Yes, this is the second time “The Ryan Express” has been featured. Don’t blame me, blame Ryan for being not only a great pitcher but one of the most bad ass men to ever play the game of baseball. By 1989, despite being close to the end of his career, Ryan notched his 5,000th strikeout against Rickey Henderson of the Oakland Athletics. With the trading card companies never missing an opportunity to commemorate a special event, it seemed that almost every single 1990 release featured special inserts of Nolan Ryan.
1. 1990 Topps - Although Nolan was most definitely in his prime with the Angels & Astros, I don’t think anyone has ever looked better wearing a Mets uniform than Nolan Ryan and Tom Seaver did. These cards will always go down as one of the most memorable to collectors from the 80’s and even though today they might be worthless, nothing compares to seeing the entire 5-card set together.
2. 1990 Upper Deck – As much as I freakin’ LOVE 1990 Topps, to me Upper Deck’s release was slightly a better overall product. That is not pro-Upper Deck propaganda speaking, simply what remains from my childhood memories of collecting both products, not to mention Fleer & Donruss, too! The Upper Deck artists drawings lacked the soul of Diamond Kings but were still always a fun pull.
So, what’s it gonna be?!?
I’m not crazy about either one. Umm, Upper Deck.
This is the hardest one yet.
I love that UD card but the floating gradient 5000s in the background of Nolan in a METS uniform is just too good. It’s one of the less obnoxious border colors from that set too, so I gotta go with the Topps.
I have to admit, as a kid collector, I pretty much hated both of those. The ugly 1990 Topps borders with the repeating 5000s in the background and Upper Deck’s bad drawings were equally unlucky pulls. And this is coming from someone who grew up in the Houston area as a HUGE Astros fan and a big time Nolan Ryan fan, even after he moved on to the Rangers. I pretty much have to take a pass on either of those and go with the 1990 Donruss commemorative 5000 strikeout card…even though the red border wasn’t their best idea, the simple, classy portrait photo of Nolan, along with the 5,000Ks (even though it has an unnecessary apostrophe) notation was solid.
UD all the way.
I can still remember pulling the UD card back in the day. I guess that makes it the winner.
Upper Deck. The topps looks like a bad acid trip.
I love me some 1990 Upper Deck base cards, but the Ryan subset card is a bit of a misfire…
1) For one, my interest is scrambled. Where is the focal point?
2) Second, the coloring is all off. First of all, his blue Ranges uni blends into the background
3) Plus, Ryan’s face is washed out with red color…
4) …which is the same red color as the text and baseball
5) And finally, why the white border? Just because the other cards had a white border? It doesn’t fit this card.
Plus (and this is my final point), the card looks like the team checklists. The Topps card, on the other hand, is definitely not a team checklist! And, that being said, I actually think the Topps card stands on its own merit. It’s ugly, but in a lovable kind of way. It’s not ashamed of what it is.
I’ve gotta opt for the Topps card here.
And, all that being said, if I had a “cardboard war” with either of these cards and a round George Washington, I’d take the card. Hooray for overproduced wonderfulness! It has its benefits.
Really, both of these are great cards commemorating a great record. I’d prefer Topps, but when they’re both so cheap, I don’t really have to choose
This is like lima beans versus brussell sprouts – YUCK!!! I like the Topps card only because of the vintage photo. Maybe if they added ‘K’s’ at the end of each 5000 in the design it would be better. I’ll go with the UD card since it at least clearly tells you what is being commemorated…
I’m pretty sure I actually own both of these
That said, I like the Topps one better. The 1990 Topps design is one of my least favorites, but that was the first Nolan Ryan Mets card I ever owned.
As a Mets fan, there’s no way I’d ever choose the Texas Rangers “artsy” card from Upper Deck instead.
Although I think the U.D set was better…I am going with the Topps Nolan Ryan. It is the brightest card I have ever seen!
The Topps one! M-E-T-S!!!!
Kind of like the election this year I choose “None of the Above”
1990 Topps, in my humble opinion, is the ugliest set of all time.
Do the world a favor and burn them all
http://voiceofthecollector.blogspot.com/2008/10/long-awaited-junk-wax-how-to.html
I like the Topps for the same reason that Jeff likes the UD.
At the time, I would have chosen the Upper Deck without question, but now I’ll choose the Topps because that crazy design is something you’ll never see in cards ever again.
Topps all the way. I remember being elated every time I pulled one of those beauties as a kid!
As hideous as they may be, I have a soft spot for the 5,000 strikout Topps cards (even if Rickey was the victim). I used to love pulling them from packs! Topps all the way.
To me, the Topps card is unoriginal, tacky, and boring. It looks like something that was, literally, slapped together by an graphic design intern at Topps at the last second. On top of that, I never liked the look of ‘90 Topps either. The border design is just hideous and dated.
The Upper Deck design, on the other hand, was much more original and thought out. I can’t agree with everyone else who thinks UD’s artwork around this time was bad. It was sort of the anti-Dick Perez and, like it or not, you have to kind of admire them for being different. Much like the early Upper Deck sets, this card design (although equally worthless like the Topps version) was much more timeless in design. It still looks as good today as it did in 1990!