1997 Pinnacle Certified Mirror Black SCANS ADDED :)

Sean1125

Please help me verify. If the scan quality is low I might take a common and put it w/o loader and sleeve.


Are these them mirror black variation? I can see myself when I hold the card like a mirror.

vladguerrero

where's the back door?

Sean1125

Not sure if you were trying to be clever or if that is some sort of question in disguise... Feel free to explain.

Thanks.

vladguerrero

they were back doored from the factory, still nice cards, and the griffey would probably be worth pursuing as his fan base in enormous. what is he asking?

vladguerrero

From www.baseballcardpedia.com...

Due to the popularity of this product in the secondary-market, and their financial troubles, Pinnacle Brands made five separate print runs of '97 Certified. After the first run sold out, Pinnacle produced an additional two runs before Certified went live. Afterward, another two press runs were ordered. It is believed that the Mirror Gold Certified Team inserts were exclusive to press runs 2 & 3, and the mysterious Mirror Blacks were only in the fifth and final run.

Unlike the announced production figure of 90, 45, and 30 copies of each 1996 Select Certified Mirror Red, Blue, and Gold cards, the production figures for the '97 Mirrors were never publicly stated by Pinnacle Brands. Initially, it was assumed that the production figures were the same as the '96s, as the insertion ratios were roughly the same. However many collectors familiar with the '97 Mirror sets note that because Pinnacle made additional print runs both before and after the initial release of the product, the actual production runs were higher. While many of the Mirrors did pack out, some of those excess Mirrors may have been "backdoored" after Pinnacle Brands' 1998 bankruptcy filing. In fact, one collector posted to Freedom Cardboard a picture of 53 different Mirror Gold cards of Brian Hunter.

Mirror Black - This mysterious and very scarce parallel was probably the result of a few test sheets being cut and inserted into packs during Certified's fifth and final press run. The Mirror Blacks give off a bright green reflection when placed in direct light, but are silver with black print when placed away from light. It is not known for sure if Mirror Blacks for all 150 cards exist; however, Beckett Baseball Card Monthly reported in 1997 that at least two Mirror Blacks of Jay Buhner were pulled from packs.

Ironmanfan

I'd be interested in the Ripken if he has him

IMF

vladguerrero

http://www.sportscardforum.com/showthread.php?t=43585

"I believe the mirror blacks were some sort of test issue that wasnt exactly made to be inserted in packs. As you said these are very rare but they were an unannounced variation that pinnacle was considering putting into the set or not. Not all players have a mirror black card, this was because these were test issues, and some players have more than one mirror black. I can remember a case of two mirror black Jay Buhner cards on ebay at the same time (a while ago). I a m not sure but dean palmer and bonds cant have more than a couple cards in this set if they have any at all, i think it's safe to cross them off you're list. Just in case you want to know, the way to tell a mirror black from a regular is to hold it up to light and look at the surface, the mirror blacks have a greenish tint and shine to them, just in case you need to know."

JustinsShoebox

I have some 97 mirror gold varieties which tend to sell fairly well when they do sell. I'd love to see a scan of a mirror black specimen. Can you give a list of what they have besides the Griffey?

JustinsShoebox

Link

Sean1125

<< <i>Those do appear to be mirror blacks. (Great scans!)

Link >>



What are they worth?

CDsNuts

They look like base cards to me. Mirror Blacks have a shine like refractors which these don't have based on the scans.

Sean1125

<< <i>They look like base cards to me. Mirror Blacks have a shine like refractors which these don't have based on the scans. >>



In person they have a reflection (I hold it up and can see myself) Other than that I don't know how to authenticate them.

JustinsShoebox

In the link above, the Mo Vaughn slabbed is not a Mirror Black but does also have the reflection. At a second pass, it's possible that they aren't the mirrored variety. My mirror golds all have a refractor type finish...tilting the card, do you see a colored shine at all?

Sean1125

In person they are all reflective finish.

CDsNuts

You're taking the word 'mirror' too literally- any card made with silver foil is going to be somewhat reflective. If you tilt mirror blacks in the light you should see a rainbow/bluish glow in the silver part (like here)); if you don't they are not mirrors.

Lee

Sean1125

I edited the above message with a photo

CDsNuts

They are base cards.

jacksoncoupage

<< <i>You're taking the word 'mirror' too literally- any card made with silver foil is going to be somewhat reflective. If you tilt mirror blacks in the light you should see a rainbow/bluish glow in the silver part (like here)); if you don't they are not mirrors.

Lee >>



Yep.

These are 100% without a doubt, base singles. Mirror black cards are noticeably different.

Please see this old thread for an example (Dmitri Young): http://forums.collectors.com/messageview.cfm?catid=11&threadid=748107Mirror Black Thread

TonyC

<< <i>They are base cards. >>

vladguerrero

base cards, sorry dude!

Sean1125

<< <i>base cards, sorry dude! >>



It's cool, the news is for the guy who left them with me not for me I still feel bad for him he seemed to think he hit a gold mine.