1997 Donruss Limited

Description

1997 Donruss Limited is a 200-card base set and was released in the July of that year. One of the most bizarrely structured base sets ever, this chrome-stock set is divided into four unique subsets: Counterparts, Double Team, Star Factor, and Unlimited. The Counterparts subset features 100 double-sided cards of two star players from different teams who happen to play the same position. The Double Team subset displays two star teammates back-to-back on 40 double-sided cards. The Star Factor subset highlights 40 superstars with a different photo of the same player on each side of the card plus unique player statistics. The Unlimited subset features 20 cards matching up of a veteran and a rookie.

Only the "front" side of each card (usually the side featuring the "better" player) was printed on chromium stock. The "back" side (where the card number and legal mumbo-jumbo is printed) is on plastic-coated paper.

According to a press release from Donruss, only 1100 copies of each Star Factor card was produced -- although they are not serial-numbered. And while the exact pack insertion ratios were never issued; judging from dealers who broke cases of '97 Donruss Limited the odds appear to be as follows: Double Team 1:6, Star Factor 1:24, and Unlimited 1:36.

Distribution

Wax: 24 packs per box; five cards per pack (MSRP: $4.99)

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Limited To	Odds
Base	200	-	?
Counterparts	100	-	?
Double Team	40	4400	1:6
Star Factor	40	1100	1:24
Unlimited	20	1467	1:36
Limited Exposure	200	varies	?
Fabric of the Game	69	varies	1:20

Checklist

Base Set

The base set is fractured into the following subsets:

• C = "Counterparts"

• DT = "Double Team" (1:6/packs, calculated production run of 4400 copies)

• SF = "Star Factor" (1:24/packs, announced production run of 1100 copies)

• U = "Unlimited" (1:36/packs, calculated production run of 1467 copies)

• 1 Ken Griffey, Jr. C
• 2 Greg Maddux / David Cone C
• 3 Gary Sheffield / Moises Alou DT
• 4 Frank Thomas SF
• 5 Cal Ripken, Jr. / Kevin Orie C
• 6 Vladimir Guerrero / Barry Bonds U
• 7 Eddie Murray / Reggie Jefferson C
• 8 Manny Ramirez / Marquis Grissom DT
• 9 Mike Piazza SF
• 10 Barry Larkin / Rey Ordonez C
• 11 Jeff Bagwell / Eric Karros C
• 12 Chuck Knoblauch / Ray Durham C
• 13 Alex Rodriguez / Edgar Renteria C
• 14 Matt Williams / Vinny Castilla C
• 15 Todd Hollandsworth / Bob Abreu C
• 16 John Smoltz / Pedro Martinez C
• 17 Jose Canseco / Chili Davis C
• 18 Jose Cruz, Jr. / Ken Griffey, Jr. U
• 19 Ken Griffey, Jr. SF
• 20 Paul Molitor / John Olerud C
• 21 Roberto White / Luis Castillo C
• 22 Derek Jeter / Lou Collier C
• 23 Chipper Jones / Robin Ventura C
• 24 Gary Sheffield / Ron Gant C
• 25 Ramon Martinez / Bobby Jones C
• 26 Mike Piazza / Raul Mondesi DT
• 27 Darin Erstad / Jeff Bagwell U
• 28 Ivan Rodriguez SF
• 29 J.T. Snow / Kevin Young C
• 30 Ryne Sandberg / Julio Franco C
• 31 Travis Clark / Chris Snopek C
• 32 Wade Boggs / Russ Davis C
• 33 Brooks Kieschnick / Marty Cordova C
• 34 Andy Pettitte / Denny Neagle C
• 35 Paul Molitor / Matt Lawton DT
• 36 Scott Rolen / Cal Ripken, Jr. U
• 37 Cal Ripken, Jr. SF
• 38 Jim Thome / Dave Nilsson C
• 39 Tony Womack RC / Carlos Baerga C
• 40 Nomar Garciaparra / Mark Grudzielanek C
• 41 Todd Greene / Chris Widger C
• 42 Deion Sanders / Bernard Gilkey C
• 43 Hideo Nomo / Charles Nagy C
• 44 Ivan Rodriguez / Rusty Greer DT
• 45 Todd Walker / Chipper Jones U
• 46 Greg Maddux SF
• 47 Mo Vaughn / Cecil Fielder C
• 48 Craig Biggio / Scott Spiezio C
• 49 Pokey Reese / Jeff Blauser C
• 50 Ken Caminiti / Joe Randa C
• 51 Albert Belle / Shawn Green C
• 52 Randy Johnson / Jason Dickson C
• 53 Hideo Nomo / Chan Ho Park DT
• 54 Scott Spiezio / Chuck Knoblauch U
• 55 Chipper Jones SF
• 56 Tino Martinez / Ryan McGuire C
• 57 Eric Young / Wilton Guerrero C
• 58 Ron Coomer / Dave Hollins C
• 59 Sammy Sosa / Angel Echevarria C
• 60 Dennis Reyes RC / Jimmy Key C
• 61 Barry Larkin / Deion Sanders DT
• 62 Wilton Guerrero / Roberto Alomar U
• 63 Albert Belle SF
• 64 Mark McGwire / Andres Galarraga C
• 65 Edgar Martinez / Todd Walker C
• 66 Steve Finley / Rich Becker C
• 67 Tom Glavine / Andy Ashby C
• 68 Sammy Sosa / Ryne Sandberg DT
• 69 Nomar Garciaparra / Alex Rodriguez U
• 70 Jeff Bagwell SF
• 71 Darin Erstad / Mark Grace C
• 72 Scott Rolen / Edgardo Alfonzo C
• 73 Kenny Lofton / Lance Johnson C
• 74 Joey Hamilton / Brett Tomko C
• 75 Eddie Murray / Tim Salmon DT
• 76 Dmitri Young / Mo Vaughn U
• 77 Juan Gonzalez SF
• 78 Frank Thomas / Tony Clark C
• 79 Shannon Stewart / Bip Roberts C
• 80 Shawn Estes / Alex Fernandez C
• 81 John Smoltz / Javy Lopez DT
• 82 Todd Greene / Mike Piazza U
• 83 Derek Jeter SF
• 84 Dmitri Young / Antone Williamson C
• 85 Rickey Henderson / Darryl Hamilton C
• 86 Billy Wagner / Dennis Eckersley C
• 87 Larry Walker / Eric Young DT
• 88 Mark Kotsay RC / Juan Gonzalez U
• 89 Barry Bonds SF
• 90 Will Clark / Jeff Conine C
• 91 Tony Gwynn / Brett Butler C
• 92 John Wetteland / Rod Beck C
• 93 Bernie Williams / Tino Martinez DT
• 94 Andruw Jones / Kenny Lofton U
• 95 Mo Vaughn SF
• 96 Joe Carter / Derrek Lee C
• 97 John Mabry / F.P. Santangelo C
• 98 Esteban Loaiza / Wilson Alvarez C
• 99 Matt Williams / Dave Justice DT
• 100 Derrek Lee / Frank Thomas U
• 101 Mark McGwire SF
• 102 Fred McGriff / Paul Sorrento C
• 103 Jermaine Allensworth / Bernie Williams C
• 104 Ismael Valdes / Chris Holt C
• 105 Fred McGriff / Ryan Klesko DT
• 106 Tony Clark / Mark McGwire U
• 107 Tony Gwynn SF
• 108 Jeffrey Hammonds / Ellis Burks C
• 109 Shane Reynolds / Andy Benes C
• 110 Roger Clemens / Carlos Delgado DT
• 111 Karim Garcia / Albert Belle U
• 112 Paul Molitor SF
• 113 Trey Beamon / Eric Owens C
• 114 Curt Schilling / Darryl Kile C
• 115 Tom Glavine / Michael Tucker DT
• 116 Pokey Reese / Derek Jeter U
• 117 Manny Ramirez SF
• 118 Juan Gonzalez / Brant Brown C
• 119 Juan Guzman / Francisco Cordova C
• 120 Randy Johnson / Edgar Martinez DT
• 121 Hideki Irabu / Greg Maddux U
• 122 Alex Rodriguez SF
• 123 Barry Bonds / Quinton McCracken C
• 124 Roger Clemens / Alan Benes C
• 125 Wade Boggs / Paul O'Neill DT
• 126 Mike Cameron / Larry Walker U
• 127 Gary Sheffield SF
• 128 Andruw Jones / Raul Mondesi C
• 129 Brian Anderson / Terrell Wade C
• 130 Brady Anderson / Rafael Palmeiro DT
• 131 Neifi Perez / Barry Larkin U
• 132 Ken Caminiti SF
• 133 Larry Walker / Rusty Greer C
• 134 Mariano Rivera / Mark Wohlers C
• 135 Hideki Irabu RC / Andy Pettitte DT
• 136 Jose Guillen / Tony Gwynn U
• 137 Hideo Nomo SF
• 138 Vladimir Guerrero / Jim Edmonds C
• 139 Jason Thompson / Dwight Gooden C
• 140 Andres Galarraga / Dante Bichette DT
• 141 Kenny Lofton SF
• 142 Tim Salmon / Manny Ramirez C
• 143 Kevin Brown / Matt Morris C
• 144 Craig Biggio / Bob Abreu DT
• 145 Roberto Alomar SF
• 146 Jose Guillen / Brian Jordan C
• 147 Bartolo Colon / Kevin Appier C
• 148 Ray Lankford / Brian Jordan DT
• 149 Chuck Knoblauch SF
• 150 Henry Rodriguez / Ray Lankford C
• 151 Jaret Wright / Ben McDonald C RC
• 152 Bobby Bonilla / Kevin Brown DT
• 153 Barry Larkin SF
• 154 Dave Justice / Reggie Sanders C
• 155 Mike Mussina / Ken Hill C
• 156 Mark Grace / Brooks Kieschnick DT
• 157 Jim Thome SF
• 158 Michael Tucker / Curtis Goodwin C
• 159 Jeff Suppan / Jeff Fassero C
• 160 Mike Mussina / Jeffrey Hammonds DT
• 161 John Smoltz SF
• 162 Moises Alou / Eric Davis C
• 163 Sandy Alomar, Jr. / Dan Wilson C
• 164 Rondell White / Henry Rodriguez DT
• 165 Roger Clemens SF
• 166 Brady Anderson / Al Martin C
• 167 Jason Kendall / Charles Johnson C
• 168 Jason Giambi / Jose Canseco DT
• 169 Larry Walker SF
• 170 Jay Buhner / Geronimo Berroa C
• 171 Ivan Rodriguez / Mike Sweeney C
• 172 Kevin Appier / Jose Rosado DT
• 173 Bernie Williams SF
• 174 Brian Giles RC / Todd Dunwoody C
• 175 Javy Lopez / Scott Hatteberg C
• 176 John Jaha / Jeff Cirillo DT
• 177 Andy Pettitte SF
• 178 Dante Bichette / Butch Huskey C
• 179 Raul Casanova / Todd Hundley C
• 180 Jim Edmonds / Garret Anderson DT
• 181 Deion Sanders SF
• 182 Ryan Klesko / Paul O'Neill C
• 183 Joe Carter / Pat Hentgen DT
• 184 Brady Anderson SF
• 185 Carlos Delgado / Wally Joyner C
• 186 Jermaine Dye / Johnny Damon DT
• 187 Randy Johnson SF
• 188 Todd Hundley / Carlos Baerga DT
• 189 Tom Glavine SF
• 190 Damon Mashore / Jason McDonald DT
• 191 Wade Boggs SF
• 192 Al Martin / Jason Kendall DT
• 193 Matt Williams SF
• 194 Will Clark / Dean Palmer DT
• 195 Sammy Sosa SF
• 196 Jose Cruz, Jr. / Jay Buhner DT RC
• 197 Eddie Murray SF
• 198 Darin Erstad / Jason Dickson DT
• 199 Fred McGriff SF
• 200 Bubba Trammell / Bob Higginson DT RC

Parallels

Limited Exposure

Printed using what Donruss called "Holographic Poly-Chromium Technology" on both sides, Limited Exposure is, for all intents and purposes, a Finest Refractor knock-off. The backs of each card have the words "Limited Exposure" printed beneath the card number.

Like the base set, the Counterparts are the easiest to find, and Unlimited the toughest. According to Donruss, only 40 copies of each Star Factor Limited Exposure exist -- although they are not serial-numbered.

It is believed that a large number of Limited Exposures (especially Counterparts Limited Exposures) may have been "backdoored" after the 1998 Pinnacle Brands bankruptcy.

Limited Exposure Non-Glossy

This 100-card set partially parallels the Counterparts subset. The cards were actually the result of an error at the printing plant whereby the "Holographic Poly-Chromium Technology" of the normal exposure was left off; but the words "Limited Exposure" still appear underneath the card number.

Inserts

Fabric of the Game

This 69-card multi-fractured "Materials" insert uses cards printed on three different non-paper substrates: Canvas, Leather, and Wood. The set is further broken down into five tiers that cross the three materials and are serial-numbered to the following:

• ML = "Major League Material" (serial-numbered to 1000 copies)
• S = "Star Material" (serial-numbered to 750 copies)
• SS = "Superstar Material" (serial-numbered to 500 copies)
• HF = "Hall of Fame Material" (serial-numbered to 250 copies)
• L = "Legendary Material" (serial-numbered to 100 copies)

• 1 Cal Ripken, Jr. HF
• 2 Tony Gwynn SS
• 3 Ivan Rodriguez S
• 4 Rickey Henderson L
• 5 Ken Griffey, Jr. SS
• 6 Chipper Jones ML
• 7 Sammy Sosa S
• 8 Wade Boggs HF
• 9 Manny Ramirez ML
• 10 Barry Bonds HF
• 11 Mike Piazza S
• 12 Rondell White ML
• 13 Albert Belle S
• 14 Tony Clark ML
• 15 Edgar Martinez SS
• 16 Deion Sanders S
• 17 Juan Gonzalez SS
• 18 Nomar Garciaparra ML
• 19 Rafael Palmeiro SS
• 20 Dave Justice S
• 21 Bob Abreu ML
• 22 Paul Molitor L
• 23 Vladimir Guerrero ML
• 24 Chuck Knoblauch SS
• 25 Tony Gwynn HF
• 26 Darin Erstad ML
• 27 Mark McGwire HF
• 28 Larry Walker S
• 29 Gary Sheffield S
• 30 Jose Cruz, Jr. ML
• 31 Kenny Lofton HF
• 32 Andres Galarraga SS
• 33 Raul Mondesi ML
• 34 Eddie Murray L
• 35 Tino Martinez ML
• 36 Todd Walker ML
• 37 Frank Thomas SS
• 38 Ken Caminiti S
• 39 Pokey Reese ML
• 40 Barry Bonds HF
• 41 Barry Larkin SS
• 42 Bernie Williams S
• 43 Cal Ripken, Jr. HF
• 44 Bobby Bonilla SS
• 45 Ken Griffey, Jr. S
• 46 Tim Salmon S
• 47 Ryne Sandberg HF
• 48 Rusty Greer ML
• 49 Matt Williams SS
• 50 Eric Young S
• 51 Andruw Jones ML
• 52 Jeff Bagwell S
• 53 Wilton Guerrero ML
• 54 Fred McGriff HF
• 55 Jose Guillen ML
• 56 Brady Anderson SS
• 57 Mo Vaughn S
• 58 Craig Biggio SS
• 59 Dmitri Young ML
• 60 Frank Thomas S
• 61 Derek Jeter ML
• 62 Albert Belle SS
• 63 Scott Rolen ML
• 64 Roberto Alomar HF
• 65 Jeff Bagwell S
• 66 Mark Grace SS
• 67 Gary Sheffield S
• 68 Joe Carter HF
• 69 Jim Thome ML