Scoring and grading baseball cards from 1991 requires an understanding of the specific card design elements, player performance statistics, printing flaws and abnormalities that affected cards from that particular year. 1991 was amidst the peak years of the baseball card boom of the late 1980s and early 1990s. Topps held the exclusive MLBPA license to produce official baseball cards during this time, so their 1991 set is the one focused on here for scoring purposes.
The 1991 Topps baseball card set contains 792 total cards spanning all 30 MLB teams at the time. The design used color photography of each player on a white background, along with yellow and red accents. On the front is the player photo along with their name, team, and position in yellow or red text. The back contains the standard statistical and biographical information for that year. Each pack contains 11 cards and wax packs retailed for around $1, making them very affordable and accessible to collectors of all ages.
When scoring 1991 Topps cards, there are several general condition aspects to examine before considering any specific print lines, centering issues or physical flaws that could impact the numerical grade. These include the corners, edges and surface or face of the card. Corners should be assessed for signs of rounding, chipping or other damage. Ideal corners are sharp right angles. Edges are checked for wear, fading or damage that could impact the grade. The surface is reviewed for scratches, spots, dirt or other blemishes that stand out when viewed under a bright light.
Next, it’s important to analyze centering – how perfectly centered the image of the player is within the rectangular frame of the card front. Slight off-centering in one direction is more acceptable than being off significantly in multiple directions. Topps cards from this era had some quality control issues resulting in cards that are notably off-center compared to the ideal. 1981 Topps is seen as one of the worst off-centered sets. Taking centering into account is crucial for any accurate scoring.
Moving on to specifics unique to 1991 Topps cards, one element to inspect closely is print lines – the thin vertical or horizontal lines sometimes visible when cards are held up to light. Print lines are defects that occurred during the printing process. Light print lines may not significantly impact the grade while prominent ones could lower it. Another issue is what graders refer to as “starburst” patterns – circular concentric splotches visible on some cards’ surfaces, also blamed on production flaws. Heavier starburst patterns negatively affect condition.
Once the general condition and centering is assessed along with any unique print issue factors, only then should number grades from 1-10 be considered. For a 1991 Topps card to achieve a Gem Mint (MT) 10 grade, it must be in pristine condition with no flaws, perfect sharp corners and edges, and ideally perfectly centered image within the card frame. Even light print lines or centering slightly off could drop it to a 9. As flaws, wear or centering issues increase, the grade descends accordingly down to perhaps a 4 or lower for very poor conditioned or damaged cards.
Beyond just condition, some key player performance stats to consider which may impact a card’s grading and value include batting average, home runs, runs batted in (RBI), ERA for pitchers and wins for pitchers. Rookies, stars and Hall of Famers on playoff or championship teams from 1991 carry premiums. For example, the Kirby Puckett card from 1991 would be worth grading at a high level due to his .295 average, 14 HRs, 88 RBIs, Gold Glove as the Twins won the World Series that year. Conversely, a career minor leaguer’s card would have less grading significance.
Accurately scoring and grading 1991 Topps baseball cards involves a meticulous examination of all relevant condition and print quality factors, as well as an understanding of specific players’ statistics and accomplishments from that season. Taking one’s time to fully inspect each card under bright light is essential before assigning a numerical 1-10 grade. Consistency across gradings is also important for establishing reliable numerical standards that subsequent collectors can trust when trading or selling their vintage 1991 cardboard. With care and diligence, collectors can derive much enjoyment and value from their collection through the grading process.
