1990 Donruss was the epitome of junk wax; It was incredibly over produced. The mysterious Aqueous Test issue cards are some of the rarest cards from the early 1990’s. Is it not ironic that one of the most mass produced cards of the early 1990’s has some of the rarest cards of the era?
I came across aqueous test when I was searching for early 1990’s Minnesota Twins cards. While on eBay, a 1990 Donruss Aqueous Test Dan Gladden appeared within the results. This prompted me to start searching for more Aqueous Test cards on eBay. I was shocked to see the prices being asked for these cards!
What Is Aqueous Test?
How could something so over produced have some of the rarest cards of the early 1990’s?
1990 Donruss #102 Spike Owen Aqueous Test
The Aqueous Test issued cards were supposed to be a result of gloss testing by Donruss before the set was released, but this has never been confirmed. How did these cards get into the public? No one officially knows, only rumors.
According to hobby legend, these cards were issued in packs, however they weren’t released to the public in general distribution. Several boxes were purchased by a card shop when a former Donruss employee, a packaging director, sold them off along with some other Donruss unopened wax boxes.
It appears not all cards from the 1990 Donruss set are available in Aqueous Test issue and not all Aqueous Test issues had the same print run. It is all just a mystery.
