The Joy of Sets - 1990 Topps Ames All Stars

What: 1990 Topps Ames All Stars
Size: 33 cards
HOFer %:  33.3%
Subsets: None
Errors/Variations: None
Completed: November 2012

What better way to kick off a new series than to discuss the most recent set I’ve completed?  Back in November, I purchased a mixed lot of cards from my LCS and, to my surprise, found this complete set neatly tucked away in the 3,200 count box.  In my experience, it’s pretty rare to just have a complete set (regardless of size) just materialize out of a unholy mess of a unorganized hodgepodge of baseball cards.  I find this especially rare because this is an All Star set.  Granted, it is from the prime Junk Wax year of 1990, but where I grew up there were no Ames Department Stores, and it’s chock full of Hall of Famers!

This set was produced by Topps and distributed in complete set form through Ames Department Stores only.  From what I can tell, this is the second of two sets issued through Ames, the first being the 20/20 Club set from 1989.  Ames Department Stores went out of business in 2002. 

The 1990 set focused on great “active hitters”, which unfortunately means no pitchers.  Which I guess is alright, but further inspection of the set left this particular Padre fan a bit miffed.  This set includes, not one, not two, but three Padres in a 33 card set.  That’s almost 10% Padres!  Yet, WHERE’S THE TONY GWYNN?!?  There’s a Joe Carter (eh, ok…), a Fred Lynn (really?) and Jack *gasp* Clark.  And of course, there is a Wade Boggs, my anti-Gwynn nemesis…

Anyways, the card fronts are decent for the era and have a glossy finish.  The fronts seem more apt for a mid-90s Houston Astros team set with that huge star dominating the frame, but all-in-all, I like the licensed cards. 

As for the backs, the color scheme is more reminiscent of a mid to late 80s Fleer special edition set issue than a Topps issue.  Plus, I’m not a huge fan of the vertical back.  Excluding the unforgiveable Gwynn omission, all the players seem to fit into the set except for JUAN SAMUEL?

They printed a Juan Samuel card over Tony Gwynn?  That will go on their permanent record.  Oh well, here are the remaining HOFer cards for your viewing pleasure…
 

Final Score 5/10 (2 points for the plethora of HOFers, 1 point for Keith Hernandez in a Tribe uniform, 100 points for not having to collate the set, -98 points for no Tony Gwynn!)