General Forum

I want to get some opinions on minor league cards. I recently just purchased a few sets to add to my collection. Adding cards to my wantlist i realized there are so many sets. Which brands are more issued than others?

The higher level the team, and how long they have been a team are definitely factors in how many sets a team will have.  I started just collecting the team sets.  Complete team sets from each year.  This year however, I began collecting other sets that have players from my team in them, like all-star and top prospects sets.  Then when you get to the years that Upper Deck and Topps released minor League cards, I just collect the base singles.  It can get costly going after the rainbow and SN cards.

The two that come to mind are Choice and Grandstand. Multi-Ad also did many up to around 2012.

For the red Sox Pawtucket has been around 30 plus years but the a ball teams for them have been extensive like lowell, Greenville and Greensboro with Schilling i believe.  Yeah those are the brands I see along with best, star and pro cards. 

1988-1990 - Best, CMC, Grand Slam. Pro Cards (ended in 1991) & Star

1991-1992 - Classic Best, Line Drive(1991 only), SkyBox (1992 only)  & Sport Pro

1993-1994 - Classic Best, Fleer ProCards & Sport Pro

1995 - Multi-Ad

1996-1997 - Best & Grandstand

1998-2010 - Blueline (till 2000), Choice (starting 1999), Grandstand & Multi-Ad

2011- 2019 - Brandt (starting 2013-2014) Choice, DAV (only 2011), Grandstand & Multi-Ad (til 2012)

This info was pulled from our site by browsing the individual years.  During all years there are random sets put out by minor and major companies including Upper Deck who issued sets from 1992 to 1995.

Thank you that helps I added over 2000 cards to my wantlist.  Just got 7 more sets in the mail (3 lowell and 4 Pawtucket). 

It'll be interesting to see what happens with MLB taking over MiLB merchandise rights. Will we see Topps put out minor league sets?

Or you mean better or perhaps team sets. Topps already does two minor league sets, with Heritage Minors and Topps Pro Debut. It is great that all of the teams apparently have team sets made by Choice or whoever but the big issue I have is that you basically need to go to the stadium to get them. Expect to pay top dollar to get them if you are outside of that area.

Good point about the distribution of the Team sets. It's a shame too, as I have always been a huge fan of minor league sets ever since the guy who ran the card shop that I worked for when I was 11 included 2 of them in a deal for the work I had completed for him. I think they were both AAA teams, so there were names I knew from the MLB cards. We were always sure to pick up a set each year when we went to a game in Reading, PA. But that's certainly an issue about getting the sets (and now, trying to find older ones, despite them being lo level and not having anyone "famous" in them). 

As for the Star Co sets, I have 2 large boxes that I do believe are extras. I will be making them available to everyone here (hopefully very soon).

If you are a Sox fan, I beleive they also have had some Dunkin' Donut sets as well for Pawtucket.