Remember when we were told those baseball cards from the late ’80s and early ’90s were worthless? Well, it turns out those mountains of junk wax era baseball cards contain some genuine treasures that can fetch some serious coin in today’s market.
SI.com’s Jason Schwartz recently highlighted five rare gems from the junk wax era that he deemed “impossible” to find. Let’s dive into these cardboard unicorns that defy everything we thought we knew about junk wax.
Editor’s Note: New to MLB Daily Dingers? Then Start Here!
5 of the Most Rare Junk Wax Era Baseball Cards
The Diamond King Who Refuses to Sign
Ever tried getting Brian Downing’s autograph on his 1990 Donruss Diamond Kings card? Yeah — good luck with that. While Schwartz noted that Downing regularly signs other cards (typically available for $10-20), he apparently has a particular aversion to signing this specific card.
What makes this even more intriguing is that there are two variants of this Downing card in the 1990 Donruss set—one with him batting lefty featuring Dick Perez’s signature appearing backward as “zɘɿɘᑫ,” and another with him batting righty.
I’ve always wondered what it is about this particular card that makes Downing reluctant to sign. Whatever his reasons, it’s created an unexpected premium for collectors attempting to complete autographed Diamond Kings sets.
When Basketball Royalty Met Baseball Cardboard
Michael Jordan shocked the sports world by retiring from basketball following his third straight NBA title to pursue baseball. But years before that happened, Upper Deck released the 1991 SP1 Jordan card. Inserted at roughly one per every 72 packs, this card represents the perfect snapshot of a unique truly unique collectible.
The numbers on this card are eye-opening, according to PSA:
- Only about 3,000 examples have achieved the coveted PSA 10 status
- These gem mint copies regularly command $400+
- Even raw copies maintain $15-20 values decades later
While MJ’s pro baseball career stalled before he returned to the NBA, it’s interesting to see a baseball card of his be so in demand all these decades later.
The Desert Shield Gems That Served
The 1991 Topps Desert Shield set represents something truly special in card collecting. Created specifically for deployed American troops, these cards feature a distinctive gold foil logo setting them apart from regular Topps cards.
With only about 6,000-7,000 sets produced (compared to the millions of standard Topps sets), these cards bridge collecting history and military memorabilia. The Chipper Jones rookie from this set is particularly legendary:
- PSA 10 examples can hit five-figure prices
- Even moderate condition copies (PSA 5) regularly sell for $600+
Many of these cards never made it back from deployment or suffered damage in the harsh desert conditions, making well-preserved examples even more of a hot commodity than they already were.
The Test Prints That Escaped
Pacific Trading Cards was mainly known for football sets in the early ’90s. However, they created some fascinating baseball prototypes that have achieved mythical status. Their 1991 test prints reportedly consisted of just 20 complete sets featuring legends like Rickey Henderson, Frank Thomas, and Dwight Gooden.
For die-hard Henderson collectors, the challenge doubles with both English and Spanish variants floating around in the collecting world. Talk about hard to find!
The Surprise Insert That Changed Everything
What made collecting in the early ’90s so exciting was the genuine surprise factor. Unlike today’s products where every possible insert is advertised on the packaging, early premium cards 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 an electric atmosphere of discovery that feels vastly different from today’s collecting experience.
These pioneering insert cards essentially laid the groundwork for the hit-driven market we know today.
The moral of the story? Don’t be so quick to dismiss those “junk wax” boxes gathering dust in your closet. True rarity can exist even in supposedly mass-produced eras, and your next great find might be hiding in the most unexpected place!
What “impossible” junk wax cards have you come across? Drop a comment below with your own cardboard treasures!
Love home runs? Sign up for my Substack today and start getting interesting home run-related observations straight to your inbox three times per week!
Leave a Reply