If you stepped into a hobby shop in 1990, you weren't just buying cards; you were buying a piece of a literal printing frenzy. The 1990 Pro Set football set is, honestly, the poster child for the "Junk Wax" era. It's big. It’s colorful. It is riddled with more errors than a preseason scrimmage. While some collectors look at these boxes and see nothing but recycled paper, others see a time capsule of the NFL’s most explosive transition into the modern era. You’ve got Emmitt Smith’s rookie. You've got the Santa Claus card. You've even got a guy named Ludwing (not Ludwig) Timmons.
It’s messy.
The 1990 Pro Set football set didn't care about scarcity. Pro Set, led by the late Lud Denny, wanted to be everywhere. They wanted to be the "official" card of the NFL, and they were. They pumped out millions of cards across two series, and then they just kept tweaking things. If a player changed numbers or a stat was wrong, they didn't wait for next year. They fixed it mid-print. That created a nightmare for "master set" collectors but a goldmine for people who love hunting variations.
The Rookie Class that saved the 1990 Pro Set football set
Without the rookie cards, this set would probably be used as wallpaper today. But 1990 was a heavy-hitter year. You had Emmitt Smith. You had Junior Seau, Cortez Kennedy, and Shannon Sharpe. Because Pro Set had the official license, they could use team logos and real photography that looked way better than the grainy stuff we saw in the mid-80s.
Emmitt Smith is the crown jewel here. Card #685. It’s his most recognizable rookie card, even if it isn't his most expensive. Back then, if you pulled an Emmitt, you were the king of the playground. Today, a PSA 10 copy of the Emmitt Smith rookie from the 1990 Pro Set football set still carries weight because the dark blue borders are absolute magnets for "chipping." If you find one with perfect edges, you've beaten the odds. The card stock was notoriously flimsy.
Then there’s the Jeff George #1 overall pick card. At the time, he was the guy. Now? It’s a reminder of how high hopes can fall. But that’s the beauty of this set. It captures the exact moment the league changed. You see the transition from the old-school legends like Joe Montana and Lawrence Taylor to the guys who would define the 90s.
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The "Error" Rabbit Hole is deeper than you think
Honestly, the errors are why people still talk about this set. Pro Set was basically a tech startup before tech startups existed—moving fast and breaking things.
Take the Eric Dickerson card (#338). In the first batch, the back of the card says he was "the most prolific runner in Rams history." Except, he was playing for the Colts by then. They fixed it later. Then there’s the Fred Marion card (#204). In the original photo, a Raiders player’s belt is hanging down in a way that... well, let's just say it looked a bit inappropriate. Pro Set caught it and airbrushed it out for later print runs. If you have the "un-airbrushed" version, you’ve got a piece of hobby history.
The Lud Timmons / Ludwig Timmons situation
This is a classic. Card #161. The first version calls him Ludwing. Then they fixed it to Ludwig. Then they changed the photo entirely because the first photo wasn't even him. It’s this kind of chaos that makes the 1990 Pro Set football set so weirdly addictive. You aren't just looking for stars; you're looking for typos.
The Legend of the Santa Claus Card
We have to talk about the Santa card. Pro Set printed a special card of Santa Claus (Card #1990) that was distributed in various ways, including hobby sets and special promotions. It’s not "rare" in the sense of a 1-of-1 modern autograph, but it is iconic. It showed that the company didn't take itself too seriously. They were having fun.
Design and the "Official" Feel
The design was bold. Each card had a team-colored border and a massive "Pro Set" logo at the bottom. It felt official. It felt like the NFL. While Topps was still feeling a bit stagnant and Score was doing its own thing, Pro Set felt like the league's actual newsletter in card form.
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They also included "Pro Set Prospects" and "Hall of Fame" subsets. The Paul Brown Hall of Fame card is a staple. The Lombardi Trophy cards felt special. Even the "Final Stat" cards for retired players gave the set a sense of completion. It wasn't just about the guys on the field; it was about the history of the game.
However, the sheer volume of cards produced is the elephant in the room. You can still buy sealed boxes of the 1990 Pro Set football set for incredibly low prices. We are talking $20 to $40 for a box of 36 packs. That is the definition of Junk Wax. But for a nostalgic rip? It’s unbeatable. You get 15 cards a pack. The smell of that 30-year-old card stock is a time machine.
Why collectors are coming back to Pro Set in 2026
You'd think these would be worthless forever. But something happened. The "ultra-modern" card market got too expensive for a lot of people. When a single pack of new Prizm costs $50, a $30 box of 1990 Pro Set looks like a bargain.
Collectors are now chasing "High Grade" copies. Because the quality control was so bad in 1990, getting a PSA 10 or SGC 10 in a 1990 Pro Set football set card is actually quite difficult. The centering is often crooked. The ink can be blotchy. There are print dots everywhere.
- The Pursuit of Perfection: A common Emmitt Smith might be worth $5. A PSA 10? That’s a different story.
- The Variation Hunt: Finding every single error version of the Jim Kelly or Andre Reed cards is a cheap way to build a massive collection.
- Nostalgia: People who were 10 years old in 1990 now have adult money. They want the cards they used to trade at recess.
There’s also the "Super Pro" card. It’s a goofy promotional card for a Marvel/NFL crossover character. It’s ridiculous. It’s 90s kitsch at its finest. It reminds us that football cards used to be a toy, not just an alternative asset class for hedge fund managers.
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Practical tips for buying 1990 Pro Set today
If you're going to dive back into this, don't just buy the first thing you see on eBay.
First, look for "Series 2" boxes if you want the Emmitt Smith. Series 1 is fine, but it lacks the heavy-hitter rookies that make the set interesting. Second, check for "wrap" quality. If the plastic wrap on a box looks loose or weirdly shrunk, it might have been searched or stored in a hot attic, which ruins the cards inside.
Third, pay attention to the "Payton" cards. Walter Payton was the commissioner of the "Pro Set Community Service" program. There are several cards dedicated to his Man of the Year awards. They aren't expensive, but they are some of the best-looking cards in the entire 1990 Pro Set football set.
The 1990 Pro Set football set is a giant, messy, beautiful disaster. It represents a company that flew too close to the sun and eventually went bankrupt by 1994. But for one shining moment in 1990, they were the kings of the hobby. They gave us more errors than we could count and more cards than we could store. And honestly? We’re lucky they did.
How to handle your 1990 Pro Set collection:
- Identify the Errors: Before you toss that stack of commons, check the Fred Marion or Eric Dickerson cards. A "wrong" card is usually worth more than the "right" one.
- Grade the Icons: Only send in cards for grading if they are visually perfect. Look for "chipping" on the blue borders and ensure the centering is at least 60/40.
- Store Them Right: Even though they were mass-produced, the ink on these cards can stick to plastic sleeves over time if stored in humidity. Use PVC-free top loaders.
- Buy Sealed: If you want the true experience, buy a sealed box. It’s the only way to guarantee you’re seeing the cards exactly as they were in 1990.
Stop treating these like junk and start treating them like history. You might not get rich off a pack of 1990 Pro Set, but you'll definitely remember why you started collecting in the first place.