The Fleer 1991 baseball card set was released at the start of the 1991 MLB season and marked several notable firsts and changes from previous years. The set size was 660 cards and included rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Jim Thome. Fleer lost the MLB license after the 1990 season to rival manufacturer Upper Deck, so the 1991 set focused more on player photography and statistics rather than team logos and uniforms.
Some key things to know about the Fleer 1991 baseball card set include:
Design Change – Without MLB licensing, Fleer adopted a new minimalist design with solid color borders and white borders around each photo. Team names were replaced by diamond-shaped logos with the first letter of each club. This stripped-down look was a major departure from previous years.
Rookie Cards – As mentioned, the set featured rookie cards for future stars Chipper Jones (#479) of the Braves and Jim Thome (#479) of the Indians. Both went on to have Hall of Fame careers and their rookie cards remain highly sought after by collectors. Other top rookies included Bobby Bonilla, Scott Erickson, and Jeff Bagwell.
Player Photography – With the loss of official licensing, Fleer focused on innovative photography styles to showcase players. Examples include extreme close-ups, action shots, and unique poses. This helped make individual cards more visually interesting without traditional uniforms and logos.
Statistics – Detailed individual and career stats were provided on many cards, more so than in previous Fleer sets. Pitcher stats included won-loss records, ERA, innings pitched and strikeouts. Position players had career batting averages, home runs, RBI and other offensive numbers.
Parallels and Inserts – For the first time, Fleer included parallel and insert card variations beyond the base 660-card checklist. These included “Traded” cards showing players on their new teams, “League Leaders” highlights, and “Top Prospects” of minor leaguers.
Design Flaws – Some errors occurred due to the rushed nature of creating the set without MLB approval. A few cards listed the wrong statistics, positions, or even featured the wrong photograph of another player entirely. These anomalies are now considered valuable errors.
Increased Value – Without the MLB license, Fleer print runs were smaller than previous years. Combined with the rookie cards of future stars and innovative photography, the 1991 set has increased greatly in secondary market value since the early 1990s. Near-mint examples of Chipper Jones or Jim Thome rookies can fetch thousands.
Team Distribution – The Cardinals, Dodgers and Tigers led the set with over 50 cards each dedicated to those franchises. Other clubs like the Mariners and Expos had fewer than 30 total. This distribution was likely based on Fleer’s analysis of most popular teams rather than an official checklist.
Designer – Richard Knerr was the lead designer for the 1991 Fleer baseball card set. He pioneered many innovative photography styles and creative card designs during his tenure at Fleer in the late 80s/early 90s. The 1991 set showed his resourcefulness without the MLB licensing restrictions.
Production – Sheets of 108 cards were printed by the Topps Company and distributed exclusively by Fleer. The lack of an official MLBPA license meant Fleer had to find creative workarounds in many aspects of the set’s design and production compared to previous years.
In the years since, the Fleer 1991 baseball card set has become a favorite of collectors not just for the rookie cards of future stars, but also because it represented Fleer’s last hurrah before losing the MLB license. The innovative photography, statistics focus, and design flaws made each card unique and captured a transitional period in the baseball card industry. Prices have increased steadily for this 660-card set as collectors appreciate its historical significance and the talent featured within.
While not bearing official MLB or team logos, the Fleer 1991 baseball card set showcased players in creative new photography styles and marked the debut of future Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Jim Thome. The loss of the MLB license pushed Fleer’s designers like Richard Knerr to think outside the box, which ironically made the 1991 set stand out even more from other years in the company’s long history of producing baseball cards. Its smaller print run and rookie card gems have also driven demand and prices higher among collectors decades later.
