Jim Dwyer, 1988 Donruss #459

I love the 1988 Donruss set just as much as any person possibly could, which is to say not at all. It's ugly, it's dull, and it's more ubiquitous than Starbucks. But as I was looking at this scuffed-up Jim Dwyer card with its dinged corners, I had a brainstorm. I think the cards in this set are actually improved by taking damage. It gives them character, and makes them seem like they're from a bygone era. In a way, they are - 1988 Donruss is four years older than Manny Machado. So as I sort through the hundreds of '88D cards that I've managed to accumulate (primarily through osmosis - I sure didn't actively seek them out), I just might place a premium on those copies that have been beaten up a bit. They shouldn't be hard to find; the dark borders and flimsy card stock have ensured that many of Pigpen Dwyer's ilk look much worse the wear after nearly three decades.