2014 Donruss….I like them!

[Jayworld]

After swearing off current/modern cards (not very hard to do with horrible "sameness" to the Topps design in the past four years), on a lark, I picked up a pack of the new 2014 Donruss cards at the local card shop. Pulled an autograph card, but really liked the design of the cards; front and back. Even without the MLB license and the airbrushing out of the team logos, etc., I find the cards to be much more like "baseball" cards for me. I've already gotten 50 cards in the base set, and like the cards for the clean, uncluttered design, the easy-to-read backs, and the few special cards reminiscent of older Donruss sets of the 1980s, such as Diamond Kings, Rated Rookies, etc. Now Target has started to carry the packs at $2.99, which is less than the $3.99 hobby store price (sure, you don't get the "hits" with retail, but I have never been enamored with the modern day inserts and hits anyway)…..

This is the second Panini brand set of cards I have purchased within the year, as I thought the 2013 Cooperstown cards to be very well done, too….

Gotten where I don't really care for Topps at all with the over saturation of product in even today's market, especially when you include Bowman, Bowman chrome, Opening Day, etc., etc.

Donruss and Fleer both made better cards and had better designs in the 1982-85 period as well, so not a big jump for me to collect Donruss again…..

[rjackson44]

Did you pull a jose abreu ill take it ,,they are nice ,,,;)

[ALR-bishop]

Jay --do you have a scan of one front and back ?

[Jayworld]

I will post scans of front/back tonight, and will check which autograph card I pulled with the first pack…..

I have only purchased 7-8 packs and have about 5 duplicates….pretty good ratio, I think?

[WillBBC]

There are two things about 2014 Donruss that prevent me from buying.

1.) The way they deal with a lack of license really breaks some very basic design laws. The way they frame certain photographs just makes the cards look very amateurish to me. It irks me because Panini/Donruss clearly know what they're doing design wise--you can tell from their NFL/NBA products.

2.) Diamond Kings should be paintings. Death, taxes, Dick Perez/art on Diamond Kings!

Here's hoping they get a license eventually!

(I'm not writing this to trash your post, I'm glad you enjoyed your breaks and hope you continue buying and enjoying the product!)

[Rich Klein]

Topps has an MLB properties exclusive until 2020. You have several years to wait.

[Jayworld]

There are two things about 2014 Donruss that prevent me from buying.

1.) The way they deal with a lack of license really breaks some very basic design laws. The way they frame certain photographs just makes the cards look very amateurish to me. It irks me because Panini/Donruss clearly know what they're doing design wise--you can tell from their NFL/NBA products.

2.) Diamond Kings should be paintings. Death, taxes, Dick Perez/art on Diamond Kings!

Here's hoping they get a license eventually!

(I'm not writing this to trash your post, I'm glad you enjoyed your breaks and hope you continue buying and enjoying the product!)


1. They do what they have to do to hide player cap fronts, fronts of jerseys, etc. As a graphics designer, believe me, the more you can hide with the particular pose you pick, the less touch-up and "airbrush" work you have to do.
2. I agree, but at least Diamond Kings are back in some format. It's a start.

Per Rich's post; I realize that Topps has the exclusive license for MLB until 2020. That's good information (thanks!) but that is what it is, too. Still like the 2014 Donruss cards better than the 2014 Topps for overall design, etc. Just my opinion. Panini does make a good product, and their 2013 Cooperstown set was/is fantastic, and is less of an issue for depicting the majority of the HOF players without uniform inscriptions/logos, etc. Many didn't have them back then. Been busy (sorry), but will post some Donruss scans tonight.

[Jayworld]

As promised, here is a scan of the 2014 Donruss baseball cards.... enjoy.

[Jayworld]

Just saw last night at the local Dollar Tree store that they sell the new 2014 Donruss cards for $1 a pack; the catch is that there are only 4 cards (rather than the typical 8) per pack. Same wrapper artwork, etc., just says 4 cards. This got me doing some math (a dangerous prospect at times):

1 pack 2014 Donruss from hobby store: $3.25 (8 cards)
1 pack 2014 Donruss from retail (Target, etc.): $2.99 (8 cards)
1 pack 2014 Donruss from Dollar Tree: $1.00 (4 cards)

so, for $10, I can get 40 cards at Dollar Tree, or 24 cards from retail or hobby (and get change back). I assume I would get no special, short printed, autograph, etc. cards at Dollar Tree, and less of a chance through retail than at hobby outlet....

[steve B]

Just saw last night at the local Dollar Tree store that they sell the new 2014 Donruss cards for $1 a pack; the catch is that there are only 4 cards (rather than the typical 8) per pack. Same wrapper artwork, etc., just says 4 cards. This got me doing some math (a dangerous prospect at times):

1 pack 2014 Donruss from hobby store: $3.25 (8 cards)
1 pack 2014 Donruss from retail (Target, etc.): $2.99 (8 cards)
1 pack 2014 Donruss from Dollar Tree: $1.00 (4 cards)

so, for $10, I can get 40 cards at Dollar Tree, or 24 cards from retail or hobby (and get change back). I assume I would get no special, short printed, autograph, etc. cards at Dollar Tree, and less of a chance through retail than at hobby outlet....

Darn. Now I'm going to be looking for a dollar tree so I can pick up one of the odd packs.

Steve B

[the 'stache]

I just can't get into a card, no matter how well it is designed, when there are no team logos.

[Jayworld]

Bill:
Didn't Fleer re-introduce team logos on card fronts in 1983? before then, it had been a long dry spell (Topps in 1965).

Having logos on the fronts of cards are nice, but I think if a company puts the logo on the front of a card, they don't need to put the team name in print as well (Topps 1985) which is overkill and clutter from a design standpoint.

The reason that Donruss does not have the logos on the front of cards is that they do not have the Major League baseball license. Topps has that. That's why on each 2014 card, only the city name is on the front, such as San Diego, New York, etc.

It's all about the license. Don't let the logo keep you from buying a few packs and trying them out.

[HRBAKER]

I just can't get into a card, no matter how well it is designed, when there are no team logos.

+1

Sorry Donruss and Panini

[Jayworld]

Granted, I hear you on this. So basically, those here that don't by Panini products don't buy them because of the licensing issue with MLB, correct? (Which prohibits Panini from putting team names/logos on the cards and not airbrushing out the insignias, etc.)

So would that mean that any non-Topps product is a no-go for you all? If Panini did have the MLB license and was able to produce cards with logos/insignia, then you would or would not give them a try? Is it the logos on the front; i.e. identifying what team a player is on, or a combination of the non logo, non-team nickname (other than the city), and the airbrushing out of insignia?

How did you feel about Donruss and Fleer when the "big three" were all producing baseball cards each year from 1981-89 (when Upper Deck joined the fold)? Were you Topps only, or did you not buy non-logo products back then, regardless of the company? For instance, in 1983, only Fleer had cards with team logos on the front, and in 1984, ditto. (this is just speaking to team logos on front of cards identifying which team a player plays for, not airbrushing).

[steve B]

I'm not quite in the same group, and might be one of those odd customers.

Licensing in general isn't a big hangup for me. I like the MSA discs that didn't have the full license, and collect some of the unlicensed sets from the early 90's.
I had thought they were pulling some sort of end run around licensing, which is (For me anyway) sort of expected from a guy getting cards printed an selling them out of his basement, not so much from a major company licensed by several leagues worldwide. I've been corrected on that and it makes sense now.
But that alone wouldn't make me not buy them.
(Again - odd since I wouldn't buy stuff like Ballstreet, but would buy some of the small manufacturer unlicensed cards. Especially if they were in the 10 cent box.)
I never really paid much attention to the team logos being there or not.

I really liked Donruss and some of their sub brands in the mid 90's.

Early 80's I collected all three.
But wasn't crazy about UD. They cost twice as much and that Griffey kid was really overhyped (Not the first or last time for me being wrong)

The bigger things with Pannini were the designs and the memorabilia cards.
The designs of most of their stuff just didn't do much for me. They're nice, and clean, and modern, and to me rather boring.
That they cut up our relics but don't do that for any country except the US (As far as I know) really bothers me for some reason. Even knowing that in Europe old uniforms aren't seen as anything all that special doesn't help.

Their own PR images didn't help the 2014 Donruss much. A handful of cards, none of them looking like the other made it look like a Topps Archives knock off. (Archives is the one that uses old designs from a few different years in the same set isn't it? If not then whatever set that is is the one I mean.)



All that being said, I tried a couple packs and do like them. The designs are consistent, and a nice updating of some of the better Donruss designs.
I like Gypsy queen more though. Maybe once that clears through retail I'll move to the Donruss, although that may have sold through by then as well.

It's entirely possible 2014 Donruss is a bit of a sleeper with a lowish press run for a 2014 general issue set. A couple late developing rookie superstars and it could be the set we all ask ourselves "why didn't I buy a bunch of that when it was new" - Like 86 fleer basketball.
It's funny how sets look so very different 20-30 years later.

Steve B

[the 'stache]

Bill:
Didn't Fleer re-introduce team logos on card fronts in 1983? before then, it had been a long dry spell (Topps in 1965).

Having logos on the fronts of cards are nice, but I think if a company puts the logo on the front of a card, they don't need to put the team name in print as well (Topps 1985) which is overkill and clutter from a design standpoint.

The reason that Donruss does not have the logos on the front of cards is that they do not have the Major League baseball license. Topps has that. That's why on each 2014 card, only the city name is on the front, such as San Diego, New York, etc.

It's all about the license. Don't let the logo keep you from buying a few packs and trying them out.

Jay, I understand that it's a licensing issue with Donruss/Panini, everybody but Topps. It still bugs me. I've bought packs from companies without the MLB Properties license, and I just couldn't get into them. The way they tried to crop the photos, etc...just turned me off.

I know that the old cards didn't have logos. I grew up on Topps football with Cowboy cards without the star, and Packer cards without the G. But since logos have become part of the cards, I just can't go back. I can buy those old cards without. I just can't buy new ones.

[HRBAKER]

For me if the company has to airbrush out the jersey and cap logos then I don't like the generic-ness of the product. Even worse I think is when they crop the photos so as to remove the logos, etc. The Donruss and Fleer products of the 80's did have the team jersey and cap insignias, that was fine. I don't have to have the team logo in the border, caption or masthead.

[ALR-bishop]

Jeff-- two of your favorite Topps issues ?

[HRBAKER]

Two of my least favorite along with 1962.
My all time pet peeve though, cap-less ballplayers. Ugh!

[ALR-bishop]

Olbermann did a good article for SCD sometime back on why the 68 & 69 sets have such terrible pictures. You can sort of blame Marvin Miller :-)

[saraceno21]

Remember you can send the wrappers in for the 3 Rated Rookies by the way.

[k-dog]

They are putting out Series 2 for Donruss this year! Thought the op might like to know in case you were not aware.

http://paniniamerica.wordpress.com/2014/07/17/panini-peek-2014-donruss-baseball-series-2/

[Jayworld]

Thanks for the information. Will have to check that out...

[AMBST95]

I was a big fan of the 2014 Donruss release and easily put together a base set. I'm looking to do the same with series 2.

[JWBlue]

I just can't get into a card, no matter how well it is designed, when there are no team logos.

Further, I don't even get why a company would produce cards without a logo.

[Rich Klein]

Because they have a license with the players and thus,, can produce cards. Donruss Series II was a cool box to open and showed exactly what a company can do without logos