1998 Fleer Showcase Wave of the Future

Set Size: 12 cards

Design Notes: The cards are printed on plastic. There are two plastic outer layers, plus an inner gel layer (actually, vegetable oil) with sparkle pieces. The card can be squeezed to make the sparkle pieces move around like waves - though the oil doesn't flow quickly like water. The front has a color photo, and the back has a shadow of the photo containing a player biography.

Parallels and Similars: None known.

Distribution: Cards were inserted into packs of Showcase at a rate of 1:20.

Thoughts: This is a really great concept. The waves aren't perfect, but this card is very unique as I believe it is the only card to contain liquid. It isn't perfect, but I enjoy the attempt at taking an insert theme to the next level!

1998 E-X 2001 Cheap Seat Treats

Set Size:20 cards

Design Notes: Let's go 3D! Each card looks like a cheap folding wood-slat bleacher seat. The seat folds down to reveal a picture of the player.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted one in 24 packs (one per box, on average).

Thoughts: Fleer produced some of the most interesting inserts in history, and this ranks right up there with some of the best. The set is pretty fragile and it's difficult to display well, but I applaud the effort made to make something unique.

1998 Ultra Diamond Producers

Set Size: 15 cards

Design Notes: The front has a color photo and foil highlights over a wood background with a felt border; the back carries over the diamond design from the front with a highlight biography.

Parallels and Similars: None known; this set name was used over a few years, though.

Distribution: This was the most difficult inset to pull from Series 1 packs of 1998 Ultra, at one per 288 packs.

Thoughts: Using three interesting card materials (wood, prismatic foil, and felt), the card stands out from most of the rest of the 1998 Ultra inserts. Add to that the difficulty in pulling a single card, and you have one of the most surprisingly valuable sets from the 1990s. Top-tier players in the set are easily valued around $50! I like the set for the "gimmicky" use of different materials. It doesn't look that bad, either.

1998 Score Complete Players Gold

Set Size: 30 cards, 10 subjects

Design Notes: A simple design on the front uses a lot of rectangles and wide-spaced text with the player's name and one of the three aspects that makes him a complete player. Fronts use gold foil highlighting. The backs explain how the player excels in whatever aspect is mentioned on the front, and a third of a photo of the player is on the left. The backs serve as a three-piece puzzle.

Parallels and Similars: While this is the gold parallel version, it is actually more common than the original holographic foil release. There was also a release in that year's traded set, and a sample version (with a differently-arranged checklist) as well.

Distribution: Gold versions were inserted into packs of Team Collection at 1:11, while the regular cards were found in 1:23 packs of the regular Score release.

Thoughts: This is a nice-looking set with a decent concept. The photography is pretty nice, as well. Unfortunately, in a hobby flooded with insert sets that year, this release doesn't stand out much. As for Andruw Jones, he was a phenom at 19 years old, and served as the face of the Braves for several years. But when the steroids allegations started flying in 2007, his production crashed and he was soon off to another team. He hasn't really been named as being a steroids user, but it was interesting timing that he would have such big problems at the plate when the scandal really started. Jones was a great fielder, though, and never put up a high batting average. He made tough plays look easy when most outfielders try to make easy plays look tough to end up on SportsCenter. Jones is still playing - he was with the Yankees in 2011 and 2012.

1998 Pinnacle Performers Swing for the Fences

Set size: 51 cards (50 cards + 1 exchange card)

Front Design: The front of the card contains a background with several lightly-shaded numbers, over which his cut-out photo appears. His name runs up the left side, the Pinnacle Performers logo is at the top, and the Swing for the Fences logo is at the bottom.

Back Design: The back has a card number in the upper-left and the game rules.

Parallels and Similars: No similar cards, though a similar contest was run the prior year in Pinnacle products. There are home run point cards that go along with this contest.

Distribution: These player cards were inserted 1:2 packs of Pinnacle Performers.

Thoughts: There were no winners in this contest, as Pinnacle went bankrupt before redemptions could occur. The exchange card would have provided the recipient with an autographed Juan Gonzalez baseball. None of the upgraded cards were released. As for the contest, there were similar programs done in the 1990s (including the Crash The Game contests run through Upper Deck's Collector's Choice line). It would be fun to see Topps do a contest like this instead of simple wrapper redemption programs.

1998 Ultra Top 30

Set size: 30 cards

Front Design: "Top 30" in large print surrounded by steel-looking "+" symbols is the background behind a player photo. The player's name and position is in the lower right corner in team colors, and the Ultra logo is in the upper left corner.

Back Design: A second player photo is on the left, on top of the "+" background. The Top 30 "logo" is repeated at the top right, followed by the player's name in a team color, a short biography in black text, the card number in the same team color, and a team logo.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted one per pack of 1998 Ultra Series 2 retail.

Thoughts: It's a simple design that works. I like the shiny fronts with the attractive set logo in the background. The card just stands out among others. The front isn't cluttered with crazy geometric lines, and it's obvious what the insert set means - the best 30 baseball players of 1998 (as far as Fleer was concerned). At one per pack, it's an inexpensive set to collect.

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.

1998 Fleer Tradition Diamond Standouts

Set size: 20 cards

Front Design: A foil background of a baseball diamond is behind the color player photo; the player's name and the set's name is printed in foil on the bottom.

Back Design: The baseball diamond is repeated in the background over a cut diamond design background. A second photo and a writeup about how the player stands out is placed over the baseball diamond. The team logo is in the upper left, and the card number is in the upper-right.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted 1:12 packs of Fleer Tradition, which replaced the Fleer flagship brand that year.

Thoughts: The scan doesn't do the background any justice, especially with all the cardboard dust on the card. That said, I'm not too big of a fan of foil backgrounds.

1998 Donruss Days Ken Griffey Jr.

Set size: 14 cards

Front Design: The cards have a similar design to 1998 Donruss, with a foil finish and a radiating light burst. A star and banner design at the bottom contains the player's name and team, and the Donruss Days logo is at the top. The card is thicker than normal Donruss cards.

Back Design: The backs have a full-color shot on the right, with the team logo placed over it. The left side of the card contains the player's name, vitals, career statistics, and a short biography, all placed over a team logo background. The words "Limited Edition" appear at the bottom, mixed among all the licensing information, and the card number "of 14" is at the top center.

Parallels and Similars: The set is based on the 1998 Donruss issue, and several parallel versions were released that year. The set is easily identifiable by the logo in the upper left of the front of the card.

Distribution: Several of each card were sent to dealers in certain areas. To obtain cards, collectors had to redeem cards picked up at local stadiums. Each dealer received full sets, plus extra cards of local players. Each redemption card could be exchanged for any card from the set until the dealer ran out. No more than 10,000 cards of any player were printed.

Thoughts: I wasn't sure what I had when I found this card in a quarter box, but I knew it was somewhat special. It's a good looking card, even with the typical Donruss foil overlay. The original 1998 Donruss design is pretty strong, and it should be a somewhat easy set to put together.

1998 Metal Universe Universal Language

 Set size: 20 cards

Front Design: A color photo is placed over a global map with a baseball seam shadow. The player's name and set name appears in foil along the side and the cards are die cut at the top and bottom.

Back Design: A portrait appears at the top, with the player's name and team beneath. A biography about the player fills the middle of the card and is printed in the player's native language. The card carries the global map design from the front by presenting longitudinal and latitudinal lines.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted 1:6 packs of 1998 Metal Universe.

Thoughts: This is a great looking set. The coloring gives it an antique map look, and the card has a matte finish that meets that illusion. The foil is minimal, readable, and appropriate. The use of different language on the back based on the player's country of origin is a nice touch (but the effect is lost when the home language is English, like with Jeff Bagwell). Among a sea of foil and shine, this set does insert design right. Fleer consistently provided great insert concepts and designs.

1998 Donruss Elite Craftsmen

 Set size: 30 cards

Front Design: Blue bands at the top and bottom of the card border a color photo over a metallic foil background highlighted by random geometric shapes.

Back Design: The blue background carries over the geometric shapes from the front of the card, with a second color photo appearing in a semicircle. A short biographical paragraph appears on the card. The number and serial numbering appear in the upper-left.

Parallels and Similars: A red-bordered parallel titled Master Craftsmen was also issued.

Distribution: Cards were randomly inserted into packs of 1998 Donruss Elite, and are serial-numbered to 3500.

Thoughts: This set has the typical Elite feel - foil and shape-based designs on inserts that don't have a "baseball" inspiration, which is why I don't collect any of the Elite sets other than the "Elite Series" continuity insert set.

1998 Stadium Club One of a Kind

Set size: 400 cards

Front Design: The cards parallel the 1998 Stadium Club set. A high-quality full-bleed color photo is interrupted only by the player's name in the bottom left corner, and a small Stadium Club "One of a Kind" baseball seam design in the lower right corner. The cards have a metalized foil finish.

Back Design: The backs are identical to the 1998 Stadium Club set, with another color photo filling most of the card. The player's name and card number is in the upper right corner and a baseball seam design fades most of the photo in one of the lower corners. A triangle with arced corners holds the player's vitals, statistics, and a short biography (the amount of information varies by player). On veteran players, a career highlight appears at the bottom of the card, aptly named "The Bottom Line." Cards are serial numbered in the upper-right corner.

Parallels and Similars: This set is a parallel of the 1998 Stadium Club set. There are two other serial numbered parallels in this issue; First Day Issue had a 200-card print run, and printing plates.

Distribution: Cards in this set had a 150-card print run. Cards were randomly inserted into hobby packs at 1:21 to 1:24 odds, and HTA packs at 1:13 to 1:14 odds.

Thoughts: I'm not sure why Topps felt the need to include a second parallel so closely numbered to the traditional First Day Issue set. I'm also not sure why a set called "One of a Kind" isn't a one of a kind issue (thus numbered 1/1). For a set that features some of the best photography seen from year to year, the foil treatment detracts from the card image.

Additional Images:

1998 Stadium Club In The Wings

Set size: 15 cards

Front Design: A radiating-circle holofoil design is on the sides and bottom of a color photo. The bottom of the card contains the set name and the player's name.

Back Design: The vertical backs have another photo at the top. The player's name, position, team, vitals, and prior year statistics are in the center of the card, with a short biography at the bottom. The radiating circles repeat as a background behind the text.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted 1:36 first series Stadium Club packs, and 1:12 HTA first series Stadium Club packs.

Thoughts: The backs look more like a minor league release than an insert. The checklist is fairly impressive for a rookie-based set. The foil design is typical late-90's Topps, but it's a solid design.

1998 Topps Gallery Player's Private Issue Auction

Set size: 150 cards

Front Design: The cards have a color photo surrounded by a frame designed to look like a piece of art hanging in a museum. The bottom of the frame states "Players Private Issue" and the player's name is beneath the frame.

Back Design: The backs contain the official rules for the Gallery auction, where players could bid using the auction points in the upper-right corner on one of ten pieces of framed artwork.

Parallels and Similars: The set parallels the regular Topps Gallery release and the fronts are identical to the Private Issue parallel, which is printed on thicker card stock and has regular card backs with statistics.

Distribution: Cards were inserted one per pack of 1998 Topps Gallery.

Thoughts: Even though these cards are simply a way to enter the auction, compiling a full set of 150 cards is a challenge. By including players on the front, the set becomes something more than a filler card to be thrown away, which was a smart move by Topps.

1998 Stadium Club Royal Court (All hail King Chipper)

Set size: 15 cards

Front Design: "Uniluster" technology (whatever that is) was used to create the detailed, royal scrolling shield and border pattern surrounding a color photo. A foil banner at the top identifies the player as a member of the Royal Court, and his name is in a banner at the bottom.

Back Design: A second color photo is on the left, and a banner across the top and right identifies the player and whether he is a "king" or "prince" of some trait. Between the photo and banner is the player's team, vitals, and a writeup related to his trait.

Parallels and Similars: None.

Distribution: Cards were inserted into most types of second series packs at a rate of 1:36, and HTA packs at 1:12. Ten of the cards feature "kings" and the remaining five cards in the set are rookie "princes." There is no distinction in print run between the two groups.

Thoughts: The foil shield or scroll that surrounds the front photo has a great shine to it, and the whole card feels like foil overload in typical Topps turn-of-the-century fashion. If you're a fan of cards with intricate foil designs, you'll love this set like I do. If you're a traditionalist who hates anything but Topps Heritage and other throwback sets, you probably stopped reading this post a long time ago. I'm somewhat disappointed that I didn't already have a card from this set, because it would have been great to add this to my Chipper Jones PC.

1998 Pinnacle Museum Collection

This is post number 50! I want to thank all of my readers (the approximately 20 of you per post), because without your continued interest, I probably wouldn't keep putting so much effort into these posts. Sets like this one can be written in about 10-15 minutes, because information is readily available. However, posts like the 2009 Fan Pak Standees and 1947 Smiths Oakland Oaks take much longer. In fact, the Fan Pak and 2009 Fatheads posts have taken the longest to write out of all of them, because there is no information on them in the SC and Beckett guides, and my information has to be gathered from web postings. Thankfully, company websites still exist to make some of it easier.

I know the 1990s/early 2000s stuff isn't the most exciting to many of you, but if nothing else it introduces you to many of the sets you probably missed while you were busy chasing women and alcoholic beverages. So we continue with this one!

Set size: 100 cards

Front Design: Pinnacle applied their museum finish, an etched silver foil, to the base set in this partial parallel. The player's color photo appears in the etched format, while the Pinnacle logo appears in gold foil, as does the player's last name and position, turned sideways on the right-side border. There are several subsets in the Pinnacle set that were included in the Museum Collection set, including All-Star (shown), Rookie, Field of Vision, and Goin' Jake.

Back Design: The backs contain a PP-prefix card number over a different player photo in the upper-left; the player's name, vitals, and position appear over a black-and-white version of the front card photo in the upper left. The color photo continues, faded as a background, through career stats to the bottom of the card. Most cards contain a brief highlights biography beneath stats. The Museum Collection identification, team logo, and copyright logos and information fills the card bottom.

Parallels and Similars: This set is a partial parallel to the 200-card base Pinnacle set, and an Artist's Proof version with gold foil and a red Artist's Proof seal.

Distribution: Museum Collection cards were inserted into 1998 Pinnacle packs at a rate of one in nine packs.

Thoughts: The etched foil never really seemed to catch on. I didn't find it terribly attractive, because it took away from the high-quality photos and printing later-issue Pinnacle sets provided. It is best used in inserts. That said, these parallels provide something more to the parallel aspect than just extra gold foil stamping or different-colored borders. At only 100 cards, this isn't too difficult a parallel to complete, if you can find the cards at decent prices.

1998 Bowman's Best Performers

Set size: 10 cards

Front Design: A color photo sits over a background that could best be described as an iris or circular baggage carousel. The top of the card contains team logo, Bowman's Best logo, and the set name, while the player's name is centered across the bottom. The cards have a shiny chrome finish.

Back Design: The player's basic vitals and a short biography appear on the left, while a second color photo is on the right over a sunburst-style design similar to the front. The card back borders appear marbleized.

Parallels and Similars: This set was released with two parallels: a refractor version numbered to 200 and an atomic refractor numbered to 50.

Distribution: These cards were randomly inserted into packs of Bowman's Best at a rate of 1 in 6.

Thoughts: Some Bowman's Best inserts are exciting, but the uninspired background on this card means I'll pass on collecting it. The set contains the ten best minor league players of the 1997 season, so in 1998 it would have been quite popular. I have yet to see the refractor and atomic refractor versions in person, which could be stunning.

Additional Images: card back:

1998 Upper Deck Retro Groovy Kind of Glove

Set size: 30 far-out cards, man

Front Design: These trippin' cards have some bitchin' graphics, with a wavy set name on the left side, while the swirly colors and floating flowers would make any stoned flower child flake out. The dude's in full color and his name and team are in a different font that is so fine.

Back Design: An outta sight piss and swampwater swirl and wavy logo ripped off from the hippie age surrounds the player's fielding record and some fielding highlights. The use of straight lines and plain text is a drag though, and makes me want to cut out.

Parallels and Similars: If drawing designs makes you copacetic towards this set, you can hang loose knowing it's going steady.

Distribution: You can score these cards in packs of 1998 Upper Deck Retro, at a rate of 1 in 7 packs.

Thoughts: This set is a gas and is choice with the '60s style. It's bright and trippy, but I like that. The only thing I don't like is the details on the back. Honestly, does an insert need to include when and how the player joined the team, or his vitals? They could have reworded the text to match the card theme, and used some more groovy graphics instead of square tables and boxes. Bonus points for being the only set to ever use the word groovy. This is the first time I spent more time researching language than the card itself. This is also the first card in the trade lot of 14 from Kevin of The Diamond King.

Additional Links: Looking for some 60's slang?

Additional Images: card back:

1998 Fleer Tradition Diamond Ink

Set size: 10 cards

Front Design: These cards were designed as redemptions, and contain no pictures. The fronts have the Fleer logo, a Fleer logo-style Diamond Ink logo, the player's name, year of issue, and a value of 1, 5, or 10 points. The cards are embossed.

Back Design: The backs explain the terms and conditions of the program.

Parallels and Similars: None known.

Distribution: Cards were randomly inserted in Ultra Series 1 and Fleer Tradition Series 1 packs. Collectors could save 500 points for one player and redeem those points for an autographed baseball. Some players are apparently short-printed relative to the overall run, namely superstars like Roger Clemens and Alex Rodriguez. Greg Maddux was inserted only in Fleer packs.

Thoughts: You won't be seeing me put together this set any time soon. I'm sure it was quite difficult to gather 500 points for any given player - it would take anywhere from 50 to 500 cards to gather up enough points, and they must be of the same player. I'd be interested in knowing how many balls were actually redeemed.

Additional Images: card back

1998 Topps Gallery of Heroes Jumbos

Set size: 15 cards, 4-9/16" x 3-1/4".

Front Design: The player's photo appears on a die cut "stained glass window" design. The player's name appears at the bottom, and the team logo is squeezed into the bottom of the card where it will fit.

Back Design: Most of the card back is simply a mirror image of the front, except for the lower name plate, which instead contains the card number and legal information.

Parallels and Similars: This set is a parallel of the regular-sized Gallery of Heroes set. The Gallery of Heroes insert set followed a the same basic design concept for several years, though the stained glass design changed from issue to issue.

Distribution: The jumbos were issued as box toppers, one per 24-pack box of Topps Gallery. This makes them exactly as rare as the regular-sized cards, issued at a rate of one in 24 packs.

Thoughts: Since this is just an enlarged version of a regular insert, printed at the same rate, your interest in this set will depend on whether you like the design, and if you don't mind the non-standard size. Since I enjoy acetate cards such as this, I would like to put this set together, either in the jumbo size or standard size.

Additional Images: The view from behind is just as nice. No pun intended, at least not at first.