1998 Donruss Elite
Description
1998 Donruss Elite is a 150-card set released in March, 1998.
Distribution
18 packs per box, five cards per pack (MSRP: $3.99). Hobby only.
Reviews
Insertion Ratios
| Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Odds |
|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 150 | - | ? |
| Aspirations | 150 | 750 | ? |
| Status | 150 | 100 | ? |
| Back to the Future | 8 | 1400 | ? |
| Craftsmen | 30 | 3500 | ? |
| Master Craftsmen | 30 | 100 | ? |
| Prime Numbers | 36 | varies | ? |
| Prime Numbers Die-Cut | 36 | varies | ? |
| Back to the Future Autographs | 7 | 100 or 200 | ? |
Checklist
Base Set
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite') AND (num < 118); </sql2wiki>
Generations
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite') AND (num BETWEEN 118 AND 147); </sql2wiki>
Checklists
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite') AND (num > 147); </sql2wiki>
Parallels
Aspirations
Aspirations is a die-cut parallel of the base set printed on red foil. Each card is limited (but not serial-numbered) to 750 copies.
Status
Status is a die-cut parallel of the base set printed on holographic gold foil. Each card is serial-numbered to 100 copies.
NOTE: Samples, serial-numbered "XXX/100" are known to exist. It's believed that these cards did not emerge until after Pinnacle Brands' 1998 bankruptcy.
Inserts
Back to the Future
Back to the Future is an eight-card, double-sided, set and features a top veteran and a new player. Each card is serial-numbered to 1500 copies with the first 100 autographed (see below).
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite Back to the Future'); </sql2wiki>
Craftsmen
Each Craftsmen insert is serial-numbered to 3500 copies, with a "Master Craftsmen" parallel, serial-numbered to only 100 copies, also available. The Craftsmen cards have a blue-foil background, while the Master Craftsmen are red.
NOTE: Like with the Status parallels (see above) samples, serial-numbered "XXX/100" are known to exist. It's believed that these cards did not emerge until after Pinnacle Brands' 1998 bankruptcy.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite Craftsmen'); </sql2wiki>
Prime Numbers
Prime Numbers is a 36-card set featuring three cards each of 12 top players in the league printed with three different numerical backgrounds (of which form a statistical benchmark when placed together). Each card is serial-numbered to each player's particular statistic, with a die-cut parallel also available.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info, serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite Prime Numbers'); </sql2wiki>
Samples
To promote the upcoming 1998 Donruss Elite set, samples were created for all 36 Prime Numbers inserts and distributed one per dealer order form. The cards are identical to regular Prime Numbers inserts (see below) except for the large "SAMPLE" text running diagonally across the backs and lack of serial numbering.
Die-Cut
The number of die-cuts depends on the card. For card "A" in each three-card sequence, the number of cards die-cut is equal to the value of the first digit multiplied by 100. "B" is equal to the middle-digit times ten. "C" die-cuts are equal to the value of the third digit.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info, serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite Prime Numbers Die Cuts'); </sql2wiki>
Autographs
Back to the Future Autograph
This seven-card set is a parallel version of the the regular 1998 Donruss Elite Back to the Future insert set. The first 100 serial-numbered copies of each card were autographed by both players.
Cal Ripken, Jr. refused to sign card #1 with Paul Konerko. As a compromise, Ripken eventually signed 200 cards. One hundred special redemptions (rather bland black and white text-based cards) were issued for the Ripken card and randomly seeded into packs. In addition, lucky collectors that pulled one of the first 100 serial-numbered Back to the Future Konerko autograph cards could exchange it for a Ripken autograph AND still receive their Konerko autograph back, unmarked. The Ripken autograph is serial-numbered "XXX/200."
Card #6 does not exist in this set. Due to problems in obtaining Frank Thomas' autograph prior to the shipping deadline, the manufacturer was forced to insert into packs the first 100 serial-numbered cards of card #6 unsigned. It was then announced that any collector who pulled an unsigned 1-100 #6 could trade it for a special Frank Thomas autographed card (a basic 1998 Donruss Elite Thomas card, embossed with a special stamp and signed by Thomas on front). David Ortiz did not sign for this set.
Due to Pinnacle Brands' bankruptcy, the exchange program was abruptly halted in late 1998. Prior to this, the serial-numbered 1-100 Thomas/Ortiz cards traded for as much as $300. After this date, the premiums disappeared entirely.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num, player, info, serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Donruss Elite Back to the Future Autographs'); </sql2wiki>
| Donruss/Panini Elite |
|---|
| Pinnacle Brands Era: |
| Donruss-Playoff Era: |
| Panini America Era: |
| Donruss Elite Extra Edition: |
| Panini Elite Extra Edition: |