Flashback Product of the Week: 1990 Score McDonald’s

The card stock these things are printed on probably tastes better than anything McDonald’s serves.

For the most part, card products from this period are basically worthless.  But there are always some exceptions.  When I think of 1990 Score, three key people come to mind – Emmitt Smith, Frank Thomas, and Bo Jackson.  Outside of those guys, there really isn’t that much to talk about.  A lot of great players have rookies from this time, but overproduction really drives down the demand.

One of the biggest flukes that Score made was a 40-card set that was issued when they teamed-up with McDonald’s.  There are twenty-five players, and fifteen trivia cards.  With an order of french fries and a soft drink, you would receive a four card pack.  This wasn’t the first or last time a fast food restaurant worked with a card manufacturer with some type of giveaway.  Usually they were mass produced and forgotten about years later.  But NOT this set.  The catch was that these cards were only available at eleven different McDonald’s restaurants between Idaho and Oregon.  Not only that, but they were distributed for only three weeks.  That’s what you call an exclusive promo.  If you didn’t live in those areas at that time, you weren’t gonna get any… at least not for that cheap.

I’m sure that this set has probably cooled off some over the last twenty-five years, but compared to other sets from 1990 it has superior value.  Complete sets sell for $200.00.  Individual cards have been known to sell for $40.00.  Why this set wasn’t offered nationwide is beyond me, but it never made it out of Idaho and Oregon.  Those dark borders can easily chip making it difficult to find examples in mint condition.  Remember, these were fast food premiums.  I highly doubt the people working at McDonald’s cared about keeping them in good condition.  Most packs probably got thrown into bags.  Too bad they didn’t include Frank Thomas.