1997 SP Inside Info

Set Size: 25 cards

Design Notes: Most of the space on the front and back are taken up by player photos with etched foil backgrounds. A pull-out inside panel has a writeup, statistics, and biographical information. The cards are condition-sensitive and if you look closely at my card you'll notice chipped edges.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted one per 30 packs.

Thoughts: This is a pretty novel concept and goes well with all the gimmick cards I've been showing lately. While I'm not a fan of foil backgrounds I can make an exception for a set with a pull-out stats section. Then again, if the set didn't have foil it would have looked that much better.

Additional Links: Capewood's Collections has images of a different card from this set, along with images of the inside card.

1997 Pinnacle X-Press Metal Works Gold

Set Size: 20 cards

Design Notes: This is the gold-plated parallel to the solid bronze Metal Works insert set. Like the silver version, the card is really bright and shiny, with pretty good detail to the player photo (though it may not exactly be realistic). The cards are serial-numbered on the back, at the top.

Parallels and Similars: As mentioned, the "regular" insert set is solid bronze, and a silver-plated version also exists.

Distribution: Redemption cards for the gold-plated parallels were inserted into packs at a rate of 1:950 and home plate master deck boxes at a rate of 1:108. These are the most-limited of all card sets inserted into Pinnacle X-Press.

Thoughts: The gold plating is awesome. It looks and feels like you robbed Fort Knox of a gold bar that happens to be the same size and design as a baseball card. If they weren't so tough to find and thus expensive, this would be the ultimate set to complete. The bronze coins are easier to view as far as detail, but the gold cards are really beautiful. Besides, not many people can say they have baseball cards made of gold. And no, those ones inserted in WalMart repacks don't count. But those solid-gold cards issued by Topps this year does. I'd love to get my hands on one of those!

1997 Pinnacle X-Press Metal Works Silver

Set Size: 20 cards

Design Notes: Identical in design to the (solid) bronze version I showed yesterday, this parallel is silver-plated. The surface is very shiny, almost mirror-like (especially on the flatter back) and is serial numbered on the back at the very top. The "cards" are very thick and heavy.

Parallels and Similars: An unnumbered bronze base version and a gold-plated parallel set also exist.

Distribution: Each silver parallel card is serial-numbered to 400. They were acquired via redemption cards (no longer valid). Apparently you knew whether you were receiving a silver or gold card, but you wouldn't know which player until you received your redeemed Metal Works card. The odds of receiving a silver Metal Works redemption card in packs was 1:470, and in master deck "home plate" boxes 1:54.

Thoughts: The metal cards are really heavy and thus difficult to store, ship, and transport (a full set of 20 would seriously weigh down a box). However, they look really great and, while not unique, they stand out from other inserts. The bronze cards are the best-looking because they have a more matte finish, making it easier to see detail. But holding a silver or gold card feels like you're holding a pure silver or gold brick and it looks much more valuable. I'm glad to have a silver card and gold card in my collection, but I prefer the bronze for building a complete set.

1997 Pinnacle X-Press Metal Works Bronze

Set Size: 20 cards

Design Notes: The cards are heavy bronze-colored metal with relief images of the player. A crossed pair of bats with a ball is at the top, and the player's name is at thebottom. Backs have a short highlight for the player.

Parallels and Similars: Gold and silver parallels exist and are easy to identify by color.

Distribution: One card was included in each home plate box. Exchange cards for silver and gold sets were randomly inserted but are no longer valid.

Thoughts: Once again, Pinnacle created a gimmick set that I really enjoy. These cards are pretty tough to find and usually overpriced - or maybe collectors just find them more valuable. I'd like to put a set together and I have a few cards already. Poor Jeff Bagwell looks like a zombie on his card.

1997 Pinnacle Inside Dueling Dugouts

Set Size: 20 cards

Design Notes: The fronts and backs are very similar, with each side featuring one player from a different team. A wheel on one side of the card can be spun to compare a few statistical categories between the two players on a year-by-year basis. The players' names appear across the top in gold foil, and their team logos are in the lower right corner.

Parallels and Similars: None known. I'm not sure if there has ever been another card set that has the wheel feature.

Distribution: Cards were inserted at a rate of 1:23 packs (or cans, since this set was distributed in cans).

Thoughts: I really like the gimmick they used in this set. In fact, it would be kind of neat to see this tried on a full set (probably designed for kids, and with a smaller checklist). You can't do these as inserts since they're easily found out due to the hub for the wheel.

1997 Studio Gold Press Proofs

Set Size: 165 cards

Design Notes: The set features studio images with a striped background. Gold foil is used for text and the side borders. Backs feature an action shot and highlight biography.

Parallels and Similars: This is one of two parallels for the regular 1997 Studio set (the other being a silver parallel).

Distribution: 500 copies were produced for each card and randomly inserted into packs.

Thoughts: By 1997, parallel inserts could be found in every product, though a serial numbering to only 500 was still pretty low. The design is simple and attractive, which could make this a very collectible set... if you don't mind studio-style portrait photos instead of action photos on the front of your cards.

1997 New Pinnacle Spellbound

Set size: 50 cards, with each player between 4 and 7 cards

Front Design: A swirling etched-foil design from the center of the card is covered by a letter from the player's name or nickname, which is outlined in gold foil and contains a color photo of the player. The player's name is at the bottom in gold foil, beneath the name of the set and the letters for that player in white. The position of the letter on the card is highlighted in yellow. Gold foil in the middle of the vertical borders spells out the word "SPELLBOUND" when the player's cards are placed in order.

Back Design: A grey swirling background copying the front design is behind a rectangular box with a color photo; the card number and set name is above, and an oval box at the bottom of the photo identifies the location of the letter.

Parallels and Similars: There are additional Spellbound sets in future issues, including a 1997 racing set.

Distribution: Cards were inserted 1:19 packs of New Pinnacle.

Thoughts: This concept would be taken several steps further in the future with the Letterman patch cards, and depending on your tastes, this version could be much better. It's less expensive, if you can locate the cards for your favorite player, though cards for players like Cal Ripken book as high as $15 each. The micro-etched foil screams late-90's insert gaudiness, and a series of these in a matted frame would look great on the wall.

1997-98 Score Board Autographed Collection Autographs

Set size: 24 cards

Front Design: The player's photo appears in a gray circle with white horizontal stripes. The card's background contains black and red stripes, with a black V running the vertical length of the card. The player's name is at the top in grey letters. An on-card autograph is on a white oval beneath the photo, with a Score Board authentic autograph watermark. A set-identifying logo carries a 1998 issue date.

Back Design: The tan backs contain the Score Board logo and an authenticity statement, with a Score Board logo looking to be embossed on the card. The cards carry 1997 copyrights.

Parallels and Similars: None known.

Distribution: Cards were inserted 2:9 packs of Score Board Autographed Collection.

Thoughts: For an unlicensed issue, this is a fairly nice autographed card set. The autograph is on-card, and the design is bold but not overwhelming, unless seeing lots of horizontal lines remind you of the blinds in your grandmother's house, which smelled like old people and had so many nice things that you weren't allowed to run around and play like you were at home. And what was up with all those little trinket boxes on the coffee table with random buttons and other found objects? Don't those objects have a home? Kerry Wood is the only name I recognize in this set, other than Helms, and Woods wasn't inserted into packs. Helms played for the Marlins through the 2011 season, but has probably seen his last MLB pitch. By the way, I haven't posted in a few days because I've been busy with my Japan preparations.

1997 Denny's Holograms (Pinnacle) Alex Rodriguez

 Set size: 30 cards

Front Design: The cards use Sportflics technology on the front, featuring a full-bleed motion photo with a white band across the bottom containing the Denny's logo, player name, and team name. The 1997 Pinnacle logo appears at the top.

Back Design: The left half of the back has the player's vitals, career highlights, and prior year and career statistics over a baseball background. The right half of the card has a hologram portrait of the player.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Denny's patrons could buy a card for 59 cents each when purchasing a meal and drink. Card #30, Larry Doby, was distributed exclusively in the Cleveland area and isn't considered part of the set.

Thoughts: The set contains one card from each team, plus a commemorative Jackie Robinson card and the Larry Doby commemorative card. While the Sportflics card concept never really caught on, this design makes for one of my favorite Denny's sets, second behind the 1994 issue.

1997 Score Showcase Series Artist Proofs

Set size: 551 cards

Front Design: The cards parallel the 1997 Score base set, which has white borders with the player's name and team appearing at the top and bottom of the card in lowercase letters. The Score logo appears at the bottom of the color photo. The Showcase Series Artist's Proofs are distinguishable by the wavy holographic foil and Artist's Proof "logo" in the corner.

Back Design: The backs are identical to the 1997 Score release. The backs are full of information; after a fading color stripe with the player's name, team, and position, his vitals and career statistics fill the card, with remaining space used for a career highlights biography.

Parallels and Similars: This card is a parallel of the 1997 Score set, differing mostly by the holographic foil. The more readily available Showcase Series featured normal silver foil. There is a second Artist's Proof parallel released in series 1 retail packs, without the silver foil.

Distribution: Cards were inserted into packs of 1997 Score. They were inserted at a rate of 1:35 in series 1 packs, 1:23 in series 2 hobby packs, and 1:35 in series 2 retail packs.

Thoughts: This is one of the most psychedelic card parallels I've ever seen, and really defines the 1990s parallel shiny craze. On that note, it is a fun card to look at if it doesn't make you feel dizzy.

Additional Images: card back: