Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 1990 Donruss Baseball Cello
1990 Donruss Baseball features a 716-card base set. Being the early ’90s there were only a couple small inserts to chase down (Grand Slammers and MVPs), though the set features plenty of subsets like Rated Rookies (some actual rookie cards and some not), All Stars, and (my favorite) Diamond Kings. The Diamond Kings cards feature the artwork of Dick Perez, once the official artist of Major League Baseball.
As far as the design, well, get used to seeing red. This set has become affectionately known as the ketchup set, and it is clear why. Lots and lots of red borders here. What this rip lacks in value (there isn’t much), it makes up for with nostalgia and big-name players.
As far as rookie cards to chase in this rip, there is Hall of Famer Larry Walker, along with Juan Gonzalez, Sammy Sosa, and Bernie Williams.
1990 Donruss Baseball Cello Box Break
Cards per pack: 37
Packs per box: 25
Price paid: $15
- Buy 1990 Donruss cards on Beckett Marketplace
- Buy 1990 Donruss boxes on eBay
Pack 1 highlights:
Two Carl Yastrzemski puzzle-piece cards (in every pack), Brian Downing Diamond Kings (DK), Joe Magrane DK, Jeffrey Leonard Grand Slammers (GS), Greg Vaughn Rated Rookies (RR), Eric Davis MVP, John Olerud, Jamie Moyer, Sammy Sosa RC, Omar Vizquel, Gary Carter, Bobby Bonilla, Joe Girardi, Eddie Murray and Harold Baines All Star (AS)
Pack 2:
Ed Whitson DK, another Magrane DK, Delino Deshields RR RC, Sandy Alomar Jr. RR, Chris James GS, Mike Greenwell MVP, Ozzie Smith AS, Harold Baines, Eddie Murray and Barry Larkin
Pack 3:
Chris Bosio DK, Howard Johnson DK, Jeffrey Leonard GS, Bret Saberhagen x2, Ken Caminiti, John Kruk, Eric Davis MVP, Davis base and Fred McGriff
Pack 4:
Chris James GS, Goose Gossage, Wally Joyner, Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd, Steve Avery RR and George Bell
Pack 5:
Mickey Tettleton DK x2, yet another Leonard GS, Julio Machado RR, Bobby Bonilla MVP, Tom Glavine, Jeff Reardon, Marquis Grissom RR RC and Bill Buckner
Pack 6:
John Franco DK, Howard Johnson MVP, another James GS, Mark Gardner RR, Greg Swindell MVP, Tom Glavine, Randy Johnson, Shawon Dunston, Tom “Flash” Gordon, Andre Dawson and Dave Stewart AS
Pack 7:
Dave Stewart AS, a fourth Leonard GS, Bo Jackson MVP, Benito Santiago AS, Andy Benes RR, Deion Sanders, Jim Abbott, Rick Aguilera, Nolan Ryan, Rickey Henderson, Jack Morris, Eric Davis AS and Charlie Hough
Pack 8:
Carlton Fisk MVP, Kevin Mitchell MVP, Bryn Smith DK, a fourth James GS, Pat Combs RR, Jim Deshaies DK, Mike Schmidt All-Time Great, Gary Carter and Barry Larkin
Pack 9:
John Smoltz DK, Will Clark GS, Carl Yastrzemski, Ed Whitson DK, Joe Magrane DK, Deion Sanders, Steve Sax MVP, Eric Davis MVP, Nolan Ryan 5,000 Ks, Barry Larkin and Harold Baines
Pack 10:
Nolan Ryan DK, Jack Clark GS, Cal Ripken MVP, Pedro Guerrero AS, Lou Whitaker, Will Clark AS, Robin Yount and Barry Larkin
Pack 11:
Pete O’Brien DK, Nolan Ryan King of Kings, Julio Franco AS, Tony Gwynn AS, Jack Clark GS, Craig Biggio, Jay Buhner, Tony Gwynn, Tom Henke, Bert Blyleven and Greg Maddux
Pack 12:
Mickey Tettleton DK, John Franco DK, Greg Swindell MVP, Todd Benzinger GS, Scott Coolbaugh RR RC, Dave Henderson, Goose Gossage, Wade Boggs, Dave Stewart, Tom Gordon and Kevin Mitchell
Pack 13:
Chris Bosio DK, Matt Williams GS, Yaz, Dave Stewart MVP, Harold Baines AS, Goose Gossage, Wade Boggs, Bret Saberhagen, Ken Caminiti, Roberto Alomar, Eddie Murray, Gary Sheffield, and a couple of miscuts.
People do collect miscuts like this, believe it or not.
Pack 14:
Alvin Davis MVP, Bobby Bonilla MVP, Matt Williams GS, Steve Sax MVP, Howard Johnson DK, Eric Davis AS, Howard Johnson AS, Rickey Henderson, Bret Saberhagen and Craig Biggio
Pack 15:
John Smiley DK, Fred McGriff GS, Dave Stewart DK, Wade Boggs AS, Brady Anderson, Andres “Big Cat” Galarraga, Bobby Bonilla and Joe Girardi
Pack 16:
Dave Stewart DK, Kelly Gruber DK, Bo Jackson GS, Steve Sax MVP, Chili Davis MVP, Omar Vizquel, Barry Larkin, Wade Boggs AS, Dave Winfield, Deion Sanders and Julio Franco
Pack 17:
Steve Sax DK, Tony Gwynn MVP, Bobby Bonilla MVP, Eric Davis AS, Bo Jackson As, Jack Clark GS, Marquis Grissom RR RC, Jeff Reardon, Kirk Gibson, Bill Buckner and Dave Stewart
Pack 18:
John Franco DK, Will Clark GS, Dennis Martinez, Rickey Henderson, Brady Anderson x2, Andres Galarraga, Tom Gordon, John Olerud, Jamie Moyer and Sammy Sosa RC
Pack 19:
Jack Clark GS, Kelly Gruber DK, Steve Sax MVP, Paul Molitor MVP, Orel Hershiser MVP, Andy Benes RR, Gary Carter, Deion Sanders, Benito Santiago AS, Todd Zeile RR and Kevin Mitchell AS
Pack 20:
Will Clark GS, Tommy Herr DK, Kirby Puckett AS, Cal Ripken AS, Jim Abbott, Roberto Alomar, Wally Joyner, Bill Buckner, Mike Scioscia, Otis Nixon, Yaz, Dave Righetti, Mike Fetters RR RC, Nolan Ryan 5,000 Ks and Terry Pendleton
Pack 21:
Ken Griffey, Jr. DK, Fred McGriff GS, Bill Buckner, Jim Abbott, Otis Nixon, Wally Joyner, Paul Molitor, Ramon Martinez, Ken Griffey Sr. and Oil Can Boyd
Pack 22:
Kirby Puckett AS, Pete O’Brien DK, Kevin Mitchell MVP, Dave Stewart AS, Bernie Williams RC, Bo Jackson GS, Bert Blyleven and Ron Gant
Pack 23:
Kevin Mitchell AS, Terry Steinbach AS, Steve Sax DK, Fred McGriff GS, Bo Jackson AS, Andy Benes RR, Tony Gwynn MVP, Sammy Sosa RC, Shawon Dunston, Randy Johnson, Jay Buhner, Tony Gwynn and Bill Buckner
Pack 24:
Bryn Smith DK, Ellis Burks DK, Bo Jackson MVP, Sandy Alomar Jr. RR, Bo Jackson GS, Rick Aguilera, Charlie Hough, Howard Johnson MVP and Jeff Reardon
Whew. That was A LOT of cards!
As you can see, this is absolutely loaded with big names. I will also always love the Diamond Kings cards. Unfortunately, we didn’t find more of a variety in this box.
Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.
