Gwynn + Dufex = Awesome

Can you spot the difference?

Both of these cards are 1993 Pinnacle Cooperstown cards that were issued as part of complete sets.  However there's a huge difference in value and availability.

The card on the left was part of a factory set available to most collectors who had access to local card shops or retailers who sold cards.  The sets are fairly common and can be purchased on eBay for $5 to $7.

However the Tony Gwynn on the right is the Dufex parallel, which are much more difficult to find.  According to what I've read on the internet, the 1993 Pinnacle Cooperstown Dufex sets were numbered commemorative gifts given to all full house participants at the 1993 SCAI Conference.  There were supposedly only 1,000 sets produced, but since attendance was light at the conference it's possible that not all of the sets were distributed.

This parallel is one of the first card sets produced by Pinnacle to utilize the dufex technology.  I was extremely excited to add this card to my Tony Gwynn PC, but it wasn't cheap.  A seller on eBay was asking for $39.95obo (with free shipping).  I offered him $19.95 and he accepted.  Outside of a couple of autographs and graded rookies, it's the most I've ever spent on a Gwynn card.

But there isn't a single bone in me that regrets this purchase, because this card is awesome!

Happy Friday and sayonara!