Description

2001 Donruss The Rookies is a 105-card factory set that was distributed via a unique redemption program. Randomly inserted into packs of 2001 Donruss Baseball -- at the rate of 1:72/packs -- was a coupon that allowed the bearer to purchase the 2001 Donruss The Rookies (DTR) set directly from Donruss-Playoff for $24.99. It is believed that 10,000 such coupons were inserted into packs of '01 Donruss, but neither the coupon, nor the set are serial numbered.

The July 2006 edition of Beckett Baseball Card Monthly estimates that 46,000 sets were produced; however some in The Hobby have disputed this figure, and claim that the actual figure is much lower. http://www.stalegum.com/2006/06/9200-pujols-rookie-diamond-kings-i.html

Each factory set included one of five Rookie Diamond King "inserts." The entire 105-card set, along with all five Rookie Diamond Kings, were also thrown into the Baseball's Best factory set.

The key rookie cards are of Mark Prior and Mark Teixeira. Both of these cards are notable as the Prior is one of only two non-short-printed rookie cards of the Cubs pitcher (the other is in Fleer Platinum XRC), and the Teixeira is his only non-SPed RC.

In addition to Prior, Teixeira, and just about every AA-level reliever and backup catcher you could possibly imagine, there are also big money cards of Ichiro Suzuki and Albert Pujols. Since both Ichiro and Pujols were included in the regular Donruss set, neither are considered True rookie cards.

Checklist

Base Set

R1 Adam Dunn

R2 Ryan Dreese

R3 Bud Smith

R4 Tsuyoshi Shinjo

R5 Roy Oswalt

R6 Wilmy Caceres

R7 Willie Harris

R8 Andres Torres

R9 Brandon Knight

R10 Horacio Ramirez

R11 Benito Baez

R12 Jeremy Affeldt

R13 Ryan Jensen

R14 Casey Fossum

R15 Ramon Vazquez

R16 Dustan Mohr

R17 Saul Rivera

R18 Zach Day

R19 Erik Hiljus

R20 Cesar Crespo

R21 Wilson Guzman

R22 Travis Hafner

R23 Grant Balfour

R24 Johnny Estrada

R25 Morgan Ensberg

R26 Jack Wilson

R27 Aubrey Huff

R28 Endy Chavez

R29 Delvin James

R30 Michael Cuddyer

R31 Jason Michaels

R32 Martin Vargas

R33 Donaldo Mendez

R34 Jorge Julio

R35 Tim Spooneybarger

R36 Kurt Ainsworth

R37 Josh Fogg

R38 Brian Reith

R39 Rick Bauer

R40 Tim Redding

R41 Erick Almonte

R42 Juan A. Pena

R43 Ken Harvey

R44 David Brous

R45 Kevin Olsen

R46 Henry Mateo

R47 Nick Neugebauer

R48 Mike Penney

R49 Jay Gibbons

R50 Tim Christman

R51 Brandon Duckworth

R52 Brett Jodie

R53 Christian Parker

R54 Carlos Hernandez

R55 Brandon Larson

R56 Nick Punto

R57 Elpidio Guzman

R58 Joe Beimel

R59 Junior Spivey

R60 Will Ohman

R61 Brandon Lyon

R62 Stubby Clapp

R63 Justin Duichscherer

R64 Jimmy Rollins

R65 David Williams

R66 Craig Monroe

R67 Jose Acevedo

R68 Jason Jennings

R69 Josh Phelps

R70 Brian Roberts

R71 Claudio Vargas

R72 Adam Johnson

R73 Bart Miadich

R74 Juan Rivera

R75 Brad Voyles

R76 Nate Cornejo

R77 Juan Moreno

R78 Brian Rogers

R79 R. Rodriguez

R80 Geronimo Gil

R81 Joe Kennedy

R82 Kevin Joseph

R83 Josue Perez

R84 Victor Zambrano

R85 Josh Towers

R86 Mike Rivera

R87 Mark Prior

R88 Juan Cruz

R89 Dewon Brazelton

R90 Angel Berroa

R91 Mark Teixeira

R92 Cody Ransom

R93 Angel Santos

R94 Corky Miller

R95 Brandon Berger

R96 Corey Patterson

R97 Albert Pujols

R98 Josh Beckett

R99 C.C. Sabathia

R100 Alfonso Soriano

R101 Ben Sheets

R102 Rafael Soriano

R103 Wilson Betemit

R104 Ichiro Suzuki

R105 Jose Ortiz

Inserts

Rookie Diamond Kings

One of these five Rookie Diamond Kings was inserted into each factory set. The design is identical to the 2001 Donruss Diamond Kings, however these cards are not serial numbered.

The same issue of Beckett that estimates the production run of '01 DTR at 46,000 factory sets, also estimates that 9200 copies of each "RDK" were printed. Again, the figures quoted by Beckett have been disputed.

RDK1 C.C. Sabathia

RDK2 Tsuyoshi Shinjo

RDK3 Albert Pujols

RDK4 Roy Oswalt

RDK5 Ichiro Suzuki