Buzz Break: 1989 Pro Set Series 1 football cards (33 packs)

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 lot: 1989 Pro Set Series 1 football cards (33 packs)
Where to buy: Will take some looking ... hit BlowoutCards.com for newer football cards

Keep reading for a breakdown and gallery for what was in this one.

Packs per lot: 33 (36 are in a full box)
Cards per pack: 15
Cards in this lot: 495
Base set completion: Not sorting this one ... but 440 in Series 1 set.
Duplicates: A boatload with streaky/bad collation this time.

Notables on base cards – Randall Cunningham, Jim Kelly, Andre Reed, Marc Levy, Steve McMichael, Phil Simms, Marty Schottenheimer, Buddy Ryan, Don Shula, Marcus Allen, Howie Long, Anthony Munoz, Sam Mills, Steve Largent, Nick Lowery, Bruce Matthews, Dave Krieg, Mark Clayton, Gary Clark, Chris Doleman, Gary Zimmerman, Henry Ellard, Jerome Brown, Tim Harris, Bruce Armstrong, Darryl Talley, Chris Spielman, Neal Anderson, Morten Andersen, Doug Williams, Bernie Kosar, Charles Haley, Scott Norwood, Chuck Knox

Rookie Cards (plenty) – Notables include Michael Irvin, Cris Carter, Jay Novacek ... plus, technically there are RCs of several notable coaches.

Insert/short-prints cards: 33
Super Bowl (33) – XIX (13), IV (15), XXI (3), V, XXIII

Note: I don't count Pro Set Playbook scratch-offs as inserts ... but this was a decent box on that front with nine touchdowns. (They were points toward a lot of discounted merchandise from the company.)

Autographs/Memorabilia: Nothing in this release.

What's Buzz-worthy: This one was a cheaper find long ago -- perhaps because it was three packs short of a box -- but that doesn't really matter as there are no true box guarantees, box seals or even hits in this era ... and in this debut Pro Set NFL release that was the start of a new era and all you have to do for one comparison is put these packs/cards side by side with 1989 Topps and compare them fronts and backs. Simply put, "the Future" arrived for NFL fans in 1989 Pro Set and 1989 Score after decades of wax stains and old-time cardboard. Atop all those changes, this one was the start of a "living set" mindset, meaning the set would update as errors were found and fixed as part of the (never-ending) print run, updates of cards in the second series and even a third (tiny batch) series issued as a pack-sized set but also seeded into some packs here and there, too. The collation in this box?? Bad ... but not unheard of ... just look at the Super Bowl inserts (one per pack) where I landed 13 of one and 15 of another -- and there are 23 possible in that set. Series 2 is much, much stronger -- and worth the look -- as those boxes have Series 1 cards in them, too, with some new draft picks seeded into those -- and that crop includes Barry Sanders, Deion Sanders, Troy Aikman, Derrick Thomas, Andre Rison and others ... and a lot of variations to chase, too. (Some can be big-money ... and everything here can be in more demand than you might think in an elite-grade slab.) ... So, who didn't I find? Thurman Thomas (RC), Mike Singletary, Jimmy Johnson, John Elway, Warren Moon, Tim Brown (RC), Dan Marino, Lawrence Taylor, Reggie White, Rod Woodson (RC), Ronnie Lott, Jerry Rice, Steve Young, Joe Montana, Bo Jackson, Eric Dickerson ... and plenty more. Even worse? Not much on the error/variation front ... and what I did land were corrections, though not many and certainly not the rarer William Perry card that was pulled from production. (That's still one of the big finds but other rarities between the series' updates might shock you if you go look.) This one was the start of it all -- and I think 1990 and 1991 are better -- but with other drawbacks. This one was the one this time for a #TBT break. Will there be more? Maybe ... but nothing's planned at the moment.

Product Grade: A- (Series 2 is way better)
Lot Grade: C+ (tons of dupes, nowhere close to a set ... many names not seen at all)
Fun Grade: C- (collation can be wonky here ... this one proves it in a bad way and welcomes me back to 1989)

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