1989 Fleer Randy Johnson #381 Marlboro Errors - 30 Years Later

[Athos01]

Yes Steve, that card looks identical to mine. At the time, we classified it as a "blue tint" because there seemed to be a light whitish box covering over the sign that made the red areas of the sign almost appear to have a bluish tint to it.

You guys are right, the prices do seem to be dropping. Unfortunately, folks need to pay closer attention to the ad itself, rather than the label. As we all know, PSA has been pretty inconsistent with their labeling. I have about 15 Marlboro Ad Blacked out PSA cards that are really more of the boxed versions whereby the sign is obscured and not fully blacked out.

If PSA is only going with 3 different versions, I would say only those cards where Marlboro is clearly visible - clear version, green/aqua tint should be labeled Marlboro Ad on Scoreboard. Anything not fully blacked out would fall under Marlboro Ad Partially Obscured, and then the Marlboro Ad Blacked Out versions.

But certainly, similar to the Ripken cards, there are so many different versions, it would be tough for the graders to identify and track them all.

[steve5838]

Thanks, Kevin. I agree with your logic about PSA labeling given they only use 3 different versions. It would certainly help clear some confusion. My only addition might be to include the r1 version along with the clear (n0) and blue (b1) versions under the Ad on Scoreboard label. I can see both sides for that one but the r1 does have clear sign lettering and cowboy.

[lowpopper]

So do we have a finalized order of true rarity?

[jacksoncoupage]

Originally Posted by lowpopper

So do we have a finalized order of true rarity?

How sure are you that these even come from packs??

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jacksoncoupage

How sure are you that these even come from packs??

I heard they all originated from Lenny like all the rare Ripken versions.

[jacksoncoupage]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I heard they all originated from Lenny like all the rare Ripken versions.

Im sad to say that this went over my head. Do tell!

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by jacksoncoupage

Im sad to say that this went over my head. Do tell!

A guy named Lenny had all the super rare Bill Ripkens. I can't remember his last name but he had some beyond amazing items. Sadly Covid took him.

[jp1216]

Originally Posted by bnorth

I heard they all originated from Lenny like all the rare Ripken versions.

Leonard Helicher (RIP) had a card business and took out ads in local papers. It lead to Fleer employees smuggling out cards to sell on the side. Yes, Lenny had quite a stash. Lots of rare items but none of them 'originated' with him. He bought/sold FF related items for many years. He is missed. Coming up on 2 years already....

[jacksoncoupage]

Originally Posted by jp1216

Leonard Helicher (RIP) had a card business and took out ads in local papers. It lead to Fleer employees smuggling out cards to sell on the side. Yes, Lenny had quite a stash. Lots of rare items but none of them 'originated' with him. He bought/sold FF related items for many years. He is missed. Coming up on 2 years already....

Originally Posted by bnorth

A guy named Lenny had all the super rare Bill Ripkens. I can't remember his last name but he had some beyond amazing items. Sadly Covid took him.

Wow, very fascinating! To keep up that interest for so many years is an accomplishment itself. But yes, a sad ending.

[steve5838]

Originally Posted by lowpopper

So do we have a finalized order of true rarity?

I have little doubt the clear (n0) and blue tint (b1) versions are the rarest ones. After that, I have no idea. I believe there are only 3 known cards of the n0 version and 5 known cards of the b1 version. If anyone out there has some n0 or b1 cards please shout out and we can update these numbers. Regardless I don't think final talleys will be high. Steve

[bnorth]

Here are the 3 different green scribble versions. Anybody else have all 3 versions?

[Hatorade]

There was a previous thread about these cards and someone mentioned the 1985 mother’s cookies cards that had the Marlboro ad edited from a couple of them. I wanted to include those images from Jack Murphy Stadium here since that has become part of the topics being discussed in this thread. Also pictured is a more modern card, of an old image, of Randy pictured in front of another almost complete image of a Marlboro ad. More info coming soon.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Hatorade

There was a previous thread about these cards and someone mentioned the 1985 mother’s cookies cards that had the Marlboro ad edited from a couple of them. I wanted to include those images from Jack Murphy Stadium here since that has become part of the topics being discussed in this thread. Also pictured is a more modern card, of an old image, of Randy pictured in front of another almost complete image of a Marlboro ad. More info coming soon.

Those are cool, thanks for sharing.

[steve5838]

Originally Posted by hatorade

there was a previous thread about these cards and someone mentioned the 1985 mother’s cookies cards that had the marlboro ad edited from a couple of them. I wanted to include those images from jack murphy stadium here since that has become part of the topics being discussed in this thread. Also pictured is a more modern card, of an old image, of randy pictured in front of another almost complete image of a marlboro ad. More info coming soon.

That is really cool. Thanks for sharing the pictures. On a somewhat similar note, I cropped the Marlboro sign from the stadium picture on your FB page and pasted over top of it a cropped scan of the sign on the clear version. I could make the clear sign version look a little lighter by putting it under better light but I didn't. Anyway, then I increased the transparency little by little on the clear sign card picture. My idea was to make a GIF of this and maybe using other versions too but I haven't figured that out. Steve

rj4.JPG