Buzz 24 for 24: Chasing Ken Griffey Jr.’s Rookie Cards in a 1989 Upper Deck box & and a 1989 Fleer cello box (Hour 12)

We’re coming up on the 30th anniversary of the arrival of a cardboard icon and the highest-voted Hall of Famer in history, Ken Griffey Jr., on the field as well as on his Rookie Cards. While we’re not there just yet, Buzz couldn’t wait to try a little something with box-busting … a 24-hour marathon where we chase No. 24.

Welcome to Buzz 24 for 24.

The boxes? We’ve got one safe pick — a 24-pack 1989 Fleer cello box from a sealed case — and a riskier and pricier pick — a 36-pack 1989 Upper Deck High Number Series box. The Fleer Griffey isn’t an expensive one, but it should make an appearance given the set size vs. the box size. Meanwhile, the Upper Deck card isn’t a sure thing from a high-number box but it can be done. (High boxes are also roughly half the price of standard boxes … so that’s why Buzz went this way.)

So, for the next 24 hours you’ll see a break of at least a couple packs as we chase No. 24, George Kenneth Griffey Jr., and take a quick look back at some of the cardboard that was big at the time.

This is Hour 12.

HOUR 12

FLEER
Top: Steve Shields
Bottom: Dennis Rasmussen
Stickers: Yankees, Royals, Cardinals
Other notables: Andres Galarraga & Gerald Perry, David Cone, Darryl Strawberry, Cal Ripken Jr., Jeff Treadway (no target), Greg Maddux

UPPER DECK
Sticker(s): Cubs, Mets
Notables: Wally Joyner (CL), Dave Stewart
Star Rookies: None
High-numbers: Charlie Hayes and Julio Franco

Final thoughts for Hour 12: Anybody else sick of Hayes and Franco yet? The Fleer pack included a decent run of names and I showed the Jeff Treadway card because that one — at least the one version a target or registration mark above his cap — is a tough error. I’ve never seen one in person. There was hope with this one being an error box for everything else so far -- and that makes it an interesting one to me. Perhaps it's only in certain packs later on? At the halfway point, this Upper Deck box is seriously under-delivering — and a low series would have cost me twice as much — but I’m hopeful. At least the Fleer box is delivering some error-and-variation drama atop the Griffey we found awhile back.

What's next? Be back in an hour ...

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