September 11, 2014

Junk Wax Battle: 1988 Donruss

We like to break new ground here at The Baseball Card Blog. From the exhaustive Best Set of the 1980s Countdown, to publishing reader-submitted card designs, to an all-cardboard rendition of Casey at the Bat—not to mention showcasing the talents of Mike Kenny and Travis Peterson—we're always pushing new and unexpected ways for collectors to enjoy our hobby. 

Well, add another to the list. We're excited to announce that Junk Wax Battle: 1988 Donruss (formerly one of Ben's pipe dreams) is going to happen. It's a game, played with cards, where the goal is to be the first to hand-collate a set of 1988 Donruss. Sounds easy, right? Well, did we mention that there are eight players and a dungeonmaster-like judge?

Game play combines ripping unopened wax packs, keeping a checklist, trading with other players, and bidding in judge-run auctions (all bidding is based on cards' book values from a 1988 Beckett Baseball Card Monthly). And actual prizes will be awarded to the top two finishers.

It's guaranteed to be weird—if not exhilarating. If you're in the Boston, Mass. area, I invite you to join us. Right now, we're looking for eight players, and we'll be playing at 7PM on Thursday, October 2, 2014, at Knight Moves Board Game Cafe in Coolidge Corner (Brookline). It's free to watch and $20 to play. All players will go home with a complete set of 1988 Donruss.

Tell your friends!

8 comments:

Jason Presley said...

While the potential audience would likely be very small, this could make for a fun web show like Geek & Sundry's TableTop. Just add dramatic music and semi-recognizable hobby "celebrities".

Jason Presley said...

Ok, having now read the rules, I have questions:

What is the Judge's master set? Is it a complete set of whatever packs the players are busting?

Ok, then there's this:

"The Auction stage is included in the game until all cards from the Master Set have been auctioned."

That begs the question, why would all the Judge's master set ever be auctioned if the goal is just to complete a set? There should be loads of cards leftover from Judge's master set because of all the cards pulled from packs.

Maybe this is just one of those things that makes more sense after watching a round or two.

matt. said...

Not every one will need to be auctioned, just offered. Some will get no bids.

Keep in mind. You don't get to open all of the packs at once. They come out in groups and you won't have every card when the auctions come up, so you'll be competing to get those that you need and to keep your opponents from getting what they need.

Unknown said...

Jason, the Judge's Master Set is a complete factory set, which does not include the cards pulled from packs. The cards pulled from packs that are part of successful auction bids become part of the Judge's Stash.

Jason Presley said...

I think my question was lost in my wording, but I think it has been answered. The Judge's Master Set, in this instance, would be a 1988 Donruss factory set since the players are busting 1988 Donruss packs.

The resulting complete sets at the end of the game will have a fun assortment of border orientation.

With the Challenges in mind, has anyone ever found an indicator on the box or packs to indicate the copyright and *Denotes* variations contained therein?

Glen said...

Wow, this is pretty amazing (in a Small World kind of way)! I've been a fan of The Baseball Card Blog for a long time, but haven't really checked in much over the past year or so (coinciding with the length of time it's been since I've written a post on my own blog). I just happened to click on this post tonight and saw the information about the game. It just so happens that Knight Moves is in my neighborhood (of there weren't a building in the way I could practically throw a baseball from my apartment to the place). And it's only a couple days until the event too. If I happened to check this post in a few days I would have missed out on it. Hopefully I can make it to this interesting sounding game (as a spectator). Great stuff!

Sean said...

I have to say that I think this is a brilliant idea. I second the earlier comment about this having good potential for a web series, assuming there was sufficient witty banter being exchanged around the table (and the 88 Donruss set probably provides opportunities for that in spades, as would other sets).

I also give big points for the idea of using an 88 Beckett for the prices. My memory is a bit hazy but I think that would have made Greg Jefferies, Sam Horn and Matt Nokes among the more valuable cards?

Unknown said...

1988 Donruss was my introduction to the Donruss brand. Before 1988, I only bought Topps. At the time, I was attracted to the set design. The 1989 design was even more impressive to me. The big drawback was the thin card stock common to Donruss throughout the 1980s and even into thee 1990s.