Description

Distribution

The cards were distributed in both hobby and retail outlets. Hobby boxes came 6 cards per pack and 18 packs per box. Retail boxes were 3 cards per pack and were 8 packs per blister box.

Reviews

Checklist

Base Set

The base set is a 198 card set. The first 100 cards are veteran major league baseball players.

Short Prints

Cards 101-200 were short printed.

Parallels

The main parallel set is called Timeless Tributes. It parallels the entire 198 card set and each card is serial numbered to 100 copies. The cards were randomly inserted into all packs. It is currently believed that no copies of Timeless Tributes exist for #162 and #185.

Significant Signatures

The other parallel set for 2001 Donruss Classics was the Significant Signatures set. 83 of the cards numbered 101-200 are paralleled in this set. The stated odds were 1:18 packs or approximately 1 per hobby box. Cards numbered 101-150 have sticker autographs while cards numbered 151-200 are hand signed. A very large number of these cards were inserted as exchange cards. Redemptions for #162 Sandy Koufax were switched for a card of Nolan Ryan in an Astros uniform after no agreement could be reached with Koufax. Similarly Ron Santo was substituted for #185 Robin Roberts.

Inserts

Game-Used

2001 Donruss Classics hobby boxes were among the most prolific boxes in terms of game used insert cards of any baseball card set up until that point with at least 3 game used cards and 1 autographed card per 18 pack hobby box. Many of the high end inserts were issued as exchange cards that could be redeemed until September 10, 2003.

Benchmarks

The 24-card set was inserted 1:18 hobby and 1:72 retail packs. Each card features a wood chip from a dugout bench from a major league stadium. BM-11 Willie Stargell, BM-19, and BM-24 Hank Aaron were all packed out as exchange cards. Both BM-11 and BM-24 are very rare but it is believed that card BM-19 does not exist. The set was also partially paralleled with 9 autographed cards. The autographs were all packed out as exchange cards and a total of 25 sets were printed (according to Donruss).

Price Report

Apirl 2010 (from eBay)
- Johnny Bench - $7
- Barry Bonds - $5

Combos

Price Report

Apirl 2010 (from eBay)
- Babe Ruth $250

Legendary Lumberjacks

These game used bat cards were inserted into 2001 Donruss Classics at a rate of 1:18 Hobby packs and 1:72 retail packs. None of the cards are serial numbered, however Donruss did release print runs for the cards that were short printed. Additionally some of the cards were available only as exchange cards and are noted as such in the checklist below.

This set features some of the first game used memorabilia pieces of Hack Wilson, Rogers Hornsby, Nellie Fox, Jimmie Foxx, Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig. Overall the checklist of players is fairly extensive (39 of the 50 players are in the Hall of Fame) but with the low print runs of the Gehrig and Ruth cards along with the fact that several of the cards were only available as exchange cards, completing this set can be quite challenging.

It should also be noted that some of the short printed cards do not carry a price in the Beckett OPG, typically these are the least rare of the short prints (Ripken, Mathews, etc). They typically sell for $10-$20.

Price Report

May 2009 (from eBay)
- Babe Ruth card - $165.00
- Mike Schmidt - $6.00
- Duke Snider - $10.00
- Ralph Kiner - $7.50
- Barry Bonds - $13.00 (did not sell)
Apirl 2010 (from eBay)
- Wade Boggs - $5.50
- Eddie Mathews - $13.00
- Ty Cobb $- $75
- George Brett - $7.50
- Hank Aaron - $20

Stadium Stars

The 24-card set was inserted 1:18 hobby and 1:72 retail packs. Each card features a wood chip from a dugout bench from a major league stadium. Overall, the set is very similar to the Benchmarks set, just with a slightly different checklist and smaller wood chip swatches. The Honus Wagner card SS-16 was inserted as an exchange card. 8 of the cards were also paralleled with an autographed version that were inserted as exchange cards only. 25 of each autographed card was produced according to Donruss.

Price Report

May 2009
- Reggie Jackson $13.00
- Ken Griffey Jr. $13.00
- Lou Gehrig - $22.50
Apirl 2010 (from eBay)
- Ty Cobb - $25
- Frank Robinson - $5
- Ty Cobb - $14

Number	Player	Team	EXCH	AU
SS1	Babe Ruth	Yankees	SP
SS2	Cal Ripken	Orioles
SS3	Brooks Robinson	Orioles		AU
SS4	Tony Gwynn	Padres	SP
SS5	Ty Cobb	Tigers
SS6	Vladimir Guerrero	Expos	SP	AU
SS7	Lou Gehrig	Yankees	SP
SS8	Nomar Garciaparra	Red Sox
SS9	Sammy Sosa	Cubs	SP
SS10	Reggie Jackson	Yankees	SP	AU
SS11	Alex Rodriguez	Rangers		AU
SS12	Derek Jeter	Yankees
SS13	Willie McCovey	Giants	SP	AU
SS14	Mark McGwire	Cardinals
SS15	Chipper Jones	Braves
SS16	Honus Wagner	Pirates
SS17	Ken Griffey Jr.	Mariners
SS18	Frank Robinson	Orioles		AU
SS19	Barry Bonds	Giants	SP
SS20	Yogi Berra	Yankees	SP	AU
SS21	Mike Piazza	Mariners	SP
SS22	Roger Clemens	Yankees
SS23	Duke Snider	Dodgers	SP	AU
SS24	Frank Thomas	White Sox
SS25	Andruw Jones	Braves

Timeless Treasures