1991 Topps Desert Shield

The 1991 Topps Desert Shield card set consists of 792 cards, each 2-1/2” by 3-1/2”. The set was a specially prepared series of baseball cards with a gold foil Desert Shield logo on the front player section of each card, and were sent free in individual wax packs to troops stationed in the Middle East. (However, many boxes are thought to have been sidetracked by military personnel in the United States and never reached their Middle East destination.) With the exception of the gold stamping, the set is identical to the 1991 Topps baseball card issue. Like that set, the front of each card has a vivid color photo surrounded by colored piping and an outer white border. Each ballplayer’s name and team affiliation are identified at the corner; card backs feature his name, position, card number, and basic statistical data. The key card in the set is the rookie card of Chipper Jones (#333) The set is also anchored by the regular issue cards of Nolan Ryan (#1), Greg Maddux (#35), Ozzie Smith (#140), Cal Ripken, Jr. (#150), Randy Johnson (#225), Roger Clemens (#530), Jose Canseco (#700), and Ken Griffey, Jr. (#790). Subsets include Record Breakers (#s 2-8) and All-Stars (#s 386-407), with Draft Picks and Future Stars subset cards scattered throughout the 1991 set. The value of this series has remained high more than 20 years after they were issued for a variety of reasons. For example, the set was never sold in the retail market and no complete sets were ever issued. The only way to put together a full set was to assemble them from individual cards spread throughout the world. Furthermore, it was reported that fewer than 7,000 cards of each player was produced. Condition also often proves to be an issue. Being far from home, even the most devoted card collector-turned soldier was forced to simply toss their cardboard treasure in a duffle bag or pocket. Because of the value, scarcity, and historic significance, the 1991 Topps Desert Shield set is considered one of the most forged post-1990 card issues in the industry.