Last Updated on April 24, 2025 by Matt Musico
Remember that shoebox of baseball cards in your parents’ attic? The one everyone said would be “worthless forever” because they were made during the infamous “junk wax” era? Well, don’t toss those cards just yet!
I came across a fun article by SI.com’s Jason Schwartz that discusses several hidden gems from this often-maligned period in card collecting. Below is a rundown of the cards he highlighted.
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The Elusive Autograph Chase
As any autograph collector knows, some signatures are simply harder to get than others. But the 1990 Donruss Brian Downing Diamond Kings card is a fascinating case.
While Schwartz noted that Downing regularly signs other cards (typically available for $10-20), he apparently has no interest in signing this specific Diamond Kings card. Another aspect that makes this card special is the interesting variants – one features him batting lefty with Dick Perez’s signature appearing backward as “zɘɿɘᑫ”!
I wonder what it is about this image that makes Downing reluctant to sign it? Is it the artistic rendering, or perhaps something else entirely? Whatever the reason, this reluctance has created an unexpected premium for collectors trying to complete autographed Diamond Kings sets.
Cultural Crossover Moments in Card History
The sports world stood still when Michael Jordan announced his retirement from basketball before pursuing his baseball ambitions. Before he ever stepped onto a minor league field, Upper Deck immortalized this moment with their 1991 SP1 Jordan card.
What’s fascinating here isn’t just its relative scarcity (inserted at roughly one per every 72 packs, per Schwartz) but how it represents a perfect snapshot of American sports culture at that time. Even all these years later, this card continues to command respect:
- Only about 3,000 examples have achieved the coveted PSA 10 status
- These gem mint copies regularly fetch $400+
- Even raw copies maintain $15-20 values decades later
Even though Jordan’s baseball experiment wasn’t long and ultimately ended before his goal of reaching the majors, the basketball legend’s baseball card is still a hot commodity!
Military Connections: Cards That Served
Now, let’s discuss the 1991 Topps Desert Shield set.
These cards, created specifically for American troops deployed during Operation Desert Shield/Storm, feature a distinctive gold foil logo that separates them from regular Topps cards. About 6,000-7,000 of these sets were produced (compared to the millions of standard sets), these cards represent both collecting history and military memorabilia.
Schwartz specifically notes the Chipper Jones rookie card from this set, which has become a popular target:
- PSA 10 examples can command five-figure prices
- Even cards in moderate condition (PSA 5) regularly sell for $600+
- Many never returned from deployment or suffered condition issues in the harsh desert environment
The Test Prints That Almost Weren’t
While Pacific Trading Cards was primarily known for their football sets in the early ’90s, they created some fascinating baseball prototypes that have become very popular within the hobby. Their 1991 test prints – Schwartz mentioned these were reportedly limited to just 20 complete sets – featured legends like Rickey Henderson, Frank Thomas, and Dwight Gooden.
These weren’t intended for public distribution – they were essentially tests that somehow made it into the collecting world. For Henderson collectors specifically, the challenge is doubled with both English and Spanish variants floating around, per Schwartz.
The Surprise Factor: Unexpected Treasures
Finally, let’s talk about what made collecting in the early ’90s so exciting – the genuine surprise factor. Unlike today’s products where every possible insert is advertised on the packaging, early premium inserts like the 1991 Donruss Elite Series Nolan Ryan appeared without warning.
Without internet forums or social media, word about these ultra-rare finds traveled the old-fashioned way – through card shops, trading circles, and eventually magazines – creating excitement that feels different than what we’re used to today.
These Elite inserts (and their companion Signature Series autographs) represented the earliest experiments with what would eventually transform the entire hobby into the hit-driven market we know today.
Modern Lessons from Vintage Surprises
What these five examples can teach modern collectors is that true rarity can exist even in supposedly mass-produced eras. Whether through limited distribution channels, military exclusivity, prototype testing, or simply an athlete’s reluctance to sign certain images, these cards have defied their “junk wax” origins.
Have you rediscovered any forgotten treasures in your old collections? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments!
This article was inspired by Jason Schwartz’s research for SI.com into rare baseball cards from the junk wax era. His work has shed light on some truly fascinating collecting stories that might otherwise have been overlooked.
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