The Legend

The Legend

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Famous Cards

I was born in 1982 so I have a certain fondness for the junk wax era. I'm well aware that the cards from those days are worthless, but some of my greatest cardboard memories were during this time. I remember like yesterday my mom giving me money to walk to the convenience store right next to my house to buy packs.

It was so much more convenient to buy cards back then. I would venture to say in 1989 you would be hard pressed to have to travel more than 5 miles to find a place that didn't have a pack of Topps.

Obviously the landscape of card collecting has changed. People began to realize that the cards they accumulated during this time were pretty much worthless. I still have all my cards, but they are now more facilitators of stories rather than valued collectibles.

Not all was lost during this time period. Maybe you have an 89 UD Griffey or the Frank Thomas error rookie card. These are still very sought after today. My favorite during this time period was this beauty....

1989 Fleer Billy Ripken F*ck Face

This card was something of a legend in the small town I grew up in.  Many of us had heard about it, but most had never seen. I'm guessing the first time I heard about it was from my brother. We would laugh uncontrollably at the thought of owning it. I can't remember the first time I actually saw the card in person.  My guess was either a card shop or card show while we were on vacation. I'm sure a reaction was some mix of shock and chuckles.  

I picked this copy up from a seller that I pick up trade bait from for a few bucks. I'm pretty sure either my brother or I have a copy of this card stashed somewhere, but we couldn't remember whose house it is at. Last time he was over at my house I just handed it to him and said look and it got a pretty big laugh. Over 25 later and we still laugh at it....We are mature adults. 

Thanks for reading! 

22 comments:

  1. My dad busted a lot of 1989 Fleer wax looking for that card. Good times!

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    1. I still need to talk to my brother to confirm the first time we actually saw the card.

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  2. My dad bought me a factory set back then, assuming that card would be in there. Neither he nor I understood how those things worked back then. Ahh, memories!

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    1. Ignorance was bliss in the junk wax era. Little did we know each set had about 10 million copies.

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  3. Still haven't picked up a copy of that card yet.

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    1. You can find deals on it now. I think most seem to go for the $10 range, but deals can be found.

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  4. Cool. I picked up the "black box" variation earlier this year, but would love to finally get the original FF one of these days.

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  5. RICK FACE! This card has always made me laugh too, along with the ham-fisted ways Fleer tried to hide it. Best baseball card prank EVAR

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    1. Billy Ripken still brings it up sometimes on MLB Network.

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  6. I remember my cousin calling me on the phone and repeatedly yelling "I GOT THE FUCK FACE!,I GOT THE FUCK FACE!" To say that I was jealous would be understating It a bit.

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  7. I pulled that card out of one of those repack boxes last year. It was still a thrill to hit that card, still have it!

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  8. I can't even imagine actually pulling that from a pack like Brad, and as a matter of fact, I've still never seen a live copy yet.

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    1. My head would have exploded if I pulled that card as a child.

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  9. If a Baseball Card Hall of Fame ever opens, this card better be one of its first inductees.

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    1. Honus Wager
      Mantle rookie
      Griffey rookie
      Fu*k Face Ripken

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    2. Great idea! Baseball Card Hall of Fame... I might have to start a series of posts on that subject.

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  10. I was so excited to find one at a show last year. I felt like a million bucks and 8 years old all at once to show it off.

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    1. When mine came in the I sent a picture to a few of my friends. It is a conversation piece for sure!

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