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Oh Super Sweet 90's Inserts.... #3

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RustyGreerFan

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
2,496
4
Gastonia, NC
The odds aren't that tough (1:11) so is it just the fact that they could only be found in the Series II reserve packs that make them so tough to find (ala 2007 Walmart Series II inserts)?

I'm not particularly familiar with 2007 Walmart, but I'm guessing that situation was more like 1999 Prism Retail where there was a distribution issue (as in distribution to retail outlets, not insert distribution).

You really have to go back in time to understand why 1997 Score Hobby Reserve was such a flop. It was really at the end of the release year. 1997 Score Series I and II had already been released. So had Premium Stock which mirrored Series I. People were tired of seeing Score releases.

So then they release Hobby Reserve which came across as a cheaper version of Premium Stock (white borders instead of gray and thinner stock) but not necessarily a cheaper price. Hobby Reserve had lots of inserts and parallels, but the exact same cards had already been available in other issues (Showcase Series, Showcase Series APs, Heart of the Game, Blast Masters, etc). The only insert/parallel that was exclusive to Hobby Reserve was Reserve Collection. While I love the frosted foil finish now, they did not cause a splash at the time and really looked a lot like 1997 Select Company.

Further compounding the disaster was the horrible checklist. It consisted of mostly benchwarmers and past-their-prime semistars who had switched teams during the season. Even the photographs were often weak as if the only photos they could get of these guys in their new unis was of them warming up before the game. Also remember that this is when Beckett had us brainwashed that subset cards (like Griffey's Goin' Yard or Checklist) were worth less than Griffey's base card. Almost all star cards in Hobby Reserve are subset cards and the majority of the checklist is laughably bad.

No doubt cases upon cases of this product did not sell. There is still a ton of unopened product out there, but tons more could have easily been destroyed being seen as completely worthless.
 

MadHandle11

Member
Jan 31, 2011
495
0
Spokane, WA
I'm not particularly familiar with 2007 Walmart, but I'm guessing that situation was more like 1999 Prism Retail where there was a distribution issue (as in distribution to retail outlets, not insert distribution).

You really have to go back in time to understand why 1997 Score Hobby Reserve was such a flop. It was really at the end of the release year. 1997 Score Series I and II had already been released. So had Premium Stock which mirrored Series I. People were tired of seeing Score releases.

So then they release Hobby Reserve which came across as a cheaper version of Premium Stock (white borders instead of gray and thinner stock) but not necessarily a cheaper price. Hobby Reserve had lots of inserts and parallels, but the exact same cards had already been available in other issues (Showcase Series, Showcase Series APs, Heart of the Game, Blast Masters, etc). The only insert/parallel that was exclusive to Hobby Reserve was Reserve Collection. While I love the frosted foil finish now, they did not cause a splash at the time and really looked a lot like 1997 Select Company.

Further compounding the disaster was the horrible checklist. It consisted of mostly benchwarmers and past-their-prime semistars who had switched teams during the season. Even the photographs were often weak as if the only photos they could get of these guys in their new unis was of them warming up before the game. Also remember that this is when Beckett had us brainwashed that subset cards (like Griffey's Goin' Yard or Checklist) were worth less than Griffey's base card. Almost all star cards in Hobby Reserve are subset cards and the majority of the checklist is laughably bad.

No doubt cases upon cases of this product did not sell. There is still a ton of unopened product out there, but tons more could have easily been destroyed being seen as completely worthless.

Thanks for the clarification. Amazing how much there is still to learn about 1990's cards nearly 20 years on!
 

ASTROBURN

Active member
Jun 23, 2011
4,576
0
Santa Cruz, CA
It's a somewhat rare set - 1997 Score Reserve Collection. But commons and semistars can be really tough to come by - you can go years without seeing one surface whereas the stars appear about twice a year or more. The football counterparts are even harder to find.

Did you get the Bagwell that popped up last week?
 
Dec 4, 2008
607
3
So the tally is in: I just spent $330 breaking 10 boxes of 1997 Score Hobby Reserve. Total Reserve Collection hits: 12(!). So my hit rate was a mere 1:16.6 packs. And the last box I opened had 2 reserves. A real dud of a break and I will likely take a bath on this one. The best Reserve Collection was the Thome GY, so hopefully I can make some $$ back on that one.
 

RustyGreerFan

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
2,496
4
Gastonia, NC
So the tally is in: I just spent $330 breaking 10 boxes of 1997 Score Hobby Reserve. Total Reserve Collection hits: 12(!). So my hit rate was a mere 1:16.6 packs. And the last box I opened had 2 reserves. A real dud of a break and I will likely take a bath on this one. The best Reserve Collection was the Thome GY, so hopefully I can make some $$ back on that one.

Ouch - sorry to hear that. You had terrible luck :(
 

clarkfan

Active member
Sep 15, 2009
1,527
1
Have you seen Griffeys pop up recently?

I sold a Griffey on ebay in 2014 for $85. But I also sold a Clark for $400 and a Sandberg for $200, so the price can vary wildly depending on the player. Certain player collector's haven't exactly jumped on board on this parallel, but most of the extreme player collector's have struggled to find their guy. I think RustyGreerFan's near set is very impressive. I gave up my hopes and I was after the set before the majority of collector's cared.
 

RustyGreerFan

Active member
Jun 10, 2010
2,496
4
Gastonia, NC
I sold a Griffey on ebay in 2014 for $85. But I also sold a Clark for $400 and a Sandberg for $200, so the price can vary wildly depending on the player. Certain player collector's haven't exactly jumped on board on this parallel, but most of the extreme player collector's have struggled to find their guy. I think RustyGreerFan's near set is very impressive. I gave up my hopes and I was after the set before the majority of collector's cared.

Yeah, Clark and Ryno are by far the outliers. I'm not sure anyone else even sells for $100, although a Jeter once sold for $125.

Not sure if anyone noticed this, but a Clark popped just a few days ago at auction for a starting bid of $9.99. I considered messaging the guy, but figured it was hopeless. Next thing I knew it was showing as sold as the seller had added a $75 BIN.
 

clarkfan

Active member
Sep 15, 2009
1,527
1
Yeah, Clark and Ryno are by far the outliers. I'm not sure anyone else even sells for $100, although a Jeter once sold for $125.

Not sure if anyone noticed this, but a Clark popped just a few days ago at auction for a starting bid of $9.99. I considered messaging the guy, but figured it was hopeless. Next thing I knew it was showing as sold as the seller had added a $75 BIN.

Saw it on completed and first thing I thought was, wow, can't believe Michael didn't snag it. But I hadn't realized the listing was changed. I don't immediately recognize the ebay hidden name, but they definitely got a sweet deal!
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Yeah at $75 I think that was a good deal. I have one and sold another at $500 (Michael). I didn't ever see the listing that just ended. Besides Michael , is the market really anything much over $75? Maybe a lil more , but much more?

Ryan
 

magicpapa

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
10,064
1,360
Is this a Glowing?


1997 Fleer Soaring Stars #8 - Greg Maddux
Courtesy of COMC.com
I would say yes, but from what I hear the Glowing actually Glows............ so I'm not sure if this means there are 3 versions??
[h=3]Soaring Stars[/h] This set is also available in a "Glowing" parallel. Towards the end of the production run, Fleer ran out of the "starry" holographic foil used on the regular Soaring Stars, and switched to a "glowing" foil. It is believed that 10%-20% of the total production run was printed on "glowing" foil.

1997soarings.jpg
 

JoshHamilton

Well-known member
Aug 7, 2008
12,205
320
Here are some team and type sets I've been working on
2hfpcw9.jpg

vh5kyo.jpg

24wez43.jpg


Trying to get every Dufex Marlins card produced. The 94 Pinnacle Robb Nen was a redemption and it's been a pain to find.
 

RStadlerASU22

Active member
Jan 2, 2013
8,881
11
Here are some team and type sets I've been working on
2hfpcw9.jpg

vh5kyo.jpg

24wez43.jpg


Trying to get every Dufex Marlins card produced. The 94 Pinnacle Robb Nen was a redemption and it's been a pain to find.

I thought you had OCD , how the heck you gonna have the 2nd card in, on bottom right of first pic with the border flipped the opposite of the others ;) First thing that caught my eye. Good luck on filling in the blanks.

Ryan
 

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