Metallic Baseball Hall of Fame Plaques (1981-1989)

METALLIC BASEBALL HALL OF FAME PLAQUES (1981-1989) - INTRODUCTION
I'd like to present a brief guide of theinteresting Baseball Hall of Fame Metallic set of 1981-1989. Apparently, the series was limited to only 1,000 metal plaques of each player. There are reports that someplaques were damaged (in production/distribution) so that the actual number distributed may be less than 1,000. The set includes all of the 204 players, executives, managers and umpireswho were inducted into the Hall up to and including 1989. The set was also issued with a special "faux-leather" embossed 3-Ring Binder (see picture below).
I will try to be as factual as possible, however there are some areas of speculation - which I will try to identify as such. If you have any additional information, or notice an error, please let me know using the e-bay message feature. I would like to thank the Scott Johnson his invaluablehelpin gepiling this information. Also thanks to Paul Eisele for his help on identifying the actual series these were released. If you find this guide helpful, please indicate so below - it's my only reward for presenting this material to you. Also I have other e-bay guides onBaseballHOF Postcards from Dexter, Artvue and Albertype and one on the Callahan HOF issue which you might find useful.

THE BASICS - METALLIC HOF PLAQUES
Produced for the Baseball Hall of Fame Gift Shopand offered for sale (as a set only I believe) between 1981 and 1989, this limited-edition set of metallic baseball cards reproduces the hall of fame plaques of the baseball stars enshrined at the Museum. The plaques are depicted on blank-backed gold anodized aluminum (2.5 x 3.5 inches). In addition to its availability at the Gift Shop, they appeared to be distributed in twenty-two (22) different series produced in 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 and finally in1989. The cards arenot numbered - neither by its order in the set nor by serial number 1 - 1,000. As mentioned, the backs are blank. Despite the fact that these cards are metal, it is surprisingly difficult to obtain pristine samples. This is because thecorners are easy to ding, the surfaces are easy to scratch or smudge with fingerprints, and I have noticed that some seem to show some evidence of oxidation over time. There are no variations in this set that I have been able to document.
This issue is not difficult to obtain, despite its small number of distribution (supposedly ~1,000 sets). The easy availability of this issue causes me to seriously question the distribution number of 1,000 although it appears in almost every documentation of this set - including this guide. Singles of the less popular players are quite gemon and relatively inexpensive. There does not seem to be any players that are more difficult to obtain than any other - of course due to demand the prices range widely. If you collect autograhped samples of this issue, then you will defintely run into some scarcities. Please read below for more information on autographed Metallic HOF Plaques.
The "Leather-Look" 3-Ring Binder soldto store the Metallic HOF Plaques
METALLIC HOF PLAQUE CHECKLIST
The geplete set is geprised of 204 cards containing all players/managers/executives/umpires inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame from its inception to the year 1989 when the issue was apparently discontinued due to relative lack of interest. There are no variations documented.
bold italicized (A) Indicates that a plaque autographed by the playeris verified to exist (see list below). The year indicates under which series the card was released (1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1986 or 1989).
Aaron, Hank - 1983 Series (A)Alexander, Pete - 15 SeriesAlston, Walter - 1984 SeriesAnson, Cap - 1981 Series Aparicio, Luis - 1984 Series (A)Appling, Luke - 1982 Series(A)Averill, Earl - 17 Series Baker, Home Run - 1983 SeriesBancroft, Dave - 1982 SeriesBanks, Ernie - 1982 Series(A)Barlick, Al - 1989 Series (A)Barrow, Ed - 1982 SeriesBeckley, Jake - 1982 SeriesBell, Cool Papa - 1981 Series(A)Bench, Johnny - 1989 Series (A)Bender, Chief - 1982 SeriesBerra, Yogi - 1982 Series(A)Bottomley, Jim - 1981 SeriesBoudreau, Lou - 1982 Series(A)Bresnahan, Roger - 1982 SeriesBrock, Lou -22 Series (A)Brouthers, Dan - 1982 SeriesBrown, Mordecai - 1981 SeriesBulkeley, Morgan - 1981 SeriesBurkett, Jesse - 1982 SeriesCampanella, Roy - 1981 SeriesCarey, Max - 1982 SeriesCartwright, Alexander - 1981 SeriesChadwick, Henry - 1982 SeriesChance, Frank - 1981 SeriesChandler, Happy - 1983 Series (A)Charleston, Oscar - 1982 SeriesChesbro, Jack - 1982 SeriesClarke, Fred - 17 SeriesClarkson, John - 15 SeriesClemente, Roberto - 1982 SeriesCobb, Ty - 1981 SeriesCochrane, Mickey - 1983 SeriesCollins, Eddie - 1981 SeriesCollins, Jimmy - 1982 Seriesgebs, Earle - 16 Seriesgeiskey, Charlie - 1982 SeriesConlan, Jocko - 1981 Series(A)Connolly, Tom - 1982 SeriesConnor, Roger - 1982 SeriesCoveleski, Stan - 1982 Series(A)Crawford, Sam - 17 SeriesCronin, Joe - 1981 Series (A)Cummings, Candy - 1982 SeriesCuyler, Kiki - 1983 SeriesDandridge, Ray - 1989 Series (A)Dean, Dizzy - 17 SeriesDelahanty, Ed - 1981 SeriesDickey, Bill - 1981 Series(A)Dihigo, Martin - 1982 SeriesDiMaggio, Joe - 1983 Series (A)Doerr, Bobby - 22 Series (A)Drysdale, Don - 1984 Series (A)Duffy, Hugh - 1982 SeriesEvans, Billy - 1983 SeriesEvers, Johnny - 1982 SeriesEwing, Buck - 1981 SeriesFaber, Red - 16 SeriesFeller, Bob - 1981 Series(A)Ferrell, Rick - 1984 Series (A)Flick, Elmer - 1982 SeriesFord, Whitey - 16 Series (A)Foster, Rube - 16 SeriesFoxx, Jimmie - 1982 SeriesFrick, Ford - 1981 SeriesFrisch, Frankie - 1981 SeriesGalvin, Pud - 1982 SeriesGehrig, Lou - 1982 SeriesGehringer, Charlie - 1983 Series (A)Gibson, Bob - 15 Series(A)Gibson, Josh - 1981 SeriesGiles, Warren - 17 SeriesGomez, Lefty - 1981 Series(A)Goslin, Goose - 1982 SeriesGreenberg, Hank - 1981 Series(A)Griffith, Clark - 15 SeriesGrimes, Burleigh - 15 Series(A)Grove, Lefty - 1981 SeriesHafey, Chick - 1982 SeriesHaines, Jesse - 1982 SeriesHamilton, Billy - 1982 SeriesHarridge, Will - 1982 SeriesHarris, Bucky - 15 SeriesHartnett, Gabby - 15 SeriesHeilmann, Harry - 1983 SeriesHerman, Billy - 1982 Series(A)Hooper, Harry - 1982 SeriesHornsby, Rogers - 1981 SeriesHoyt, Waite - 1983 Series (A)Hubbard, Cal - 1982 SeriesHubbell, Carl - 1981 Series(A)Huggins, Miller - 1982 SeriesHunter, Catfish - 1989 Series (A)Irvin, Monte - 1981 Series(A)Jackson, Travis - 1983 Series (A)Jennings, Hugh - 1983 SeriesJohnson, Ban - 1981 SeriesJohnson, Judy - 1981 Series(A)Johnson, Walter - 1982 SeriesJoss, Addie - 1981 SeriesKaline, Al - 1981 Series(A)Keefe, Tim - 16 SeriesKeeler, Willie - 1982 SeriesKell, George - 1984 Series (A)Kelley, Joe - 1983 SeriesKelly, George - 1982 Series(A)Kelly, King - 1981 SeriesKillebrew, Harmon - 1984 Series (A)Kiner, Ralph - 1982 Series(A)Klein, Chuck - 16 SeriesKlem, Bill - 1981 SeriesKoufax, Sandy - 1982 Series(A)Lajoie, Nap - 1982 SeriesLandis, Kenesaw M. - 1981 SeriesLemon, Bob - 1982 Series(A)Leonard, Buck - 1981 Series(A)Lindstrom, Fred - 1982 SeriesLloyd, Pop - 1981 SeriesLombardi, Ernie -22 Series Lopez, Al - 1981 Series(A)Lyons, Ted - 1983 Series (A)Mack, Connie - 1981 SeriesMacPhail, Larry - 16 SeriesMantle, Mickey - 1983 Series (A)Manush, Heinie - 1981 SeriesMaranville, Rabbit - 1981 SeriesMarichal, Juan - 1984 Series (A)Marquard, Rube - 16 SeriesMathews, Eddie - 17 Series (A)Mathewson, Christy - 1981 SeriesMays, Willie - 1981 Series(A)McCarthy, Joe - 1983 SeriesMcCarthy, Tommy - 1983 SeriesMcCovey, Willie - 22 Series (A)McGinnity, Joe - 15 SeriesMcGraw, John - 1982 SeriesMcKechnie, Bill - 1982 SeriesMedwick, Joe - 1983 SeriesMize, Johnny - 1982 Series(A)Musial, Stan - 1981 Series(A)Nichols, Kid - 1983 SeriesO'Rourke, Jim - 1982 SeriesOtt, Mel - 1981 SeriesPaige, Satchel - 1981 SeriesPennock, Herb - 17 SeriesPlank, Eddie - 1982 SeriesRadbourn, Charlie - 17 SeriesReese, Pee Wee - 1984 Series (A)Rice, Sam - 1983 SeriesRickey, Branch - 1981 SeriesRixey, Eppa - 1983 SeriesRoberts, Robin - 1982 Series(A)Robinson, Brooks - 1984 Series (A)Robinson, Frank - 1983 Series (A)Robinson, Jackie - 1981 SeriesRobinson, Wilbert - 1982 SeriesRoush, Edd - 1982 Series(A)Ruffing, Red - 1982 SeriesRusie, Amos - 1983 SeriesRuth, Babe - 1981 SeriesSchalk, Ray - 1982 SeriesSchoendienst, Red - 1989 Series (A)Sewell, Joe - 1982 Series(A)Simmons, Al - 1982 SeriesSisler, George - 1981 SeriesSlaughter, Enos -22 Series (A)Snider, Duke - 1981 Series(A)Spahn, Warren - 1982 Series(A)Spalding, Al - 1982 SeriesSpeaker, Tris - 1982 SeriesStargell, Willie - 1989 Series (A)Stengel, Casey - 1981 SeriesTerry, Bill - 1981 Series(A)Thompson, Sam - 1983 SeriesTinker, Joe - 1982 SeriesTraynor, Pie - 1982 SeriesVance, Dazzy - 1983 SeriesVaughan, Arky -22 Series Waddell, Rube - 16 SeriesWagner, Honus - 1982 SeriesWallace, Bobby - 1982 SeriesWalsh, Ed - 1982 SeriesWaner, Lloyd - 1981 SeriesWaner, Paul - 1981 SeriesWard, John - 1982 SeriesWeiss, George - 1983 SeriesWelch, Mickey - 1983 SeriesWheat, Zack - 1982 SeriesWilhelm, Hoyt -22 Series (A)Williams, Billy - 1989 Series (A)Williams, Ted - 1981 Series(A)Wilson, Hack - 1982 SeriesWright, George - 1982 SeriesWright, Harry - 17 SeriesWynn, Early - 15 Series(A)Yastrzemski, Carl - 1989 Series (A)Yawkey, Tom - 1982 SeriesYoung, Cy - 1981 SeriesYoungs, Ross - 1982 Series
METALLIC HOF PLAQUES AUTOGRAPHED
Mickey Mantle, Sandy Koufax and Lefty Gomez signed examples

There are at least 68 plaques that have been autographed by the player depicted - with maybe as many as 74 possible. The 68listed below have been verified to exist. A recent authenticated lot of 61 different autographed metallic plaques (along with the remaining 143 unsigned