The 1991 Leaf Baseball Card Series 2 was released by Leaf Brands Inc. in the summer of 1991 as the follow up to their original card set from earlier that year. The Series 2 release was part of Leaf’s aggressive expansion into the major sports card market that was growing rapidly in popularity during the late 1980s and early 1990s.
Some key details and background about the 1991 Leaf Baseball Card Series 2:
The set contained 324 total cards and was packaged in wax packs with 3 cards per pack and 1 card per pack on average.
Design wise, the 1991 Leaf Series 2 cards featured predominantly player photos without any borders around the image. Statistics and biography info were printed directly on the photo.
Rosters in the set featured all 30 MLB teams from 1991 with a strong focus on starring players from that season. Rookies and young stars from 1990 were also included.
Notable rookies in the set included Doug Drabek (P, PIT), Chuck Knoblauch (2B, MIN), Kirk Rueter (P, MON), and Bobby Bonilla (OF, PIT) in his first Leaf card appearance.
High value veterans like Nolan Ryan, Kirby Puckett, Cal Ripken Jr., Wade Boggs and Ozzie Smith all had commons and premium cards in the Series 2 release.
Parallel insert sets within Series 2 included Gold Signature parallel cards /50, Diamond Kings parallels /100, and Diamond King Masterpieces parallel cards/10.
The Gold Signature parallel cards in particular hold significant collector value today due to the extremely low print runs of only 50 copies for each player. Examples have sold for thousands.
Checklists, managers/coaches, turn back the clock vintage reprints, and team logo/mascot cards rounded out the non-player content in the base Series 2 set.
Upon its initial release in 1991, the Leaf Series 2 base set received mixed reviews from the collector community. While the clean photo-centered design was praised, the lack of any logos, uniforms or bordering disappointed some. Checklist and manager cards also took slots that could have been used for additional players.
The bargain retail price of a wax rack (around $1-2) ensured the Leaf Series 2 had strong initial sales and distribution across hobby shops and general retailers. This helped Leaf continue its push to compete directly with industry leaders Topps and Donruss during baseball’s early 90s boom period.
Key factors that have led the 1991 Leaf Series 2 cards to hold collector appeal over the past 30 years include:
Iconic rookie cards of players who went on to stardom like Drabek, Knoblauch and Bonilla remain popular chase cards.
The lack of logos/borders on uniform photos gives the cards a raw, nostalgic feel that resonates with collectors.
Inclusion of future Hall of Famers and all-time greats like Ryan, Ripken, Puckett and Boggs in the base set provides mainstream appeal.
The extremely low print parallel inserts, especially Gold Signatures, give high-end collectors desirable chase cards within the set.
Nostalgia for the early 90s baseball card boom era keeps interest high in sets released during that time period like the 1991 Leaf Series 2.
On the modern secondary market, complete base sets in Near Mint to Mint condition typically sell in the $30-50 range. But certain key rookie cards and the Gold Signature insert parallel cards continue climbing in value on a yearly basis. The 1991 Leaf Series 2 is considered a successful early release by the brand that helped establish them as a serious competitor within the sports card industry. Its clean design and historical significance continue to attract collectors three decades after its original packaging.
Despite some initial criticisms, the 1991 Topps Stadium Club Baseball Series 2 has endured to become a noteworthy set from the early 1990s sports card boom. Led by its iconic rookie selections and parallels inserted at extremely low print runs, the set balances affordability and nostalgia in a way that ensures its legacy among collectors for years to come.
