The 1991 Fleer baseball card set was the last series issued by Fleer before losing the MLB license to rival manufacturer Upper Deck in 1992. The 1991 set marked Fleer’s 26th year of producing baseball cards and contained 132 total cards including rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Chipper Jones and Jim Thome.

Some key things to know about the 1991 Fleer baseball card set include:

Design – The design of the 1991 Fleer cards featured a simple team logo at the top with the player’s name and position below. Statistics from the previous season were listed on the back along with a short biography. The design was clean and easy to read compared to some of the more elaborate sets from other companies at the time.

Rarity – The 1991 Fleer set had a large print run making most regular cards fairly common and inexpensive to acquire today. Some key rookie cards and star players have increased in value due to demand. The Chipper Jones and Jim Thome rookies are two of the most sought after cards from the set.

Rookie Cards – In addition to Jones and Thome, the 1991 Fleer set also featured the rookie cards of future all-stars Mo Vaughn, Jeff Bagwell, and Darren Daulton. Each of these players went on to have productive MLB careers making their rookie cards popular with collectors. Other notable rookies included Derek Bell, Gregg Jefferies, and Bobby Bonilla.

Short Prints – Fleer’s practice of including unannounced short printed cards added an element of randomness and chase to the 1991 set. Cards like Nolan Ryan, Cal Ripken Jr., and Ozzie Smith were printed in lower numbers, making them harder to find in packs. These short prints can carry premiums today.

Inserts – Fleer included several special “insert” cards not numbered to the base set. The most popular were the All-Time Team inserts highlighting legends of the game. Other inserts paid tribute to the 1991 World Series between the Twins and Braves.

Variations – Some variations occurred within the base set, such as printing errors, photo changes, or statistical updates. One example is the Cal Ripken card being printed with the Orioles logo instead of a team name. Errors and variations can be very valuable to specialized collectors.

Autographs – While factory autographed cards were not common in 1991, some enterprising collectors did manage to acquire autographed cards directly from players. Authenticated signed cards from the era carry high values today.

Packaging – The 1991 Fleer cards came in the traditional wax paper packs with 5 cards each. Boxes contained 12 packs for a total of 60 cards. Wax packs from this era are still attainable and part of the collecting experience for many.

Production – Fleer produced their baseball cards at multiple printing plants across the U.S. This led to subtle differences in card stock, centering, and printing quality depending on the plant. Variations caused by manufacturing processes are an area of interest to detailed collectors.

In the years since its release, the 1991 Fleer baseball card set has developed a strong following among both casual collectors and serious investors. While it lacked some of the flashy extras of competing brands, the clean design, solid rookie class, and manufacturing quirks gave the set its own charm. Prices have appreciated nicely for the hottest rookie cards and short prints. But with a large print run, most of the base 1991 Fleer cards can still be obtained quite reasonably to build sets. The mix of affordability and desirable content keeps this a popular vintage choice for collectors.

For investors, the 1991 Fleer cards represent an accessible vintage era with room for further growth. Established stars from the set like Ripken, Bonds, and Maddux continue to produce on the field and increase collector demand. And as the young stars like Jones, Thome, and Bagwell near the Hall of Fame, their rookie cards should stay relevant and valuable for years to come. The 1991 Fleer baseball card set remains an intriguing part of the early 1990s trading card boom and offers opportunities for both casual collectors and long term investors alike.