The 1989 Fleer baseball card set is regarded as one of the most error-filled releases in the modern era of the hobby. Fleer rushed the production of the cards that year and numerous mistakes slipped through quality control. Some of the more notable printing errors found in the 1989 Fleer set include:
Miscut Cards: Perhaps the most common error found are miscut cards where the image or text extends past the borders of the card. Extreme miscuts saw portions of two different players on the same card. This occurred due to issues with the machines cutting the sheets of cards. The miscuts vary in severity from slight borders cuts to nearly having half a card showing. Some notable miscuts include Greg Maddux, George Bell, Buddy Bell, Oddibe McDowell, and Bo Jackson.
Missing Photo Variations: A small number of cards were printed and cut correctly but lacked the player’s photo on the front. Instead it was just a blank white space where the image should be. This error occurred most famously on the Rafael Palmeiro rookie card but was also found on cards of relievers Jesse Orosco and Craig Lefferts.
Typos and Incorrect Stats: Several cards had typos whether it was in the player’s name, team, or stats listed on the back of the card. For example, Ken Phelps’ team is listed as “PHI” instead of “SEA” to reflect his 1988 trade to the Mariners. Gary Carter had the wrong number of career home runs printed. Jose Uribe had the pitcher designation of “P” instead of the correct “SS.”
Photo Substitutions: In some cases, the wrong photo entirely was used for the player. Perhaps the most famous is the Nolan Ryan card that has a photo of fellow pitcher Jack Morris instead. Greg Maddux has a photo of Joe Magrane and John Kruk used Dwight Gooden’s picture. Other mistaken photos include Terry Steinbach sporting a Cardinals cap instead of an A’s cap.
Duplicate Cards: A small run of boxes contained multiple copies of the same card instead of the full base set. The Ricky Henderson card was a popular duplicate received by collectors multiple times in their packs. Other duplicates reported include Will Clark and Jeff Reardon. This was caused by issues with the card packaging machines.
Missing Signature Patches: A select number of the signature cards in the set intended to have autographed patches on them were missing the patch entirely. Signatures were printed but no actual signed materials were affixed. This left the signature swatch area blank on these rare parallel cards.
Chinese Counterfeits: Soon after release, counterfeit versions of the 1989 Fleer cards began emerging from factories in China and Asia. These were extremely realistic reproductions right down to the Fleer logo and card stock used. Only upon close examination could the fakes be discerned from the genuine article usually due to off-centered photos or blurry printing flaws.
While detrimental to the inherent value of the release at the time, the numerous errors have led to many of the mistake cards becoming highly sought after pieces for sets today. Errors tend to capture collector interest and drive up demand and premium prices decades later once they’ve been discovered and authenticated. Some of the major error 1989 Fleer cards can now fetch thousands of dollars to serious error card collectors and set builders. The production flaws ultimately transformed it into one of the most storied and error-filled releases in the sport’s rich card history.
