25th Anniversary - 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken Error Card! [Archive]

01-02-2014, 05:33 PM

I was not into collecting cards when this card was released and in its prime, so my first knowledge of the card was when I got back into collecting in '98. I think all the variations (which I learned about on your site years ago, Jon) would be a cool "run" to collect.

I did get a chuckle out of this Billy Ripken costume posted across the street in this thread. (http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=11&threadid=839494)

:D

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/1101/grantland_e_Dwaine-Compton-Ripken01jr_200.jpg

MBMiller25

01-02-2014, 08:03 PM

A little Ripken FF story......

My wife is from CA an took two of my three kids out to spend a long weekend with her parents last September. I decided that I would buy a bunch of junk wax for my 8 year old son and I to rip one night while his mom, brother and sister were in CA. So I picked up 10 different wax boxes of cards, one of which was a 89 Fleer box. So as we sat around and drank root beer floats together, he got into the 89 Fleer box and started ripping packs. I tell him who to keep an eye out for when he rips, and I told him: Griffey, Randy Johnson and Bill Ripken. So as he keeps ripping, he yells that he thinks he's found the Ripken guy. Low and behold it's the FF card. I had never pulled that card in all the 89 I had ripped over the years and my son Jake does. I sent the card to PSA to grade and it came back a 10! It's certainly a card I will never part with for the memories alone.

Incidentally, another box ripped through the course of that night was a 87 Leaf box for $15. He pulled two Maddux RC's from that box. The first had a crease through it, the second looked decent to me. It came back a 10 as well.

Good memories indeed!

ALR-bishop

01-03-2014, 01:09 PM

jp1216

01-03-2014, 04:35 PM

7nohitter

01-03-2014, 05:42 PM

Paul Gibson...hated that guy...I used to watch games and see him come in and think, "Christ, I could crank one off that geek."
Guys like him: Tom Bolton, Joe Hesketh, Tony Fossas....the guys who when you turn a game on you think, "maybe I should have stuck with baseball beyond high school..."

Beatles Guy

01-03-2014, 09:00 PM

I went to a card show shortly after the "error" was discovered and decided to pick up a couple of packs. The first pack I opened, boom, there it was. The dealer offered me $100 on the spot but I declined (hard to do for a 15 year old). I ended up trading it a year later for a friend's entire collection. I picked one up a couple of years ago for $5 at my LCS for old time's sake.

David W

01-04-2014, 02:38 PM

The thing I remember most about the FF card, was all the variations and the debate over which was rarer.

In the pre internet days, it seemed as if no one really knew.

You'd go to a card show and guys would have different versions of it, all priced at crazy prices.

It was definitely hot for a while.

ALR-bishop

01-04-2014, 04:35 PM

What I found interesting was all the fakes and how they became collectibles in their own right

bnorth

01-05-2014, 07:35 AM

What I found interesting was all the fakes and how they became collectibles in their own right

What fakes? The only ones I know of are the Black and White test run cards and The faked whiteouts people made. Any pictures of any other fakes would be greatly appreciated.

ALR-bishop

01-05-2014, 12:59 PM

novakjr

01-05-2014, 01:16 PM

This one says "Ass H_le"
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img288.jpg

Some Topps Cartoon guy stuck this one in...no pun intended
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img289.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img289-1.jpg

And this is one of my favorites
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img186.jpg

One other bat writing homage, is the 1999 Travis Hafner minor league cards. The writing on his bat handle says "Chicks did the long ball"... They used the same photo for two of his cards that year.

bnorth

01-05-2014, 08:32 PM

I agree with you many of the white outs are fake. I also believe many of the canceled or cut outs were faked

http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img226.jpg
http://i1267.photobucket.com/albums/jj555/Bishop539/img227.jpg

Yes I do not know how I forgot about the saw cuts. I remember at first there was only a few different ones and they where all long cuts near the center of the card. Now you can find them in every version located all across the card at every length.

My favorite saw cut ebay listing is when they say it was cut multiple times in the same location at different depths. LOL Like the maintenance man adjusted the blade depth on the skill saw and then cut in the same place.:rolleyes:

The hole punch cards are a real version but like the saw cuts so easy to fake that they have less value than the regular card.

I have also seen black blobs put over the bat knob to make fake versions, even seen one in a PSA holder.

This is my biggest Ripken find. It is an only known scribble version. It is now owned by the OP of this thread and in a SGC slab. It is listed(incorrectly because there is no way that is a scribble with F card) on his awesome www.billripken.com website.
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af137/samI812/black%20hat/DSCN3456_zpsc230d5aa.jpg (http://s1001.photobucket.com/user/samI812/media/black%20hat/DSCN3456_zpsc230d5aa.jpg.html)
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af137/samI812/black%20hat/DSCN3455_zpsa1de26f2.jpg (http://s1001.photobucket.com/user/samI812/media/black%20hat/DSCN3455_zpsa1de26f2.jpg.html)

jp1216

01-06-2014, 11:17 AM

Many thanks to bnorth (Hi Ben) for finding that card about a year ago! One of a few nice additions in 2013. True - I did incorrectly group with with the 'F-Scribbles'. Needs it's own name. :confused: Anyone have ideas for what to call ^^That card^^?

Thanks guys for the stories so far. Here a couple different FF 'double print' varieties.

http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/ff03_zps81a056ee.jpg

jp1216

01-06-2014, 01:26 PM

Here is a comparison of the 3 basic Black Scribble versions:
1) F-Scribble - first letter F clearly visible
2) Loop-Scribble - first letter F is altered. Created a partial F or 'loop' pattern.
3) No-F Scribble - first letter F is airbrushed away.
4) Version found in 2013 by bnorth (hi Ben).

The first 3 are considered 'basic'. Most common black scribble versions found. If I was the rank them - they would be in the order shown (easiest to hardest). The 4th card is currently a unique variety. Other black scribbles would be the 'semi-airbrushed' version or 'Circle Scribble'. Very rare.

http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/FFscribbles_zps7373fc3e.jpg

sylbry

01-06-2014, 01:26 PM

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x16/sylbry/20131005_192359-1_zps95526d62.jpg

jp1216

01-06-2014, 01:35 PM

Bryan - :eek::eek::eek:

Amazing autos. Truly an 'Adult' card collector!!! LOL. Love the sawcut auto!

bnorth

01-07-2014, 02:42 PM

Here are some of my Ripkens.
This one has a cool little print dot in the Black Box.
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af137/samI812/black%20hat/DSCN3454_zps8d923042.jpg (http://s1001.photobucket.com/user/samI812/media/black%20hat/DSCN3454_zps8d923042.jpg.html)

Here are some oddball way off center hand cut cards from the 132 card all Ripken sheet.
http://i1001.photobucket.com/albums/af137/samI812/Ripken%20cards/cutripkens001_zpse9457da8.jpg (http://s1001.photobucket.com/user/samI812/media/Ripken%20cards/cutripkens001_zpse9457da8.jpg.html)

Brian those are some really cool Auto cards.

Jon I thought we had a name for it "The Parrot Poop Card":eek::D

geor952

01-07-2014, 06:04 PM

I grew up North of Cincy and searched high and low for 89 Fleer packs. I was at the amusement park, Kings Island when I saw a box of fleer filled with packs, that were about $3 a piece, due to the excitement of the FF card. I ponied up my allowance for 2 packs and was sitting by the water fountains, on the main strip, when I pulled a FF out of the first pack. You would have thought I won the lotto. A great memory and I still have the card.

jp1216

01-09-2014, 04:50 AM

That would've been hitting the lottery! I still think the first dozen packs I opened in '89 were resealed. Shady card shop and the packs were kept in the back room. Probably still warm from the iron.
Picture shows a dozen (there are many more) bat knobs:
http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/ffknobs02_zpsda1a7e12.jpg

jp1216

01-30-2014, 08:20 PM

Acquired this neat addition (with the help of a board member). Not a '89 FF, but certainly related. Thanks to those that have contacted me so far. The 25th Anniversary moves on.
http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/Nettles01_zps75a08386.jpg

jp1216

01-30-2014, 08:24 PM

Another related '89 FF' card. 1994 Skybox Simpsons Promo.
http://i732.photobucket.com/albums/ww330/jp1216a/Net54/1994DipkinP4BGS95_zpsb5519284.jpg

Zach Wheat

01-31-2014, 11:17 AM

Al,

That Pederson card....the scan is a little blurry. They obviously airbrushed his arm out of the image - but where did it go? Is it just missing? This is a serious question. Just curious.

Z Wheat

ALR-bishop

01-31-2014, 12:11 PM

Maybe it is now stroking his rear end

jp1216

01-31-2014, 01:37 PM

I hope you guys are talking about the Gibson card and not some card of me stroking my butt....

ALR-bishop

02-04-2014, 08:01 AM

Speaking for myself, I was referring to the Gibson card.

But, not sure about Zach :)

ALR-bishop

02-06-2014, 11:37 AM

It has come to my attention that someone may have interpreted the exchange between Zach and I as a negative remark about Jon. Absolutely not. I know Zach pretty well from off board discussions about various hobby matters, and my last remark was just a jab at him. I have enjoyed this thread and apologize if I got it off track. I greatly appreciate Jon's informative web site on the Ripken phenomena

Zach Wheat

02-06-2014, 12:25 PM

I hope you guys are talking about the Gibson card and not some card of me stroking my butt....

lol :) Absolutely not.

Thanks, Al.

Z Wheat

bnorth

02-06-2014, 12:37 PM

Here is a really cool looking altered 89 Fleer Bill Ripken card beside a regular one.

jp1216

02-06-2014, 02:58 PM

Thanks Guys! I was pretty sure you meant the Gibson card. :D

Here is a full 132 card uncut sheet of Black Box corrections. To me - this is art! Hope to convince the wife that it would look great on the wall....:rolleyes:

http://www.billripken.com/fleer/sheets/01_full_bbox.jpg

bnorth

02-11-2014, 07:38 PM

Got this print dot in Black Box card in the mail yesterday. Yes us Ripken collectors will collect anything and pay a premium for it.:D

jp1216

08-19-2014, 06:56 PM

Friendly bump for the 25th Anniversary of the FF!
Picked up a few odd ball cards this year.
A couple nice rack packs (odd that both have Keith Hernandez too).
http://billripken.com/bucket/2racks.jpg

Rich Klein

08-20-2014, 07:08 AM

Since this is a vintage oriented card board, please show the Old Hoss Radbourne cards with his finger extended

jp1216

08-20-2014, 07:59 AM

*Not my card*
http://www.billripken.com/bucket/N172radbourn.jpg

steve B

08-20-2014, 08:48 AM

That's cool! The photographer must have really been annoying him.

Steve B

the 'stache

08-20-2014, 11:31 AM

I guess I'm weird, or something. I never got the big deal. Somebody put f face on his bat. Ok, so Cal Ripken will be remembered for being a Hall of Fame shortstop that broke Lou Gehrig's unbreakable consecutive games streak. Billy Ripken will be remembered for a baseball card with something written on the end of his bat.

What's the attraction?

jp1216

08-20-2014, 04:12 PM

It's the inner kid connection. As a kid, I was blown away by a major league player writing the F-bomb on his bat and having it appear on a card.

The fun continued when the corrections appeared. If the FF card had never been corrected, it wouldn't have the same effect. Scribbles, boxes, saw-cuts, etc etc. Variations upon variations.

With all the vintage talk about T206 scraps/misprints etc - there are plenty of FF related scraps too. Print defects etc were pulled from trash dumpsters outside of the Fleer plant. Endless collecting!

bnorth

08-20-2014, 05:13 PM

Here are a few pictures of some of my oddball Ripkens. The card in the last picture is not mine anymore, the OP now owns it. It is a only known version and one of the few cards I regret selling.

bnorth

08-25-2014, 11:02 AM

More oddball Ripken cards.
The first card is a custom made Reverse Negative Refractor.
Middle card is a real Bulls Eye Variation for comparison.
Last card is a custom made Super Refractor.

jp1216

08-25-2014, 04:04 PM

Should be noted that those cards are all new creations and not original '89.
Beautiful cards though.

bnorth

08-25-2014, 04:47 PM

Should be noted that those cards are all new creations and not original '89.
Beautiful cards though.

Middle card is real. Added description for all 3 cards like I should have done to begin with.

Here is an Altered Scribble variation.

sylbry

08-27-2014, 07:41 PM

More oddball Ripken cards.
The first card is a custom made Reverse Negative Refractor.
Middle card is a real Bulls Eye Variation for comparison.
Last card is a custom made Super Refractor.

Is that considered a bulls eye variation? When I think Fleer and bulls eye this is what comes to mind. The card has an actual bulls eye on it.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x16/sylbry/Mobile%20Uploads/20140827_203029_zpsso1ekqq5.jpg

bnorth

08-28-2014, 04:39 AM

Is that considered a bulls eye variation? When I think Fleer and bulls eye this is what comes to mind. The card has an actual bulls eye on it.

http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x16/sylbry/Mobile%20Uploads/20140827_203029_zpsso1ekqq5.jpg

The Treadway card is called "The Target" card. The Ripken card is nick named the Bulls Eye for the big yellow and red print dot on his arm.

Oil Can Dan

09-01-2014, 08:29 PM

Thanks for the replies!
Love the stories. Keep them coming!
The Paul Gibson is great. I remember looking through about 10 - 3200ct boxes looking for the corrected version in 1990. Had more of the errors. If anyone has other 'Adult' error cards to add to my website - let me know!

I have a FF story. I bought a box of '89 Fleer the day my local card shop (AJ's Sports Stop in Vienna, VA) got them in. Took them home, ripped the box, and returned to the store later that day. The owner, Jim, was talking about how he had heard that the Billy Ripken had FF on the knob. I left the store, went home to see if I had scored it, and BOOM - I had! I took it back to the shop to show Jim, and at that point another customer was in the store and his wife worked for USA Today. He asked me if he could take the card home to see if his wife/USA Today would be interested in a story on it. Jim vouched for the guy and so I let him take it, and it appeared in the paper a day or two later.

jp1216

09-02-2014, 04:45 AM

http://billripken.com/articles/1989USATodayc.jpg

jp1216

12-25-2014, 06:44 PM

Final post for the 25th Anniversary of this card! Billy's 50th birthday too.
Thanks to everyone that has posted, emailed, provided information and shared cards this year. Long live the FF.
<Holiday Tri-Color FF version>
BILLRIPKEN.COM (http://www.billripken.com)
http://www.billripken.com/bucket/FF_double.jpg

1963Topps Set

12-26-2014, 05:22 PM

I remember in the spring of 2007 when that Derek Jeter card came out showing Mickey Mantle and George Bush. My son was born around that time and I wanted to pick one up as a remembrance of that time. Sadly, by the time everything settled down and I was able to go to a show and pick one up there was so many variations and values, I had to give up!

One day though.. Just a nice inexpensive keepsake...of the time my son arrived.