“What are the most coveted grail cards of the 90s?”

I’ve been asked this quite a bit recently, and I decided to put together a “Fabulous Five” list of top 90s cards for my guy Canseco – this list is subjective, of course, but is based upon my personal tracking, and countless interactions with other collectors over the past several years.

These cards all possess a perfect storm of desirability, beauty, and rarity, while being hunted by:

– player collectors
– 90s collectors
– Set collectors

They were created during the playing days of Canseco, and in a time when competition amongst card companies was fierce.

Given the larger pool of buyers, they oftentimes significantly outperform 1/1s by a longshot. Listen to owners of these cards and owners of newer 1/1s. The conversation typically starts with “I have THE 98 Crusade Red of (player name)” vs. “I have A bat barrel of (player name).”

Keep in mind, you will drop my jaw with the Crusade Red or barrel, but that gives you a good idea of the esteem these 90s cards are held. Many new to the hobby will scratch their heads at this notion … c’mon … these 90s cards don’t even have ANY relics or autographs!!! How can they be *that* desirable … and more desirable to many than the newer premium relic 1/1 cards?!

For those unsure of these cards, here is a rundown of them:

1996 Select Certified Mirror Gold (print run 30)
1997 Pinnacle Totally Certified Platinum Gold (/30)
1998 Donruss Crusade Red (/25)
1998 Metal Universe Precious Metal Gems PMG (/50)
1999 Fleer Brilliants 24-Karat Gold (/24)

I could probably write a book on each of these cards. They are not just rare; they are exceedingly beautiful, and do not change hands often. When they do, get your popcorn ready!