Set Description:
The 1989-90 Hoops set contains 352 standard-size cards. The cards were issued in two series of 300 and 52 cards. Hoops' initial venture in the basketball market helped spark the basketball card boom of 1989-90. The cards were issued in 15-card packs. The fronts feature color action player photos, bordered by a basketball lane in one of the team's colors. On a white card face the player's name appears in black lettering above the picture. The backs have head shots of the players, biographical information and statistics printed on a pale yellow background with white borders. The cards are numbered on the back. The key Rookie Card in this set is David Robinson (138). This is his lone Rookie Card. Beware of Robinson counterfeits which are distinguishable primarily by comparison to a real card or under magnification. Other Rookie Cards of note include Hersey Hawkins, Jeff Hornacek, Kevin Johnson, Steve Kerr, Reggie Lewis, Dan Majerle, Danny Manning, Mitch Richmond, Rik Smits and Rod Strickland. The second series features the premier cards of the expansion teams (Minnesota and Orlando), traded players, a special NBA Championship card of the Detroit Pistons and a Robinson In Action (310) card. Since the original Detroit Pistons World Champs card (No. 353A) was so difficult for collectors to find in packs, Hoops produced another edition (353B) of the card that was available direct from the company free of charge. If a collector wished to acquire two or more from the company, additional copies were available for 35 cents per card. The set is considered complete with the less difficult version. The short prints (SP below) in the first series are those cards which were dropped to make room for the new second series cards on the printing sheet.
