The 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier baseball card set was the flagship baseball card release by O-Pee-Chee that year. Often overlooked due to the larger and more recognizable Topps and Donruss sets also released that season, the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier set contained highly detailed cards that have developed a strong cult following among vintage baseball card collectors in the decades since.
Released at the tail end of the “Junk Wax” era of the late 1980s baseball card boom, when sets contained millions of identical cards that flooded the marketplace, the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier set stands out for its limited print run and unique photography. Rather than focusing primarily on mass production to meet overflowing demand like other sets of the period, O-Pee-Chee produced a selective 252 card base set showcasing some of the game’s top stars through vibrant action snapshots captured exclusively for the set.
While still distributed to a wide retail audience through hobby shops, corner stores and card packs, the significantly lower print numbers have given the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier set stronger long term collectibility compared to many of its competitors released during the same time frame. High quality cardboard stock and precise registration have allowed many of the cards to age extremely well also aiding in their desirability decades later. The reduced availability and superior on-card product has attracted a following of collectors who appreciate finds from this overlooked set.
Rookies featured in the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier issue that have gone on to Hall of Fame careers like Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell, Larry Walker, Andy Pettitte, and John Smoltz add significance to the set as an early opportunity to obtain these players’ rookie cards. Other notable rookie cards included in the base set are Dante Bichette, Tim Raines, Bobby Bonilla, David Justice, and Dennis Eckersley. Prospecting for future superstars was a big part of the appeal of sets from this period and several 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier rookies went on to become some of the game’s all-time greats.
In addition to the base checklist of current MLB players, the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier set also included 80 unique “O-Pee-Chee Premier Portraits” highlight cards. This exclusive insert set broke the mould of traditional sports card photography by featuring artistic headshots of dozens of baseball greats against distinctive painted backgrounds in dramatic lighting. Names featured in this coveted insert set included Nolan Ryan, Duke Snider, Hank Aaron, Reggie Jackson, and Carl Yastrzemski among many others. These unique portrait cards increased interest in the set by collectors interested in subjects outside just the contemporary season’s rosters.
While the vast majority of 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier cards can still be obtained in high grade for affordable prices, a select group of key rookie and star player cards have started to exponentially increase in value in recent years as the set gains recognition. Rookie cards of Jeff Bagwell, Larry Walker, and Craig Biggio that grade PSA 10 are now worth thousands of dollars to patient long term collectors of the set. Popular stars like Ken Griffey Jr., Ryne Sandberg, and Mark McGwire also command higher sums for pristine near mint copies. The insert portraits set also contains several multi-hundred dollar gems for top condition copies like Ryan, Aaron, and Mantle.
Regardless of monetary valuation, the artistry and craftsmanship present in the photographic style and cardstock quality of the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier issue has resonated with a passionate collector following. While it may never achieve the same household name recognition as the monster production Topps and Donruss issues from the same year, serious vintage and Canadian sports card aficionados have come to see this underrated O-Pee-Chee set as an unsung gem deserving of a prominent place in their collections. After surviving the initial overproduction of its era relatively intact, the 1990 O-Pee-Chee Premier baseball cards have developed a strong cult following and increasing appreciation amongst savvy collectors specializing in the late 1980s-early 1990s sports card market.
