Buzz Break: 1988 Fleer baseball cello pack

From time to time, Buzz will break a box of something and post the results here. Like this and want to see more? Or maybe there's a box you'd want to see busted? Send Buzz an email at BlowoutBuzz@blowoutcards.com.

The pack: 1988 Fleer baseball cello pack
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... BlowoutCards.com for other Retro Rips

What's inside this pack? Keep reading ...

Cards per pack: 30 (28 cards, two stickers -- all in gallery below)
Base set completion: 
28 of 660 (4 percent)
Duplicates: 0

Notables on base cards: Rickey Henderson, Steve Carlton, Darryl Strawberry ... and others in gallery who were big in the past but perhaps not now.

Rookie Cards: Lance Johnson, Ross Jones, Tom Bolton

Inserts: 2
Stickers (2) -- Royals, Phillies & Royals

Autographs/Memorabilia: No chance ... insert cards are barely a thing here!

What's Buzz-worthy: I picked off one of these packs at a price where, well, I should have easily done a few but, alas, we're ripping just one here. Why this one? Cello packs are a fun format in that you get a glimpse of who's on the top and bottom and you get more cards ... and no wax stains. For $1.25, this was an easy dabble ... even though even some of the top stars from back then might only cost that. I'd argue that this set is the best of The Big Three from 1988 (Topps, Donruss, Fleer) though Score is in that mix beginning then among others such as Sportflics. The color scheme here is among the most-memorable designs of the original Fleer run and the stars and top rookies are obvious names if you're from around that time -- a bunch of Hall of Famers and then earlier cards for sluggers and fireballers of the time who are not in Cooperstown, while notable rookies include Tom Glavine, Edgar Martinez, Mark Grace, Gregg Jefferies, Billy Ripken, Ken Caminiti, Walt Weiss and others no longer as notable now. This pack didn't include the likes of Jose Canseco, Mark McGwire, Bo Jackson, Barry Bonds or Cal Ripken Jr. but they all could have been in there. Grading here is not a lock but this format keeps the cards pretty firm in their stacks. Art some point, just for fun, I'll grab a few more.

Product Grade: A- (memorable design, loaded lineup of names and a few key rookies)
Pack Grade: A- (some top veteran names from 1988 here ... and a couple of popular newer guys back then)
Fun Grade: C+

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