golden Anniversary/5 (which I've still never seen).

Jastermereel (eBay user ID) had the greatest Mariano collection I've seen and I believe he sold his collection to Scott Forgerelli.

[bbteamw]

[Archangel1775]

Whut the F*cdge?

[swabie2424]

Tony Gwynn may be in tier 4 but he’s in tier 1 in my soul. I’m a Yankees fan but I never turn down a reasonably priced TG rarity!

[bbteamw]

I lied, Rivera is also in the 1996 Leaf Signature Series with a gold parallel autograph, so he does have a pre-1997 super high end insert.

[Archangel1775]

Originally Posted by swabie2424

Tony Gwynn may be in tier 4 but he’s in tier 1 in my soul. I’m a Yankees fan but I never turn down a reasonably priced TG rarity!

He actually gets snagged up pretty quickly in the groups I'm in. The problem I have is, being in Southern California, I expected to see some great Tony Gwynn collections with late 90's inserts for sale....nope.

[corockies]

Originally Posted by OhioLawyerF5

Yeah, your list was good. I'm just frustrated losing out on some big cards the past 2 weeks that went for Bonds-like numbers. And it doesn't help that I paid twice what I wanted to have to pay for the Crusade Red. But it's my favorite card of all time, so I can't complain.

Did you see that 2024 Panini Crusades have the same design as the 1998 Crusades? I don't think many realize they did that. I grabbed an Amador Red /25 for $5 to compare them and they are exactly the same background, only the front logo is different.

[NYBBFAN]

Originally Posted by Archangel1775

He actually gets snagged up pretty quickly in the groups I'm in. The problem I have is, being in Southern California, I expected to see some great Tony Gwynn collections with late 90's inserts for sale....nope.

I don’t have anything tremendous of Gwynn, but none of it is for sale either! It’s not often his best cards become available.

[swabie2424]

Those are awesome NYBBFan!

And agree that top-notch Gwynn stuff rarely shows. He’s so beloved as a player and was so well liked as a human that those who collect him hold on tightly. I’m actually surprised his autos haven’t drastically risen.

[mattglet]

Originally Posted by swabie2424

Those are awesome NYBBFan!

And agree that top-notch Gwynn stuff rarely shows. He’s so beloved as a player and was so well liked as a human that those who collect him hold on tightly. I’m actually surprised his autos haven’t drastically risen.

I bought this card (1996 Leaf Signature Series) in August 2020 for $78. A raw sold in March for $237 and a SGC 9.5 sold in April for $264. That's drastic enough for me

[bbteamw]

1998 Fleer Ultra Series 2 Albert Belle Pizzazz Platinum Medallion 98/98

Based on the serial number, this card should be from one of the five (5) complete set redemptions that were issued in packs.

[gradedeflator]

Seeing bbteamw's post on the Mariano's made me pull this up. I took it a day too late, I had just sold my 4th 1998 PMG the day before. ah well.

[Mephisto]

Added this one a little earlier this after it would be listed with different BINs and auctions that were ended early. It wound up being sent to Probstein and the auction completed at a significantly lower price than I had offered previously.

This one completed having one of Skidmark’s Essential Credentials from 1997-2000.


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[bbteamw]

A 9.5 PMG?!

Amazing feat with their predisposition to chipping.

[Mephisto]

Is there a version of this thread for the 2000’s? So many of the guys on the Tier list had their careers carry over into the 2000’s with just a few of them playing into the 2000’s. I wind up collecting past 1999 but very little of my personal
collection is post 2009. I’d love to see the spill over.

[here2havefun]

Originally Posted by Mephisto

Is there a version of this thread for the 2000’s? So many of the guys on the Tier list had their careers carry over into the 2000’s with just a few of them playing into the 2000’s. I wind up collecting past 1999 but very little of my personal
collection is post 2009. I’d love to see the spill over.

I'd vote post them in this thread, the cut off should be 2009.