About

The 1990s were some high times for sports cards.  Innovations like serial numbers, autographs, relics, and printing plates all appeared in the 90s, and these cards define today's collection hobby (for better or worse).  This blog follows my efforts to collect some of the "rare" chase cards of the 90s by ripping lots of boxes and maybe the occasional group of loose packs.  I put rare in quotes because it's hard to say that a card with a press run of 5,000 is rare, but it's still a challenge to pull one from the sea of over-produced 90s boxes.

Here is specificially what I collect...

• serial-numbered cards
  Cards with serial numbers first hit the scene in 1990.  I collect these cards from the years of 1990, and 1991.  This is the sweet spot of the junk wax era, and these boxes are easily found in quantity for good prices.
• autographed cards
  Like serial numbers, autographs on cards first appeared in 1990.  I collect autographs from 1990 and 1991.  One of the best things about early autographs is that they are all on-card.  One of the worst things about early autographs is that they are often faded.
• relic cards
  Relics were originally used in cards in 1996.  I collect relics from 1996 and 1997.  Boxes tend to be a bit more pricey in this date range.  It seems that products that included relics are still fairly popular and therefore higher priced.
• printing plates
  Printing plates were first released in products in 1997 by Pinnacle.  I collect plates from 1997 and 1998.  The particular products that included the first printing plates can be found at low prices.  I like plates because they are sort of memorabilia from the card industry.

Each month I will try to post at least one break targeting each of the four areas I collect.  Boxes containing relic cards will be toughest (from a budget standpoint).