Baseball cards from the 1990 Score set are highly collectible, particularly among error card enthusiasts. The 1990 Score set had several notable printing errors that create scarce variants that collectors love to find. While errors from other baseball card sets also garner interest, the 1990 Score errors seem to stand out more due to the specific types of mistakes made during production for that year. Let’s take a closer look at some of the most significant error cards from the 1990 Topps Score baseball card set.
One of the highest profile errors from 1990 Score involves Nolan Ryan’s card #250. On the normal version of this card, Ryan is pictured in his uniform from the Texas Rangers. A small number of copies were accidentally printed showing Ryan in the jersey from his previous team, the Houston Astros. This reversed jersey error makes Ryan’s #250 one of the most sought after 1990 Score variants. In high grade, a PSA 10 version of this error card could fetch thousands of dollars due to its obvious nature and scarcity.
Another visually striking error involves Rickey Henderson’s #168 card. On the error version, Henderson is missing the text under his picture which normally lists his team, position, and batting stats. His name is still present but all other information beneath his image is blank white space. The missing text error stands out immediately when compared to the standard issue #168. Like the Ryan reversal, finding a pristine PSA 10 graded example of Rickey’s textless wonder would represent a very valuable addition to any error collection.
In terms of statistical mistakes, one of the more interesting 1990 Score errors impacts Bo Jackson’s #138 card. On the error printing, his listed height is incorrectly shown as 6’4″ instead of his actual 6’1″ measurement. While this three inch discrepancy may seem minor, it changed the listed height to something Jackson has never been officially recorded at. Statistical errors like incorrect heights or ages tend to fascinate error collectors because they alter the factual information provided on the standard cards.
Moving beyond specific player errors, the 1990 Score set saw an unusual miscut variety that produces dramatically truncated cards. These shortprinted mishaps cut off portions of both the image and text on the right side of the card. Examples like Wade Boggs’ #126 card missing the entire right side are quite dramatic to behold. Other players impacted include Ken Griffey Jr., Ozzie Smith, and Bobby Thigpen among others. The miscut errors that shorten the standard card dimensions are always a real attention grabber for collectors.
In addition to errors focused on individual players, there were also anomalies that impacted the entire checklist or set design for 1990 Score. One major change is the omission of the “Bowman” logo that normally appears on the upper-right corner front of each card. Cards lacking this logo were accidentally printed, differentiating them from the standard issue versions. Another set-wide anomaly modified the design of the grey borders around the player photos. On error versions, these borders were mistakenly printed in white instead of the usual grey.
It should be noted that 1990 Score had an unusual parallel subset called “All-Star Stickers” that were essentially sticker versions of selected base cards. A small quantity of error “All-Star Stickers” were mistakenly produced on the standard card stock rather than as intended as stickers. These stock version parallels of the normally sticker subset cards are quite a novelty. Collectors love finding unintentional parallel variations like these stock All-Star Stickers that break from the set’s intended design.
The 1990 Topps Score baseball card set left a memorable mark on the world of error card collecting. From jersey swaps to missing text, incorrect stats to dramatic miscuts, and even unplanned parallel variations, this release provided collectors with plenty of mistakes to seek out. High grade examples of the most significant 1990 Score errors can be quite valuable. Even poorly-centered lower grade versions retain value as unique collectibles. The set serves as a great example of how even minor printing errors can sometimes stand the test of time and become beloved oddities within the rich tradition of sports memorabilia collecting.
