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.

1991 Score American Flag

Card #737

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.

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1994 Score Rookie/Traded

Set size: 165 standard-sized cards

Front Design: A color photo appears inside a red "cracked" border, with a green accent in an upper corner with the Score '94 logo, and yellow tab in a lower corner containing the team logo. The player's name appears in a multi-colored shadow design at the bottom of the card. Rookie cards have two photos on the front.

Back Design: The dark blue/purple backs have two more player photos, in addition to position, team, vital stats, a short biography, and recent and career statistics. The card number appears at the bottom with an RT prefix. Rookie cards are horizontal with only one photo.

Parallels and Similars: This design is different from the regular Score set that year, but it was paralleled in a "Gold Rush" series, which have gold foil fronts and the Gold Rush logo in an upper corner. The parallels were inserted one per pack.

Distribution: Cards were released in hobby and retail packs with one Gold Rush card per pack. Two insert sets, Changing Places and Super Rookies, were randomly inserted; a redemption card was included 1:240 packs. The redemption card could be mailed in for a "September Call-Up" Alex Rodriguez card.

Thoughts: With the brighter primary colors in a stand-out design, this set screams 1990s, which means it's a love-hate kind of design. It's probably four years too late, as bright colors seemed to die around 1991 when the banana-colored Fleer set went rotten. I find it fun and fairly unique, showing some design initiative beyond the solid bordered straight-line designs many sets featured. While I know a lot of people won't like this set, it was a big step releasing a set like this amongst the other offerings of the year.

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