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 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 glossy 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 Potential/Talent 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 K. Griffey Jr./R. White C

2 G. Maddux/D. Cone C

3 G. Sheffield/M. Alou DT

4 Frank Thomas SF

5 C. Ripken/K. Orie C

6 V. Guerrero/B. Bonds U

7 E. Murray/R. Jefferson C

8 M. Ramirez/M. Grissom DT

9 Mike Piazza SF

10 B. Larkin/R. Ordonez C

11 J. Bagwell/E. Karros C

12 C. Knoblauch/R. Durham C

13 A. Rodriguez/E. Renteria C

14 M. Williams/V. Castilla C

15 T. Hollandsworth/B. Abreu C

16 J. Smoltz/P. Martinez C

17 J. Canseco/C. Davis C

18 J. Cruz Jr./K. Griffey Jr. U

19 Ken Griffey Jr. SF

20 P. Molitor/J. Olerud C

21 R. Alomar/L. Castillo C

22 D. Jeter/L. Collier C

23 C. Jones/R. Ventura C

24 G. Sheffield/R. Gant C

25 R. Martinez/B. Jones C

26 M. Piazza/R. Mondesi DT

27 J. Bagwell/D. Erstad U

28 Ivan Rodriguez SF

29 J.T. Snow/K. Young C

30 R. Sandberg/J. Franco C

31 T. Fryman/C. Snopek C

32 W. Boggs/R. Davis C

33 B. Kieschnick/M. Cordova C

34 A. Pettitte/D. Neagle C

35 P. Molitor/M. Lawton DT

36 S. Rolen/C. Ripken U

37 Cal Ripken SF

38 J. Thome/D. Nilsson C

39 T. Womack RC/C. Baerga C

40 N. Garciaparra/M. Grudzielanek C

41 T. Greene/C. Widger C

42 D. Sanders/B. Gilkey C

43 H. Nomo/C. Nagy C

44 I. Rodriguez/R. Greer DT

45 T. Walker/C. Jones U

46 Greg Maddux SF

47 M. Vaughn/C. Fielder C

48 C. Biggio/S. Spiezio C

49 P. Reese/J. Blauser C

50 K. Caminiti/J. Randa C

51 A. Belle/S. Green C

52 R. Johnson/J. Dickson C

53 H. Nomo/C. Park DT

54 S. Spiezio/C. Knoblauch U

55 Chipper Jones SF

56 T. Martinez/R. McGuire C

57 E. Young/W. Guerrero C

58 R. Coomer/D. Hollins C

59 S. Sosa/A. Echevarria C

60 D. Reyes RC/J. Key C

61 B. Larkin/D. Sanders DT

62 W. Guerrero/R. Alomar U

63 Albert Belle SF

64 M. McGwire/A. Galarraga C

65 E. Martinez/T. Walker C

66 S. Finley/R. Becker C

67 T. Glavine/A. Ashby C

68 S. Sosa/R. Sandberg DT

69 N. Garciaparra/A. Rodriguez U

70 Jeff Bagwell SF

71 D. Erstad/M. Grace C

72 S. Rolen/E. Alfonzo C

73 K. Lofton/L. Johnson C

74 J. Hamilton/B. Tomko C

75 E. Murray/T. Salmon DT

76 D. Young/M. Vaughn U

77 Juan Gonzalez SF

78 F. Thomas/T. Clark C

79 S. Stewart/B. Roberts C

80 S. Estes/A. Fernandez C

81 J. Smoltz/J. Lopez DT

82 T. Greene/M. Piazza U

83 Derek Jeter SF

84 D. Young/A. Williamson C

85 R. Henderson/D. Hamilton C

86 B. Wagner/D. Eckersley C

87 L. Walker/E. Young DT

88 M. Kotsay RC/J. Gonzalez U

89 Barry Bonds SF

90 W. Clark/J. Conine C

91 T. Gwynn/B. Butler C

92 J. Wetteland/R. Beck C

93 B. Williams/T. Martinez DT

94 A. Jones/K. Lofton U

95 Mo Vaughn SF

96 J. Carter/D. Lee C

97 J. Mabry/F.P. Santangelo C

98 E. Loaiza/W. Alvarez C

99 M. Williams/D. Justice DT

100 D. Lee/F.Thomas U

101 Mark McGwire SF

102 F. McGriff/P. Sorrento C

103 J. Allensworth/B. Williams C

104 I. Valdes/C. Holt C

105 F. McGriff/R. Klesko DT

106 T. Clark/M. McGwire U

107 Tony Gwynn SF

108 J. Hammonds/E. Burks C

109 S. Reynolds/A. Benes C

110 R. Clemens/C. Delgado DT

111 K. Garcia/A. Belle U

112 Paul Molitor SF

113 T. Beamon/E. Owens C

114 C. Schilling/D. Kile C

115 T. Glavine/M. Tucker DT

116 P. Reese/D. Jeter U

117 Manny Ramirez SF

118 J. Gonzalez/B. Brown C

119 J. Guzman/F. Cordova C

120 R. Johnson/E. Martinez DT

121 H. Irabu/G. Maddux U

122 Alex Rodriguez SF

123 B. Bonds/Q. McCracken C

124 R. Clemens/A. Benes C

125 W. Boggs/P. O'Neill DT

126 M. Cameron/L. Walker U

127 Gary Sheffield SF

128 A. Jones/R. Mondesi C

129 B. Anderson/T. Wade C

130 B. Anderson/R. Palmeiro DT

131 N. Perez/B. Larkin U

132 Ken Caminiti SF

133 L. Walker/R. Greer C

134 M. Rivera/M. Wohlers C

135 H. Irabu RC/A. Pettitte DT

136 J. Guillen/T. Gwynn U

137 Hideo Nomo SF

138 V. Guerrero/J. Edmonds C

139 J. Thompson/D. Gooden C

140 A. Galarraga/D. Bichette DT

141 Kenny Lofton SF

142 T. Salmon/M. Ramirez C

143 K. Brown/M. Morris C

144 C. Biggio/B. Abreu DT

145 Roberto Alomar SF

146 J. Guillen/B. Jordan C

147 B. Colon/K. Appier C

148 R. Lankford/B. Jordan DT

149 Chuck Knoblauch SF

150 H. Rodriguez/R. Lankford C

151 J. Wright RC/B. McDonald C

152 B. Bonilla/K. Brown DT

153 Barry Larkin SF

154 D. Justice/R. Sanders C

155 M. Mussina/K. Hill C

156 M. Grace/B. Kieschnick DT

157 Jim Thome SF

158 M. Tucker/C. Goodwin C

159 J. Suppan/J. Fassero C

160 M. Mussina/J. Hammonds DT

161 John Smoltz SF

162 M. Alou/E. Davis C

163 S. Alomar Jr./D. Wilson C

164 R. White/H. Rodriguez DT

165 Roger Clemens SF

166 B. Anderson/A. Martin C

167 J. Kendall/C. Johnson C

168 J. Giambi/J. Canseco DT

169 Larry Walker SF

170 J. Buhner/G. Berroa C

171 I. Rodriguez/M. Sweeney C

172 K. Appier/J. Rosado DT

173 Bernie Williams SF

174 B. Giles RC/T. Dunwoody C

175 J. Lopez/S. Hatteberg C

176 J. Jaha/J. Cirillo DT

177 Andy Pettitte SF

178 D. Bichette/B. Huskey C

179 R. Casanova/T. Hundley C

180 J. Edmonds/G. Anderson DT

181 Deion Sanders SF

182 R. Klesko/P. O'Neill C

183 J. Carter/P. Hentgen DT

184 Brady Anderson SF

185 C. Delgado/W. Joyner C

186 J. Dye/J. Damon DT

187 Randy Johnson SF

188 T. Hundley/C. Baerga DT

189 Tom Glavine SF

190 D. Mashore/J. McDonald DT

191 Wade Boggs SF

192 A. Martin/J. Kendall DT

193 Matt Williams SF

194 W. Clark/D. Palmer DT

195 Sammy Sosa SF

196 J. Cruz Jr. RC/J. Buhner DT

197 Eddie Murray SF

198 D. Erstad/J. Dickson DT

199 Fred McGriff SF

200 B. Trammell RC/B. Higginson DT

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

This 69-card multi-fractured "Materials" insert uses cards printed on three different non-paper substances: Canvas, Leather, and Wood. Five level of tiers 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 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 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