Click here for the list of 80s sets to complete.
Click here for the list of 00s sets to complete.
Click here for the list of 10s sets to complete.
Click here for the list of insert sets to complete.

Top sets to complete from the 90s

Here's the sets I'm shooting for in order of preference.
1998 EX-2001 1998 EX-2001
One of the first cards I got from the baseball card shop in Sharonville, Ohio. Saw the plastic Piazza card and was intrigued. Got a box of them for my birthday one year. One of the coolest brands of all-time, this one is probably my favorite of the E-X line.
  • 3/3 - Received Tony Gwynn from eBay
  • 4/25 - Received Sammy Sosa from eBay
  • 7/26 - Received Chuck Knoblauch from eBay
Originally 58.4% Complete ( 59 / 101 cards)
Current 61.4% Complete ( 62 / 101 cards)
1993 Donruss 1993 Donruss
While in Toledo, I found a Big Lots that had boxes of these. Probably the first really good set Donruss put out.
  • 10/2 - Received four more cards through internet trade
  • 7/19 - Received 14 more through eBay purchase
Originally 96.5% Complete ( 764 / 792 cards)
Current: 98.7% Complete ( 782 / 792 cards)
1996 E-XL 1996 E-XL
The cool border on these make them pretty cool. And, it carries the "emotion" tags from the 1995 set.

96.3% Complete ( 289 / 300 cards)

1995 Topps Embossed 1995 Topps Embossed
I rarely see cards for this set. But, the embossed effect is really cool. The only other embossed set I've seen is 2000 Topps "Hands of Gold" insert.

4/1 - Bought a pack at the Peoria card store that yielded Frank Thomas, Dave Nilsson, and Kirby Puckett

Originally 85.0% Complete ( 119 / 140 cards)
Current: 87.1% Complete ( 122 / 140 cards)

1996 Metal Universe 1996 Metal Universe
This set is amazing. They took normal baseball shots and then turned them into comic book settings: players running from alien ships, A-Rod surfing at shortstop.

91.6% Complete ( 229 / 250 cards)

1991 Fleer 1991 Fleer
Ok, the yellow border is obnoxious. I bought a lot of cards for this set from the Laredo carryout when we lived on Graham Rd. Sentimental favorite, I suppose.
  • 10/2 - Acquired five cards via internet trade
  • 10/30 - Bought two Tri-Packs from Peoria baseball card shop and got 20 needed (including Sosa and Clemens!)
  • 1/26 - Received Frank Tanana and Steve Decker via trade
  • 2/27 - Bought four tri-packs at Peoria card shop and got 22 this time (Ron Robinson, Ron Kittle and Dave Burba!)
  • 4/1 - More tri-packs. Another McGwire Pro-Vision insert, but also six needed cards
Originally 87.1% Complete ( 627 / 720 cards)
Current: 94.4% Complete ( 674 / 720 cards)
1999 Topps Gold Label 1999 Topps Gold Label
The best of the Gold Label sets. A set of refractors: what more could you want?

3/21 - Received Glaus, Cirillo, El Duque, Castilla, and Travis Lee from eBay seller

Originally 61.0% Complete ( 61 / 100 cards)
Current: 66.0% Complete ( 66 / 100 cards)

1999 Bowman 1999 Bowman
Arguably the best rookie set (the 1992 Bowman being the other, and I'm not that big on that set). I've gotten lots of the main rookies.

96.1% Complete ( 423 / 440 cards)

1999 Upper Deck MVP 1999 Upper Deck MVP
Fleer and Upper Deck have put out some crappy sets. This one caught my eye. Proving once again that 1999 was a GREAT year for set designs.

10/28 - Received three via internet trade

Originally 28.6% Complete ( 63 / 220 cards)
Current 30.0% Complete ( 66 / 220 cards)

1999 Fleer Brilliants 1999 Fleer Brilliants
A very unique and cool set. I like the grey metallic background.

10/30 - Bought a pack at the Northwoods card show, got Jeter and David Wells

Originally 30.3% Complete ( 53 / 175 cards)
Current 31.4% Complete ( 55 / 175 cards)

1993 Topps 1993 Topps
Of the Topps sets I don't have complete in the 90s, this one is probably my favorite. Very simple border and had cards of the new Marlins and Rockies teams.
  • 10/2 - Acquired 28 via internet trade
  • 7/19 - Acquired Eric Wedge and Pat Rapp via eBay purchase. Only two more!
Oringally 96.1% Complete ( 793 / 825 cards)
Current: 99.8% Complete ( 823 / 825 cards)
1997 Donruss Preferred 1997 Donruss Preferred
Once I saw the gold and silver cards in the set, I liked it - the bronze, eh, not so much.
  • 10/7 - Cal Ripken platinum card from eBay arrived today
  • 2/10 - Barry Larkin gold arrives from eBay
  • 4/13 - Bought eight gold from eBay, including McGwire, Nomo and Bonds
Originally 27.5% Complete ( 33 / 100 Bronze, 16 / 60 Silver, 5 / 30 Gold, 1 / 10 Platinum)
Current: 32.5% Complete ( 33 / 100 Bronze, 16 / 60 Silver, 14 / 30 Gold, 2 / 10 Platinum)
1999 Bowman Chrome 1999 Bowman Chrome
I have a soft spot from chrome cards, and if I liked the base set it was only natural that I'd go for the chrome version.

3/12 - Got Larry Walker from large eBay lot

Originallly 33.9% Complete ( 149 / 440 cards)
Current: 34.1% Complete ( 150 / 440 cards)

1999 Bowman's Best 1999 Bowman's Best
Completing the trifecta of Bowman sets for 1999! This one is on here not so much because I like it but because it's almost done because I actually bought a box of these.

77.5% Complete ( 155 / 200 cards)

1999 Molten Metal 1999 Molten Metal
The funky colored backgrounds make this set worth keeping. Some of the parallels are amazing.

4/22 - Bought a pack at Queen City Comics and got Scott Rolen, Matt Williams and Rickey Henderson

Originally 26.7% Complete ( 40 / 150 cards)
Current: 29.3% Complete ( 44 / 150 cards)

1993 Leaf 1993 Leaf
Some of the Marlins cards are amazing. I liked the backs of the cards almost more than the front (and the fronts are pretty impressive!)
  • 9/26 - Baseball Card Corner grab-bag with Winfield on front also had The Cowboy (Jeff Brantley)
  • 10/2 - Internet trade yields 12 more cards
  • 3/12 - Got Brian Jordan and John Kruk in large eBay lot
Originally 24.2% Complete ( 133 / 550 cards)
Current: 27.3% Complete ( 150 / 550 cards)
1997 Bowman 1997 Bowman
The first Bowman set to have a black border. The Ramon Hernandez card is awesome.
  • 10/30 - Bought a pack at Northwoods Mall card show and got seven
  • 3/12 - Got Rusty Greer and Tom Glavine from large lot bought on eBay
Originally 12.5% Complete ( 55 / 441 cards)
Current 14.5% Complete ( 64 / 441 cards)


Last updated July 31, 2011
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