1989 Fleer Billy Ripken FF

[valleynuckfan]

I've been searching for a Billy Ripken FF card forever! Busted a load of cheap wax boxes and factory sets (Christmas and regular) and now I'm tearing through 24 count rack boxes. I haven't yet tried cellos.
Are these cards more prevalent in one vs the others?
I've noticed some racks have 3 pods of loose cards and others have internal cello wrapped card pods.
Also, were any of the FF cards ever found in the Glossy factory sets?
Thanks for any insight.

[ThoseBackPages]

just the early wax as far as i remember

certainly pick up a PSA copy and save the headache

[jdandns]

One of our members, "1989FF", as his name suggests, has a keen interest in that card and its variations and likely has more information about it. Maybe he can chime in for you here, OP...

[Garmin]

I pulled two in an early regular 36 pack wax box I bought for $20 last year. Some guy on FB was blowing them out. I just got it back from PSA and it graded 10. Sold the other in a lot last week.

[Gilbey]

I purchased a unopened cello pack from bbce with the ff card on top a few years ago.

[rcmb3220]

They are not in factory sets.

[clsports]

Yes, the FF error was only in the very early wax releases. Look for the listings that advertise that fact otherwise you will probably not be getting it.

[Big35Hurt]

Originally Posted by ThoseBackPages

just the early wax as far as i remember

certainly pick up a PSA copy and save the headache

[TarjetasBéisbol]

I opened a case of early wax and all the FF cards were in the back right row, 4th from the bottom pack.

[factoryofsadnes]

Was cool to remember that card, and finally go the full scoop, He Wrote it on the bat himself.

https://www.cnbc.com/id/28116692

[RYBOWSKI97]

good luck that is a very tough pull

[1989FF]

Originally Posted by valleynuckfan

I've been searching for a Billy Ripken FF card forever! Busted a load of cheap wax boxes and factory sets (Christmas and regular) and now I'm tearing through 24 count rack boxes. I haven't yet tried cellos.
Are these cards more prevalent in one vs the others?
I've noticed some racks have 3 pods of loose cards and others have internal cello wrapped card pods.
Also, were any of the FF cards ever found in the Glossy factory sets?
Thanks for any insight.

The factory sets were made at the end of the run and all contain the Black Box. There are collation patterns. Different for rack and cello. Don't recall which one was the same as wax. Anyways, with rack and cello you can see cards showing. If you know the patterns, the scammer can remove the pack(s) with Bill inside. Buy from a trusted source.

There's also cases with no Ripkens inside at all. I've busted at least 1 rack case and there were no Ripkens inside. From what I could tell the seals on the cases looked legit. I was told that the retailer did not want any of the errors so while Fleer was fumbling with corrections they just removed the card. The retailer I was told, was the same one that was inked on my rack case.

I've never seen '89 Fleer racks with the individual cellos in each slot. Have a picture?

The Glossy sets also only contain the Black Box.

[rcmb3220]

I did get lucky and won an auction with a stock photo for a rack case in 2014. Got 6 FF cards but the Randy Johnson Marlboro card was corrected. I cut out the production number printed on the box so I wouldn’t forget it.

the knowledge about what cases have which errors is more widespread now - although this seller should have known back in 2014. There is no way of knowing if a pack or box has there error in it, just a sealed case. The errors were in every type of pack but not in factory sets.

[1989FF]

Originally Posted by factoryofsadnes

Was cool to remember that card, and finally go the full scoop, He Wrote it on the bat himself.

https://www.cnbc.com/id/28116692

That interview was the highlight of my FF collecting. Only tied with finding my 1st FF (my avatar). I remember the handwriting detective work Jon was doing. I was posting results over on CU and elsewhere and we were 1 or 2 letters away from a complete match. Then about a week later CNBC contacted me and said that Bill was going to admit he wrote it and they wanted to talk to me.....priceless.

This was I think my 1st interview. I was very nervous and did not prepare any answers and that was the only current picture I had of me (no smart phone then). http://www.gelfmagazine.com/archives...cene_hobby.php

[Geoff G]

Originally Posted by 1989FF

The factory sets were made at the end of the run and all contain the Black Box. There are collation patterns. Different for rack and cello. Don't recall which one was the same as wax. Anyways, with rack and cello you can see cards showing. If you know the patterns, the scammer can remove the pack(s) with Bill inside. Buy from a trusted source.



There's also cases with no Ripkens inside at all. I've busted at least 1 rack case and there were no Ripkens inside. From what I could tell the seals on the cases looked legit. I was told that the retailer did not want any of the errors so while Fleer was fumbling with corrections they just removed the card. The retailer I was told, was the same one that was inked on my rack case.



I've never seen '89 Fleer racks with the individual cellos in each slot. Have a picture?



The Glossy sets also only contain the Black Box.

Awesome! What do you know about the saw cuts? Are they real? True story?


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[1989FF]

Originally Posted by rcmb3220

I did get lucky and won an auction with a stock photo for a rack case in 2014. Got 6 FF cards but the Randy Johnson Marlboro card was corrected. I cut out the production number printed on the box so I wouldn’t forget it.

the knowledge about what cases have which errors is more widespread now - although this seller should have known back in 2014. There is no way of knowing if a pack or box has there error in it, just a sealed case. The errors were in every type of pack but not in factory sets.

There is a variety that was only issued in a certain type of packaging. It's a very very easy variety to replicate. Also impossible to detest a real from a fake. I have a copy of the letter from Fleer confirming it's existence that I rec'd from a long time collector and trusted source. But I whited out the named version and did not keep an original. Guess people just have to believe me. (pictured below) I also used to own one that was in unopened form. It was obtained from a different source than the letter. (Helps prove it's legitimate existence). Another collector had a raw one. That's the only 2 I know of. If a reader has a questionable card they cannot identify, I will assist but will not divulge info until you "show your hand". Unlike me blabbing about production codes which helped every seller but buyers like me now have to pay modern Bowman Chrome prices if I want to bust.

[1989FF]

Originally Posted by Geoff G

Awesome! What do you know about the saw cuts? Are they real? True story?


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True story...but no written proof from Fleer or workers. Used a skil saw to cut the card while still in sheet form. FF was on the bottom of the sheet. Was cut to easily identify and remove before packout. I assume to remove and replace once the BBox (Black Box) was created. They created 132 (full) sheets of the BBox. To use to replace the cut cards. Some cut cards made their way to packout. Usually seen on racks. Don't recall if ever in wax or cello.

A large chunk of the saw cuts on the market today are from 1 source. Lenny. He was buying them from Fleer workers who were sneaking them out of the factory and he found many cuts and other "scraps" from the dumpster. "Saving history!".

[Geoff G]

Originally Posted by 1989FF

True story...but no written proof from Fleer or workers. Used a skil saw to cut the card while still in sheet form. FF was on the bottom of the sheet. Was cut to easily identify and remove before packout. I assume to remove and replace once the BBox (Black Box) was created. They created 132 (full) sheets of the BBox. To use to replace the cut cards. Some cut cards made their way to packout. Usually seen on racks. Don't recall if ever in wax or cello.



A large chunk of the saw cuts on the market today are from 1 source. Lenny. He was buying them from Fleer workers who were sneaking them out of the factory and he found many cuts and other "scraps" from the dumpster. "Saving history!".

Awesome! Thanks.


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[Geoff G]

Here’s one I picked up a couple weeks ago for 20 bucks


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[BlowoutBuzz]

They were in cello, wax and rack. Glossy sets and factory sets were made later in the year -- not there for sure.

[RYBOWSKI97]

Originally Posted by BlowoutBuzz

They were in cello, wax and rack. Glossy sets and factory sets were made later in the year -- not there for sure.

i know its been 30 years but werent the first wave of cellos the best place to hit one back in 89? i remember the chaos at every gas station, supermarket, drug store etc of people buying every pack of 89 fleer they could find. the best part is most stores had them at 50 cents a pack or less. imagine what these would of went for if ebay was around in 1989!

[BlowoutBuzz]

I pulled two in one box last summer as part of this marathon >> https://www.blowoutcards.com/blog/bu...lo-box-hour-2/

Graded pretty well, too.

[Bhenry4]

They definitely come in cello packs. I have this one.



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[Saraste]

I pulled a die-cut myself back in 1989. However I do not remember what pack form it came from. Unlike Geoff's, my die-cut goes as high as the FF on the bat.

[Grimster]

I had bought a couple of wax boxes from BBCE last year. Just added them as "filler" when I was making a big order. I thought they were just normal 89 fleer boxes until two FF's came out of them.