The 1991 Fleer baseball card set was the 27th year Fleer produced an official MLB licensed baseball card set. It is considered one of the more famous and desirable sets of the early 90s due to the inclusion of some extremely high-profile rookie cards. The 1991 Fleer set contains a total of 792 cards issued in wax packs of 12 cards each.
Like many sets produced in the late 80s and early 90s, the 1991 Fleer set features various size and format cards within the main issued series. The majority of cards are standard size, but variations include ‘traded’ subsets highlighting players changing teams, prominent star or rookie cards issued in ‘pro debut’ oversize format, and serially numbered parallel ‘foil’ inserts that add challenge to completing the set.
One of the true highlight rookie cards in the 1991 Fleer set is that of Toronto Blue Jays slugger Roberto Alomar. Alomar burst onto the MLB scene in 1988 and quickly established himself as one of the premier second basemen in the league. His 1991 Fleer rookie card shows him in a Blue Jays uniform and is the most valuable and sought after non-autographed card from the set, regularly fetching upwards of $100+ in top-near mint condition.
Another enormously important rookie find in 1991 Fleer was Cardinals pitcher Todd Stottlemyre. Stottlemyre had a very successful career, but tragically passed away in early 2007 at age 44. His very low printed rookie card is one of the true key cards to obtaining a complete 1991 Fleer set. In high grade it can sell for over $500 due to its scarcity and the untimely passing of Stottlemyre make this one a true crown jewel card for collectors.
Along with rookie greats like Alomar and Stottlemyre, the 1991 Fleer set also paid tribute to the early career of budding superstars like Cubs outfielder Ryne Sandberg, Twins pitcher Scott Erickson, and Mariners outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. While Griffey had made his major league debut in 1989 and appeared in the 1990 Fleer set as well, his dramatic 1991 season where he hit .268 with 16 home runs and 47 RBI established him as a true rising star of the game.
Unlike today where entire sets are often printed on high-quality card stock, the 1991 Fleer issue utilized a thinner yet sturdy paperboard material. The majority of the images showcase players in standard baseball action shots or head shots however some of the key rookie and star cards feature more dynamic poses or candid “action” images that catch the players in a moment during a game. The set is also notable for including statistical and career summaries on the majority of player cards as opposed to just basic info.
In addition to the primary player cards, the 1991 Fleer baseball set also contained various inserts and parallels to add to the challenge. Among these were 21 double-printed “Traded” cards highlighting players who changed teams in 1990 or 1991, foil parallels of stars like Ripken Jr. and Puckett numbered to 100 copies, ‘Manager of the Year’ and ‘Cy Young Award’ winner inserts as well as a final ‘Fleer Tradition’ Team History sheet rounding out the checklist.
As with most vintage sets, fully obtaining a PSA/BGS graded complete 1991 Fleer baseball card set in high Near Mint to Mint condition represents an enormous challenge and investment. Many key cards like Alomar, Stottlemyre and early career superstars naturally command higher prices due to their historical significance. Finding pristine copies of some of the more commonly printed players can also be difficult due to the thinner stock used for the cards more than 30 years ago.
While expense of a true complete high-grade 1991 Fleer set makes it out of reach for many collectors, still acquiring, trading and building subsets of this classic early 90s issue remains a highly popular pursuit among vintage enthusiasts. Its mix of all-time great rookie cards, parallel and insert extras as well as classic statistical-backed player cards make the 1991 Fleer among the most storied releases from the sport’s exciting early 90’s boom period that saw huge growth nationally. For collectors it remains a true end-game base set to unlock as well as a premier vintage sports investment over the decades since its original packaging.
The 1991 Fleer Baseball Card set is regarded as one of the most important releases of the early 1990s. Featuring rookie cards of future Hall of Famers like Roberto Alomar and Ken Griffey Jr., key short prints, parallel inserts as well as a classic statistical player card design – the 1991 Fleer set has maintained a strong collector following and holds an important place in the history of the hobby. While a true complete mint set presents the ultimate challenge for even seasoned collectors and investors, continuing to build subsets of this beloved issue endures as a top priority for many in the vintage sports card collecting community.
