Conference school::sports_memorabilia

    Just heard from Rotman's about their 89 TOPPS prices. In the past
    years you could get a "break" by ordering early and putting 50%
    down. Not this year.
    
    They want $179 for a vending case and $249 for wax pack case. The
    TOPPS factory set will be $19.95. You have to put 100% down on up
    to 5 cases.
    
    This is no big deal as this will be the price later when the cards
    are available...usually in Feb.
    
    If anyone knows a place where you can beat that and pick them up
    to avoid the shipping (MA. and NH) please let us know
    
    Jared

    Correction on the Wax Cases. There 209.?? a case. FYI Topps have
    gone up 12% across the board. There should be some early wax hitting
    within a couple of weeks, be prepaired to pay a primo price for
    the early stuff. Personally I'd just wait a couple of months until
    the prices go down. Mike, If you buy direct from score you can get
    set cases for $224.00 or $14.00 a set. I think you only have to
    order one case, but you might need a tax I.D. I know if you look
    around you can get Fleer and Donruss cases at around $270 or better.
                                             
    Howard

    re:-2  
    
    I've heard that '89 TOPPS are out in limited quantity.  I don't
    know if they have shown their faces in the northland where you guys
    are but I've seen a few dealers with them here in Dallas.  They're
    only asking $1.00 per pack.  (insert sarcasm here).
    
    Joe

    My wife presented me with a wax box of 1989 Topps cards as a Christmas
    present.  A couple of things I noticed. 
    
    	1) There are now Topps cards for the #1 draft picks of each
    	   team.
    
    	2) Tim Raines's card has his name as Rock Raines.  Has anyone
    	   heard of him referred to that way?
    
    By the way there are now 15 cards in a pack, they are 45 cents each
    for a wax pack, and the "special offer cards" now offer everything
    from T-shirts to hats.
    
    						Tim Garahan

    I found them here in the west just about every place for .45 a
    pack.($16.00 a box). Lots of first round draft picks and future
    stars. I like this years graphics, too. Haven't seen donruss or
    fleer, but I've heard of donruss for .75


                                            John D.
    

    I have seen the Topps in a lot of stores in eastern MA. Some places
    are getting .50, but most are .45.
    
    Overall it's a nice set. A lot like the '65 (??) set. The only gripe
    I have is with the #1 Draft pick cards. Do we really need high school
    kids getting their own cards. It looks kinda funny with his high
    school stats on the back.
    
    

    You are right the 89 set does have the same basic design as the
    1965 Topps set.  What stores in Eastern Mass have you seen the wax
    packs?
    
    							Tim Garahan

    Corbett Drug store in Waverley Square, Belmont and Qwik-Stop on
    Pawtucket Street in Lowell. Corbett's wanted .50 and Qwik-Stop
    .45. Both appeared to have a "good" stock.
    
    John G.

	I bought some '89 Score Wax today in Marlboro; the guy
	had a case, but paid a premium so he was selling them
	for .75/pack.  I tried to resist, but the temptation was
	too great so I bought a couple packs.  They are nicer than
	last year!

    1989 Donruss are starting to show up here on the west coast @ .75
    a pack. Haven't seen Fleer yet, and I understand they're distributed
    in the east first. You guys will probably see them before I do.


                                                          John D.
    

    JUST OPENED MY FIRST BOX OF 89D-  WOW - I'VE BEEN COLLECTING TOPPS
    FOR DECADES ( MISSIONARY COLLECTOR- TOPPS ONLY).  DONRUSS DID AN
    EXCELLENT JOB, THE CLARITY OF THE PICTURES IS BEST EVER.  GUESS
    IT'S A MID LIFE CRISIS- NOW I'M A DONRUSS MAN-WHERE CAN I GET SOME
    MORE, AT SOMETHING LESS THAN THE NATIONAL DEBT??
    MIKE AKA HOMETOWN HERO

    Here,here!! Actually, I didn't care much for the Donruss 89's. I
    think the borders look cheap, like a carnival prize or something.


                                               John D.
    

    there isn't any way to account for bad taste.
    in an effort to bring harmony to your missionary habits, i'll accept
    your donruss( he parries slyly ).
    hometown hero
    

    Maybe I ought to buy some just so I could trade with you 8^. Seriously,
    though, the only ones I've seen have belonged to someone else. He
    said he paid $27.00 for the box. That's a bit steep even for cards
    I'm hot for (it seems to me, anyway).


                                         John D.
    

    Donruss and Score are down to $15/box at shows here - Topps
    is $13-$14, now.
    
    ..........steve
    

    Went to a show here last Saturday. All that everybody was looking
    for was '89 cards. All the dealers sold out of Topps in about 2
    hours (average $16.00 a box). Donruss was also moving briskly for
    a bit more. What really suprized me was the "Fleer Frenzy" that
    was taking place. The price per box ranged from a low of $26.00
    to a high of $35.00, and the people were acting like this was the
    bargain of the century! What was really the icing on the cake was
    the plight of the dealers that showed up with quality old stuff.
    They weren't making a dime! I tell you, this was something to see.
    Of course, since I prefer the "antiques" anyway, I helped myself
    to a few bargains (felt sorry for 'em, ha,ha). Suprizing how easy
    and reasonable these guys were to deal with when nobody wanted thier
    stuff! Anyway, just thought I'd pass it along in case any of you
    old card collectors haven't been to a show since the new stuff hit
    the streets. Now's the time. Sure hope it lasts for a while.
                                               
    
    
                                     John D.

    Bill Ripken 1989 Fleer card is being recalled because of an obsenity.
    Seems his bat handle has a certain word written on the bat handle.
    I think its the "F" word. A picture is in USA/Today. I guess the
    card is valued at $5. BTW, the photo is taken in friendly Fenway.
    These errors are always a reason to get cards from the earliest
    possible shipment.
    
    John

    re .26
    
    	Any kid with $30k to "invest" is not your typical boy-next-door.  
    Maybe his Dad is Chairman of the Board for Topps ?!?  In any case,
    he obviously has connections.  Nice profit though. :^)
    
    Frank
    
    	
    

re: .25
     
    Fleer will eat alot of cases on this one. It would take too much
    time and money to search the returns; their most efficient way of
    dealing with this will be to destroy all returns and print new runs.
    Of course, we collectors can expect dealers to cry "shortage" for
    as long as they can get away with. I won't be suprized to see prices
    go sky-high for '89 Fleer and stay that way forever. Unless Fleer
    really mass produces more cards to fill the demand (we know thier
    history on this) there just plain won't be relatively as many Fleer
    as every thing else. To all you who bought Fleer wax and haven't
    opened them yet, you probably shouldn't yet. They may become very
    valuable in the months and years to come.
    
    
                                      John D.

    re .25
    I'm typing this at 7:00am monday the 23rd.  Ripkins were selling
    out in New york on friday for $50.00.  Scoreboard sold 200
    within 20 mins.  Sunday the card sold out at $140.00. Cases are
    selling out at $1,000.00.
    Repeat my earlier comments, It's a sad day for the hobby.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero.
    
    

    re "the boy next door"
    Large Quantities of every card that Topps has produced since 1984
    were available as early as October of the year before they were
    introduced.  This happens because the 12 companies that cut sheets
    for Topps have the option of taking their fee in cards.
    If you want to get into this business you have to buy a cutting
    license from Topps, 300K and some laser cutters 1m each. Then you
    can have as many Rooks as you want before they are out.
    The boy next store didn't do anything except sell cards that he
    didn't have.  Read SCD or BHN or Tuff Stuff from October
    to Feb.  Every advertiser does it.  Is it right? Don't know.
    

    I saw many places that had fleer cards over the weekend. How is
    that if they are being recalled? I bought 10 packs since Fleer is
    the one set I like to collect and there it was clear as day on a
    Ripkin card. Maybe the recall is once again dealer hipe? The hobby
    may need a shot in the arm right now but I don't think this is it.
    
    

    Sorry, gang. Didn't know the topic had already been brought up.
    I even heard about it on the radio this morning. $75-$100, they
    said. By the way, I'm pretty sure it's ripkEn, not ripkIn, and since
    there are so many of them, we might as well spell it right.
    This maybe belongs under "Trivia", but since there's so much uproar
    about the Ripken card, I wonder why nobody cares about Al Sima's
    1954 Topps card.  The cartoon on the back shows a bowling alley
    scene, and one of the bystanders clearly has NO PANTS ON!

    	Personally Tony, I hope some of the wheeler/dealers run out
    and buy five or six for 50 bucks a pop and then can't sell them
    next year for a buck. Maybe there's a lesson to be taught here for
    some of the "hobbyist's" who are trying to make more of a card than
    it's worth.
    
    Chuck

    re:-1
    
    amen!
    
    I was talking to a dealer today.  He told me that Fleer cases are
    going for, now get this, $1200.00 per.  He also said that Fleer
    has offered a buy-back program of 2 cases of reprinted for every
    case out there today.  Everybody is talking about Ripken, but what
    about the proof editor, you know, the guy who selects the pictures.
    
    I saw the card this past weekend and it's right there jumping out
    at you.  Selling for $100+.  I think the dealers are causing this
    to get out of hand.  Wax packs for $2.50-3.00, come on!  I'm usually
    a quiet observer of this conference with an occasional entry but
    this has really got my goat!
    
    Joe

We have to remember that Fleer is in business to make a profit, and
they are probably whooping it up in the boardroom because this 
sort of thing pumps up investor interest artificially.  It's not
like the US Mint or the Post Office immediately destroying plates
of coins or stamps that contain errors.  How eager are they to get
their Fleer cases back from dealers?  How eager are dealers to hold
onto them?  How eager are *we* to plunk down $3 or $4 dollars for
a pack so we can cash in?  My guess is that Fleer takes *several*
pictures of each player before they decide, and that someone pro-
bably *did* see the f-word, realized what it would do for investor
interest, and then just didn't give a f**k.
- Jim
   <<< Note 327.34 by CERBUS::KARLSON "Only 335 shopping days until Xmas!" >>>

    
    RE: .-1
    
    	Yes, it's ripkEn, not ripkIn.  Of course, I haven't seen anyone
    misspelling "f*ck f*ce".  8^)
    
    								-rjk

    re:.40
    
    I disagree with your statement about Fleer whooping it up in the
    boardroom over the card.  Sure, their in business to make a profit.
    It probably costs them one-half to one cent per card to manufacture
    a complete run, if not less.  Their profit is made the day they
    ship product out the door.  Not after.  They may profit some in
    the future through "investor" interest in hope of another F***-up
    but this year's cards are history when they leave the set-up room.
    
    The vendor has nothing to gain by letting a card of this type hit
    the street.  At best, it puts doubt in the minds of "collectors"
    as to the business ethics of the vendor.
    
    The fact that Fleer is offering a 2 for 1 return program says to
    me that they are embarrased by the situation and are  taking measures
    to correct.  A 2 for 1 return policy does not enhance the bottom
    line.
    
    Joe

    Fleer is offering 4 for one.  Toys r Us has returned their cases,
    no fools in that Fleer does not intend to change anything in their
    packaging (wrappers or boxes or serial #s).  The packs will continue
    to sell for high prices even after the ff's are well out of 
    production because new packs will look like old packs.  Greed rules.
    The price of the FF's will continue to escalate, these cards were
    only released in Baltimore and New England.  The rest of the Us
    will make the price for the 100,000 released well up into the 
    $200.00 range.  I cant't wait to get one to share with my 9 year
    old, and the Little League team that I coach.
    It's not good. 
    Tony, I'm getting nervous I've agreed twice with you in two days
    I must need a check up.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero.

    I have to confess that I am the proud, or not so proud, depending
    on your stance owner of a Ripken FF. And my brother owns one also.
    
    My brother bought 1 1/2 boxes (1/2 box for me) of Fleer at Waverley
    Exchange in Belmont, MA at the beginning of last week. He paid $30
    a box for them ($45 for the 1 1/2 boxes). We also bought many boxes
    of SCORE and Donruss as we were planning on a Super Bowl BB card
    opening party for Sunday. Well the first article in McPaper perked
    up our interest in the Fleers and my brother went down to Waverley
    Exchange for more of them. He found that the price on a box had
    gone up over $10 because of the mistake card. We figured that that
    was too much and didn't buy any. We figured who cares about a mistake
    card that at the time was worth $5 at the most. Sunday comes and
    I get the card in my second of eighteen packs. My brother opens
    his 36 and gets one too. We had a great time laughing at the cards
    until the last three days when we find out how much their worth.
    
    Needless to say my bother is as I type out trying to gouge some
    dealer for a trade or cash. And I think he'll start out at Hall's
    rip-off. Opps... I meant Hall's Nostalgia. Whatever.
    
    This is our big chance to get the dealers back! Too bad Mr. Mint
    isn't in town. I'd like to get $100 from him and see the bottom
    drop out on the foolish thing.
    
    John

    Yeah, but did anybody check out the back of the '54 Topps Al Sima
    yet? Trust me on this one. It's a naked (well, half-naked) bowler.
    
    I'd bet the farm that one of Ripken's practical jokester teammates
    is responsible for the whole thing.  It reminds me of one time back
    in the sixties when a bunch of the California Angels were picking
    on pitcher Dean Chance during Leon "Cheeky" Wagner's birthday party
    in the clubhouse.  Nobody would let Dean have any cake until Jimmy
    Piersall and Jim Fregosi started protesting. "What are you trying
    to tell us," asked manager Bill Rigney. To which Piersall replied,
    "All we are saying is give Chance a piece."

   Re: -.1


        #216


							Dave

    RE .45
    Before you go, how much did you want for the Ripkin?
    Just kidding.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero
    

    re .49
    Thanks for the quotation marks, Tony, but what does he mean by "us
    UNscrupulous collector types." Some of us have a few scruples left.
    I found one in my glove compartment just the other day. Did you
    see the Sima card yet?

    I hang my collecting head in shame. But boy am I glad to have gotten
    a chance at one of these silly things. 
    
    I actually traded the the foolish card for more cards last night,
    so I am no longer in posession........Does this mean I can stay?
    
    I beg forgiveness :^)   (But I'm still happy to have profitted.)
    
    John

    Since your willing to forgive Roy, I'll come clean. I got 2 boxes
    of 1989 SCORE, a box of 1989 Topps, and a box of 1989 Donruss.
    
    Not nearly as much as I had hoped.
    
    My brother called several card shops inside 128 and some were "hot"
    on the card and others were VERY "down" on the card. In particular
    Hall's would have nothing to do with it. They were saying they wouldn't
    touch it. Someone else he talked to told him (I don't know what
    store/dealer) they wouldn't do any shows that the card was selling
    at. Apparently, according to him (I'll ask who HE was) there is
    a movement by the dealers to boycott the card (maybe they don't
    have enough). We traded with someone who was very happy to get it.
    
    I'll get more info.
    
    John

    Boycotting the Ripken card, huh?  What a crock.  How many dealers
    boycott the unlicensed sets, like the Broders, or the ridiculously
    overpriced cards, like the Canseco rookie?  I talked to one dealer
    who was selling Fleer at slightly over retail, no limit, until the
    scandal came to light.  Then he started getting phone calls from
    all over the country, and he had no objection to selling cases at
    $1000.  And who can blame him? However, he didn't want to sell any
    locally at that price.
    Guess he didn't want it coming back on him when "the" card sinks
    down to $5 or less.  This same dealer has decided not to pursue
    the Upper Deck cards. "Enough is enough," says he.
                        

    RE:.42
    "...These cards were only distributed in Baltimore and New England..."
    
    If that were true people here in Calif. wouldn't be getting them
    in wax packs, and they are. I got two at 7-Eleven before the story
    broke and any of us knew it existed.
    

                                        John D.
    

    re .58
    curiouser and curioser-Fleer said only in the Baltimore and New
    England Area.  Only possible explanation is that 7/11 has it's
    Hq or distribution center in one of those two places.
    Anyone else outside of New England ( God's Country ) or Baltimore
    ( not God's country ) have Fleer show up outside of BB card stores??
    Mike aka Hometown Hero

    Went to a show in Whiteplains N.Y. this weekend,tons of RIP-kin
    cards going from $40 to $80.Also saw tons of Fleer cases.If you
    tried to sell one to a dealer youd be luckey to get $10.The
    only place there might be a shortage of this card is China!!What
    a joke.This thing is making a farce out of the whole business (
    sorry i mean hobby)
    
    Pete

    Read Madden's column in the GLOBE 2/31/89 ( BOSTON GLOBE )
    Regards Mike aka Hometown Hero
    

    Mike, I don't get the Globe, and you seem to be a month early 2/31/89??
    
    What's he say??
    
    	Chuck

    re .63
    Sorry, obviously I meant 1/31. Madden's column in the Globe Sports
    Section addresses the sleeze factor in collectables.  He leads with
    the Ripken Card and then writes about Canseco's refusal to sign
    a shirt because it wasn't authentic, and because it wasn't purchased
    from a specific dealer at the show where he was appearing.  It seems
    that you need to pay $4 to get into the show, $14 to wait in line
    to get an autograph, plus buy the item to be signed from a designated
    vendor.  It's really out of hand, I blame the buyers. 

    
    Has anyone looked closely at the 1972 Topps Billy Martin, not sure
    of the number. He is leaning on a bat giving the world the finger.
    
    Roger Negri
    

    The player is Pete Stanicek (sp) the note says STANO. Note, the
    price of the Ripken is on the rise.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero

    I attended a card show in Tucson (that's in Arizona for those of
    you not familiar).  Because Tucson is a relatively small city and
    far away from MLB, I expected prices might be a tad lower than Beckett.
    Silly me.  It almost seems like Beckett is becoming a minimum, rather
    than a guide.  Anyway, the Billy Ripken card went for $30. and the
    1989 Score set (hand collated, of course) was going for $21.
    									phil

    re Ripken Error
    Corrected wax and cello are on the market through most major chains.
    The interesting part is that the wax is priced at .99/pack and the
    cello at 1.49/pack at stores like WALLGREEN. Obviously, this has
    many implications-first and most importantly I saved my cash. Second,
    it appears that chain stores are in the card business to stay.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero
      

    I noticed the FLEER hype hitting home. In Fitchburg Center across
    from the 9 foot birthday cake (Town's 225th) There is a store with
    a large florecent poster "We Have 1989 FLEER".
    	
    	-John

    
    - My cousin owns a store in VT and had already put aside two
    boxes of Fleer when the Ripken theing came out.  He couldn't decide
    whether to open them or to hold the boxes.  I had sent him some
    of the notes from this file to help him with his decision.  With
    alot of pressure from his kids, he dicided to open them all and
    look for this treasure.  End result...out of two boxes, he got
    one Ripken error card.  I guess one is better than none, but I
    think he is regretting his decision....Just FYI.....Pat.

    RE .72
    
    I disagree. I've talked to alot of dealers and the word is that
    the only way to authenticate (guarantee) a "first run" box is by
    the case. It seems that cases have lot numbers that can be verified,
    boxes do not. Therefore, it would be impossible to verify an error
    box unless the owner had the foresight to run it down to the post
    office and get it stamped with a suitable date. I think it would
    have been very difficult for your cousin to get a decent price for
    his boxes because "before and after" packaging is the same. Too
    bad he only got one, though. I've seen anywhere from 0 to three
    from one box. Besides, by opening them, his kids get to enjoy a
    whole two boxes of cards (probably most of a set) and a child's
    joy is hard to put a price on. I think he made the right decision.
    Any thoughts?
    
    John D.
     
    

    
    - I agree that the best thing to do is let the kids open them.
    As far as having his boxes dated, that wouldn't have been too
    difficult get any date he wanted on his boxes seeing his brother
    is the postmaster (aren't small towns wonderful?).  How do dealers
    handle that problem around here, or should I say, in a more urban
    setting, where people don't just look to screw ya, they seem to
    even enjoy it.  In an instance like this, it would seem ssooo easy
    to get away with some sort of deception.  Imaginr though is you
    bought the one box from him that didn't have any Ripkens in it!
    
    
    Pat.

    Even if you could tell by the box, all I have to do is put new packs
    in old boxes.
    
    Ed

    You claim it must be a pre-first pressing proof card. The buyer
    thinks he has a $200 card and buys the whole box :-)
    
    Ed

    
    -What we're basically saying is "buyer beware" because if there
    is a way screw somebody, there are people out there that'll find
    it and use it.  I was boycotting Fleer anyways, but with all this
    garbage with the Ripken card, I refuse to ever by a pack.  It's
    apparent to me that this card opened up even more avenues for
    people to abuse the hobby.  Imagine a dealer selling this card to
    an eight year-old (with a healthy allowance, or who had been saving
    for something else).  what would a conciencious parent think when
    they saw a card with profanity on it.  I know I would be tempted
    to slap someone around who sold it to my kid, and I wouldn't care
    if the thing tripled in value overnight!  I kind of hope they fold.
    
    Pat.

	Yesterday afternoon I got a call from my sister.  Believe it or not she 
collects Orel Hershizer cards.  She's got the '89 Topps, Donruss, Score, but no
Fleer ... well at least thats what my mother thought.  My mother retired last 
year, so she's always out shopping.  A few weeks ago, my sister asked my mother 
if she sees any Fleer packs around to pick up a few for her because she needs a
Hershizer.  Yesterday afternoon my mother shows up at my sisters appartment with
5 wax packs of '89 Fleer she just picked up at a local neighborhood drug store.
Since my sister started collecting cards, my mother (aka "the gambler") has oc-
casionally picked up a pack or two for my sister and likes to open them to see 
if she gets the Hershizer (ala instant lottery ticket style).  So when she shows
up at my sisters yesterday, she starts opening the packs.  While she's opening 
the first pack, my sister told her that she has already acquired an '89 Fleer 
Hershizer card ... so she just wasted her money ($.45 X 5 = $2.25).  She also 
informs my mother that theres no other Fleer cards that are worth anything, ex-
cept some Billy Ripken card thats worth $$$ ... and she continues to explain to
my 67 year old mother about the wording at the bottom of the bat ... then, at 
that very moment, as my mother squints at the cards with her bi-focals, she says
to my sister "Whats the bottom of the bat say .... Rick Face ?".  My sister im-
mediately jumps up, looks at the cards, and in the very first pack my mother 
opened, there was a "FF" Billy Ripken card.  She couldn't believe it !!!  She 
called me up and we laughed hysterically in unison for about 10 minutes strait !
Unbelieveable !  Just think about it .... how many people spent bundles of money
on unopened packs, cases, the card itself, the Billy Ripken "craze" .... and my
67 year old mother buys 5 packs at $.45 each and get one !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

					Tony
    

    ... and Tony gave his mother 45� for it, but she had to throw in
    the rest cards from that pack.

    re 67 Ripken
    Tony purchased the card from his mom for .30.  His keen eye detected
    that the card wasn't mint AND it was slightly off center.
    Mike aka Hometown Hero
    
                          

    forget the cards... what I wanna know is WHO GOT THE GUM!!!?
    
    

    re Ripkens Mom
    Are you saying this wlole thing was caused by bad gums?  Or did
    they forget to Fleese ( plural combination of Fleer and floss )

    Nah!  Tony didn't even want that card 'cuz it was in too good
    of a condition, not having any creases or holes.  :-)
    
    Hey, Tony - maybe I could run it over a few times with my car?
    
    ..........steve
    

    				1989 Topps

    If anyone out there has picked these up, what are 'you' seeing..
    For my birthday, my wife picked up 3 wax boxes at three different
    locations over the past 2 months, plus- 2 100+ Store Packs. No,
    they're not miss-wraps...

    Most of the cards (to me) look like a highschool photo project!!!!!!
    Color registration is off, pictures off centered, most are blurry, 
    many have this little annoying 0.5" dig in the sides, quite a few look
    like they've got a coating of gum starch (nope - its the card surface) 
    and if these are the poses they accepted, I'd 'love' to see what they
    rejected. Quick Tony, I need a fix!   Put together another list!!
    
    	John

    
    > .43 <      Ed,Osco drug in Methuen has a ton of 1989 sets,last
                 week they were going for $16.99 a set,they also have
                 Score,and Donruss sets.Osco is next to the Methuen
                 Mall. Sorry about the 89 trades,you'll have to go to
                 a dealer,or wherever.............John
    
    
                              
    

    Which Osco in Waltham had the 89T's?  I looked this weekend and didn't
    see them... all gone?
    
    I saw some other box for '89 Donruss "Stars and Puzzles" or something
    like that.... anyone have info on these?  Worth picking up?
    
    -Walt

    I AM NOT SURE WHICH OSSCO I WAS AT ( I WAS JUST PASSING THRU) BUT
    I GOT OFF 128 NORTH AT A WALHAM EXIT (NOT 20) AND HEEADED TOWARDS
    WALTHAM. THE OSSCO WAS AT A BIG INTERSECTION WITH GAS STATIONS ALL
    OVER THE PLACE. IT WAS 2 WEEKS AGO THIS SATURDAY AND THEY WERE RIGHT
    UP BY THE COUNTER WITH THE WAX PACKS. SORRY FOR THE VAGUENESS BUT
    LIKE I SAID I WAS JUST PASSING THRU.
    
    RICK 

    Must have been the Trapelo Rd. one... oh well, looks like they're gone.
    
    The Donruss set was in a big box (12x12?)... don't remember if they
    had the popups... maybe I'll see if they're still there...

    Donrus in a 12X12 box sounds like the "Baseballs Best" set. The cards
    are very nice. But they retail for about 27.00 at Woolworth and can not
    be expected to appreciate. They're good for kids if the intent is to
    have cards for the better players rather than cards that will produce a
    profit. I bought the 88 Donrus Baseball's Best and found an order form
    for 88 Donrus Team Books. The offer was only for the more popular teams
    like Boston, NY (Yankees and Mets), and California (A's Giants and
    Dodgers). The Books were priced right and consisted of uncut actual 88
    donrus cards. I have not purchased the 89 BB, so I don't know of any
    mail in offers.

    1989 fleer factory set price is down to $17.00
    
    I paid $25.00 last year. I'll take my chances and wait until this time
    next year to get the '90 Fleer factory.
    
    Re -.1
    
    1989 Donrus Baseball's Best down to $12.00 from $21.99. Not a bad price
    for a lot of stars. Good for those who collect certain players. Good
    glossy stock colored so as not to be confused with anything elce.
    
    

    
    WHAT KIND OF PRICES ARE YOU GUYS SEEING ON THE 89 FLEER BB (FACTORY
    SETS) ? I SAW A FEW AT A LOCAL DRUG STORE FOR $24.95.
    
    
    					JIM (ABO)