Isn't Jamie about 25 years old right meow as well? I though you had a cat that might have been born the same year as either 93 Flair or 92 Pinnacle, also known as the greatest set of all time. The premiere card, of course, being the 92 Pinnacle Chuck Knoblach. Hopefully Jamie didn't have a drinking problem, STD, anger issues, or end up being callously thrown into a campfire.
@thunderdan said:
Isn't Jamie about 25 years old right meow as well? I though you had a cat that might have been born the same year as either 93 Flair or 92 Pinnacle, also known as the greatest set of all time. The premiere card, of course, being the 92 Pinnacle Chuck Knoblach. Hopefully Jamie didn't have a drinking problem, STD, anger issues, or end up being callously thrown into a campfire.
Man that brings back memories. Played against Chuck in college when he was at Texas A&M and they were ranked number 1 and 20-0 at the time, Got some of the worst home cookin calls I have ever seen in my life and Knoblauch hit a game winning shot off the centerfield wall for a double in the 9th to beat us. Boy he could rake back then.
No no no no no my cat, my best friend Jamiee was born on 7/14/2012...so on the 14th of this year he'll be 6 1/2 human years or 42 in cat years (at two calendar years you start at 24 and add one for every quarter after that).
So you guys think I chose wisely towards picking something cheap yet historical and classy for me and the mrs to open together?
My bad. I got my cat years and human years all mixed up. Sorry I missed his 25th birthday in cat years on 10/14/2014. Amazingly Dwight Eisenhower's birthday was on October 14, who of course was the purrson overseeing the Allied invasion of Normandy. So keep that in mind each year, but sadly, it was also it was the date which the Nazis pulled out of the League of Nations, which was apawling. That was truly catastrophic.
And yes, cheap/historical combination is perfect to rip with the mrs. double bubble came out in 1928, so maybe ripping and chewing/sniffing a few of those bad boys could take your relationship to the next level.
Yeah, can you believe Eisenhower when he retired to Gettysburg, PA (yes the Civil War Gettysburg) he actually told his staff to shoot any kitties that came onto his property!! If I had found that out back in the say I would've voted for Stevenson as a protest vote!!
This just occurred to me, we're now at the 30th/pearl anniversary of the first two "super premium" baseball card sets, Flair and Finest! It is beyond amazing it's already been that long ago...
Sadly because my wife passed away a little over two years ago we won't get to repeat what we did back in 2018-19 when we opened two cartons (one for each of us) of 1993 Flair.
Do most of the 93 Finest cards look faded and weird to you guys, or is it just me? I understand that it is the superior set, but Flair sure does hold up. The packs are like little cigarette boxes with extra packaging. Way ahead of their time.
@FirstBeard said:
Sorry for your loss. Rip some for her!
Do most of the 93 Finest cards look faded and weird to you guys, or is it just me? I understand that it is the superior set, but Flair sure does hold up. The packs are like little cigarette boxes with extra packaging. Way ahead of their time.
That's why I sometimes use the word cartons instead of the generic sounding boxes. And do like some of those mid 90s packs urged...to do packs and cartons of cards not DRUGS. And as Bulletproof would say, packs and cartons of cigarettes are DRUGS. Say NO.
@Estil said:
This just occurred to me, we're now at the 30th/pearl anniversary of the first two "super premium" baseball card sets, Flair and Finest! It is beyond amazing it's already been that long ago...
Sadly because my wife passed away a little over two years ago we won't get to repeat what we did back in 2018-19 when we opened two cartons (one for each of us) of 1993 Flair.
My condolences on your loss. Hope you are able to find Solace in memories of good times.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
@craig44 said:
I always thought that 93 Flair was a fantastic product. seemed super high quality. It is too bad their value didnt hold up over the years.
It WAS super high quality. It along with Finest was unlike anything else the hobby ever seen...like how 1991 Stadium Club and 1992 Ultra were the first regular/non-insert sets to have UV coating on both sides and gold foil stamping. I imagine the first couple of years of Stadium Club (especially the minimalist 1992's) were just like handling freshly developed photos from the photo shop...those were the days!
@Estil said:
<< your math sounds right . I'd say 93 SP was a bigger competitor to Finest than Flair was though. >>
I disagree. The set was no different than Ultra or Leaf in terms of production quality--it had UV coating on both sides and a small copper (instead of the usual gold) foil stamped logo (on most of the cards). Whereas Flair (twice as thick and very glossy on both sides with six color printing) and Finest (shiny chrome-like foil front) were the true super premium sets. In fact I don't think Upper Deck made their first true super premium set until 1996 SPx.
Whether you see it that way or not, it definitely was Upper Deck's intention to have SP be their top tier (super premium) line and competitor of Topps' Finest and Fleer's Flair. I remember the hobby chatter/articles at the time and UD's press info. Even Score got into the game by releasing an upgraded Select Rookie & Traded set meant to compete in this tier of the market.
UD's base cards were the competitor of Ultra, Stadium, Leaf, Pinnacle, etc.
Hey, BBCE is in fact now selling cartons of 1993 Flair for only $32! I would get one but I'm right now laser focused on getting those decade stamp sets...which is gonna take quite some time! But for the rest of you if you never tried what was then the Cadillac of baseball cards (Finest was more like the Porsche/Ferrari of baseball cards) I'd strongly recommend it.
BTW, I saw ads for Flair in Beckett and I think I saw on Ebay from dealer promo sheets for it...but how come 1993 Finest never got any ads? I do in fact have the three promo cards they did but did Topps send any sort of dealer/promo sheets?
Comments
Isn't Jamie about 25 years old right meow as well? I though you had a cat that might have been born the same year as either 93 Flair or 92 Pinnacle, also known as the greatest set of all time. The premiere card, of course, being the 92 Pinnacle Chuck Knoblach. Hopefully Jamie didn't have a drinking problem, STD, anger issues, or end up being callously thrown into a campfire.
Man that brings back memories. Played against Chuck in college when he was at Texas A&M and they were ranked number 1 and 20-0 at the time, Got some of the worst home cookin calls I have ever seen in my life and Knoblauch hit a game winning shot off the centerfield wall for a double in the 9th to beat us. Boy he could rake back then.
Did Chuck like cats in college?
No no no no no my cat, my best friend Jamiee was born on 7/14/2012...so on the 14th of this year he'll be 6 1/2 human years or 42 in cat years (at two calendar years you start at 24 and add one for every quarter after that).
So you guys think I chose wisely towards picking something cheap yet historical and classy for me and the mrs to open together?
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
My bad. I got my cat years and human years all mixed up. Sorry I missed his 25th birthday in cat years on 10/14/2014. Amazingly Dwight Eisenhower's birthday was on October 14, who of course was the purrson overseeing the Allied invasion of Normandy. So keep that in mind each year, but sadly, it was also it was the date which the Nazis pulled out of the League of Nations, which was apawling. That was truly catastrophic.
And yes, cheap/historical combination is perfect to rip with the mrs. double bubble came out in 1928, so maybe ripping and chewing/sniffing a few of those bad boys could take your relationship to the next level.
Yeah, can you believe Eisenhower when he retired to Gettysburg, PA (yes the Civil War Gettysburg) he actually told his staff to shoot any kitties that came onto his property!! If I had found that out back in the say I would've voted for Stevenson as a protest vote!!
Now this American historical figure OTOH...
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
This just occurred to me, we're now at the 30th/pearl anniversary of the first two "super premium" baseball card sets, Flair and Finest! It is beyond amazing it's already been that long ago...
Sadly because my wife passed away a little over two years ago we won't get to repeat what we did back in 2018-19 when we opened two cartons (one for each of us) of 1993 Flair.
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Sorry to hear that. I can't get my wife to even look at a card. She has no use for them. And my 14 year old son could care less either.
Sorry for your loss. Rip some for her!
Do most of the 93 Finest cards look faded and weird to you guys, or is it just me? I understand that it is the superior set, but Flair sure does hold up. The packs are like little cigarette boxes with extra packaging. Way ahead of their time.
That's why I sometimes use the word cartons instead of the generic sounding boxes. And do like some of those mid 90s packs urged...to do packs and cartons of cards not DRUGS. And as Bulletproof would say, packs and cartons of cigarettes are DRUGS. Say NO.
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
I always thought that 93 Flair was a fantastic product. seemed super high quality. It is too bad their value didnt hold up over the years.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
Also, where did the last 30 years just disappear to?
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
My condolences on your loss. Hope you are able to find Solace in memories of good times.
It's the singer not the song - Peter Townshend (1972)
It WAS super high quality. It along with Finest was unlike anything else the hobby ever seen...like how 1991 Stadium Club and 1992 Ultra were the first regular/non-insert sets to have UV coating on both sides and gold foil stamping. I imagine the first couple of years of Stadium Club (especially the minimalist 1992's) were just like handling freshly developed photos from the photo shop...those were the days!
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Whether you see it that way or not, it definitely was Upper Deck's intention to have SP be their top tier (super premium) line and competitor of Topps' Finest and Fleer's Flair. I remember the hobby chatter/articles at the time and UD's press info. Even Score got into the game by releasing an upgraded Select Rookie & Traded set meant to compete in this tier of the market.
UD's base cards were the competitor of Ultra, Stadium, Leaf, Pinnacle, etc.
I loved what came out in 93, between Flair, Finest and SP, those were exciting times!
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
You have NO idea how much I would've loved to have seen a baseball themed "Space Jam" sequel starring the Player of the 90s back in the late 90s...
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
I agree that SP was absolutely supposed to have been UD's version of the super-premium card. I remember those times well
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
That was flippin awesome! Haven’t seen that yet! Thanks!
Nic
Guides Authored - Graded Card Scanning Guide PDF | History of the PSA Label PDF
To be fair they did have the first die-cut insert set, so there's that.
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
Hey, BBCE is in fact now selling cartons of 1993 Flair for only $32! I would get one but I'm right now laser focused on getting those decade stamp sets...which is gonna take quite some time! But for the rest of you if you never tried what was then the Cadillac of baseball cards (Finest was more like the Porsche/Ferrari of baseball cards) I'd strongly recommend it.
https://bbcexchange.com/products/1993-fleer-flair-baseball-box
OR, you can go for the sure thing and get the master set for just $50!
https://bbcexchange.com/products/1993-flair-baseball-complete-set-w-inserts-300-nm-mt-mt
BTW, I saw ads for Flair in Beckett and I think I saw on Ebay from dealer promo sheets for it...but how come 1993 Finest never got any ads? I do in fact have the three promo cards they did but did Topps send any sort of dealer/promo sheets?
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars
I did love those little boxes each "pack" came in. seemed like an event when you opened one.
George Brett, Roger Clemens and Tommy Brady.
They better be when they were about $4 each at the time!
D's: 54S,53P,50P,49S,45D+S,44S,43D,41S,40D+S,39D+S,38D+S,37D+S,36S,35D+S,all 16-34's
Q's: 52S,47S,46S,40S,39S,38S,37D+S,36D+S,35D,34D,32D+S
74T: 37,38,47,151,193,241,435,570,610,654,655 97 Finest silver: 115,135,139,145,310
73T:31,55,61,62,63,64,65,66,67,68,80,152,165,189,213,235,237,257,341,344,377,379,390,422,433,453,480,497,545,554,563,580,606,613,630
95 Ultra GM Sets: Golden Prospects,HR Kings,On-Base Leaders,Power Plus,RBI Kings,Rising Stars