Gems of Junk Wax

Whether it be individual cards or entire sets, these posts are a look at the brighter spots of an otherwise dark cloud that came to define an entire era of baseball cards.

Otherwise known as the "junk wax" era.

In this theme, we celebrate the so-called era of "junk wax".

Believe it or not, there's a lot to like.


Gem #1: 1991-1995 Conlon Collection
Gem #2: 1994 Upper Deck All-Time Heroes
Gem #3: 1991 Bowman #410 "The Shot Heard 'Round the World"
Gem #4: 1994 Topps #180 George Brett
Gem #5: 1987 Topps #653 Kevin Mitchell RC
Gem #6: 1993 Upper Deck
Gem #7: 1988 Pacific "Eight Men Out"
Gem #8: 1991 Topps #170 Carlton Fisk
Gem #9: 1993 Donruss #261 Brent Mayne 
Gem #10: 1993-1994 Ted Williams
Gem #11: 1994 Topps #715 Hank Aaron
Gem #12: 1991 Topps #760 Benito Santiago
Gem #13: 1988 Topps #543 Kent Tekulve
Gem #14: 1989 Scoremasters
Gem #15: 1988 Score #501 Reggie Jackson
Gem #16: 1989 Fleer #616 Billy Ripken ("Rick Face")
Gem #17: 1992 Donruss Triple Play
Gem #18: 1989 Score #645 Randy Johnson RC
Gem #19: 1991 Topps #530 Roger Clemens
Gem #20: 1992 Topps #40 Cal Ripken Jr.
Gem #21: 1990 Topps #278 Pascual Perez
Gem #22: 1989 Upper Deck #145 Nolan Ryan
Gem #23: 1988 Score #225 Steve Garvey
Gem #24: 1994 Upper Deck #57 Julio Franco
Gem #25: 1992 Topps #2 Rickey Henderson RB
Gem #26: 1992 Stadium Club #387 Ruben Sierra
Gem #27: 1992 Topps #261 Tom Lasorda
Gem #28: 1991 Ultra #296 Ozzie Smith
Gem #29: 1994 Pinnacle #379 Mark McLemore
Gem #30: 1992 Stadium Club #520 Wade Boggs
Gem #31: 1989 Upper Deck #452 "Goose" Gossage
Gem #32: 1990 Score Rookie/Traded #100T Eric Lindros (RC?)
Gem #33: 1989 Score #652 Wrigley Field HL
Gem #34: 1994 Topps #20 Bryan Harvey
Gem #35: 1989 Upper Deck #755 Jim Abbott RC
Gem #36: 1994 Upper Deck Minors #48 Scott Eyre
Gem #37: 1987 Topps Traded #22T Ron Cey
Gem #38: 1989 Upper Deck #415 "Oil Can" Boyd
Gem #39: 1989 Score #277 Graig Nettles
Gem #40: 1993 Topps #200 Kirby Puckett
Gem #41: 1991 Upper Deck #617 "1917 Revisited"
Gem #42: 1992 Score #891 Rob Dibble "Dream Team"
Gem #43: 1988 Topps #18 Al Leiter/Steve George ERR
Gem #44: 1992 Classic #T80 "Deion Drops In"
Gem #45: 1993 Topps #633 "Three Russians"
Gem #46: 1992 Upper Deck #780 Turk Wendell RC
Gem #47: 1987 Topps #170 Bo Jackson RC -- GOJW Tournament Champion!
Gem #48: 1991 Studio #38 Sammy Sosa
Gem #49: 1991 Topps #455 Walt Weiss
Gem #50: 1990 Swell Baseball Greats #11 Robin Roberts
Gem #51: 1988 Fleer #582 Tim Flannery
Gem #52: 1991 Fleer #689 Tom Glavine
Gem #53: 1993 Topps #48 Bert Blyleven
Gem #54: 1991 Upper Deck #175 Fernando Valenzuela
Gem #55: 1989 Topps #11 Bruce Sutter
Gem #56: 1992 Score #888 Craig Biggio "Dream Team"
Gem #57: 1992 Stadium Club #444 Lance Johnson
Gem #58: 1991 Topps #461 Robin Ventura
Gem #59: 1994 Upper Deck #224 Ken Griffey Jr.
Gem #60: 1990 Donruss #570 Wallace Johnson
Gem #61: 1991 Upper Deck #554 Jim Abbott
Gem #62: 1988 Score #1 Don Mattingly
Gem #63: 1989 Fleer #1 Don Baylor
Gem #64: 1991 Topps #1 Nolan Ryan
Gem #65: 1992 Pinnacle #1 Frank Thomas
Gem #66: 1993 Upper Deck #1 Tim Salmon SR
Gem #67: 1991 Classic Best #268 Chipper Jones
Gem #68: 1987 Fleer #629 "Magic Mets"
Gem #69: 1990 Score #701 "Lights Out: Candlestick"
Gem #70: 1992 Topps #550 Darryl Strawberry
Gem #71: 1992 Upper Deck #255 Cecil Fielder
Gem #72: 1993 Upper Deck #308 Andre Dawson
Gem #73: 1994 Topps #114 Mitch Williams