2003 Upper Deck Post: the last of its kind

Set size: 30 cards

Front Design: The player photo is cropped inside a rounded-corner rectangle over a single color low-res fading background. Horizontal rows of foil dots are above and below the rectangle, and the player's last name is in foil along the right side of the card. His team's logo is in a home plate in the lower-left of the card, and his position is in a red box in the lower-left. The player's full name runs up the left side of the card.

Back Design: The back puts the player's name at the top and his jersey number in large print in the upper right, beneath the player's name. To the right is a square close-up photo. The majority of the card holds a box with 2002 and career statistics and biographical information. The Post logo is in the lower right, above the other legal information, Upper Deck logos, and licensing logos.

Parallels and Similars: None known.

Distribution: The set was available via a mail-in offer that required collectors to assemble a full set of six CD-ROMs inserted into cereal boxes in 2003.

Thoughts: This set looks like most Upper Deck issues of the early 2000s, with geometric shapes, foil enhancements, and strange fonts - a very digital feel. In fact, you wouldn't know this was a Post issue if the little logo wasn't included on the back. There is one player per team, appealing to all team collectors, and the mail-in offer requirements mean this set is in shorter supply than most other Post issues.  I believe this is the last Post card set to be issued, and this being card #31 makes it the last Post baseball card issued to date.

1995 Post Collector Series

 Set size: 16 cards, double-wide (3.5" x 5")

Front Design: The true "front" of the card contains a color photo on a blue marble background, surrounded by the year of issue in yellow on top, the player's name in yellow over a black border on bottom, and a black right-hand border labeling the set as the Post Collector Series. The true "back", seen on the left, contains the card number, player's name, position, team, vital stats, and a career biography. A second photo and career stats appear in the bottom half, with a facsimile signature in a black border at the bottom. The blue marble continues to the back of the card, with a white diamond watermark between the text and the marble. No MLB logos appear on the cards due to a lack of licensing agreement.

Back Design: The backs of the unfolded cards would be inside the card, when assembled as intended. This was a full-bleed color action photo with no text or design added.

Parallels and Similars: There is a Post Canadian set issued in 1995, but it has a unique design.

Distribution: Unlike previous years, when the cards would be inserted into cereal boxes and available through the company, the set was available only through limited in-store promotions. At some point, large amounts of unsold sets made their way into the market, and now the set is nearly worthless.

Thoughts: Of all the Post releases, this might be my favorite. The front and back designs are decent, but what I really enjoy is the oversized action photo with no interference. It would be great if Topps took a stab at an insert set like this. The image below reminds me of the 1997 Zenith set, which featured bright, colorful photography with only a Zenith logo on the front.

Additional Images: card back: