LENTICULAR/3-D/HOLOGRAM/ APPRECIATION & PICKUP THREAD

[James52411]

Let's face it, most baseball cards are pretty much the same. The card is going to be made of cardboard, have a picture of the player and a description on the back. If it's autographed or game used, the memorabilia will be embedded on the front of the card and a certification will usually be on the back. Basically, baseball cards are like a James Bond movie: there is a set formula and you pretty much know what you are going to get. The only question is whether the formula is well executed. There's nothing wrong with this. I've enjoyed collecting the familiar same old cards since 1983 and I always enjoy watching a James Bond movie. The card companies generally learn what is successful and they aren't too likely to stray from the formula. However, once in a while they do, and that's when the hobby gets to be a little more fun in my book.

This thread is a tribute to innovation within the hobby. Specifically, to lenticular and holographic baseball cards. These are the "cult classic" baseball cards. Not everyone likes them, but for those of us who do, there isn't anything much better than a well executed lenticular or holographic set. As a boy I loved watching Ryne Sandberg "swing" on my Sportflics cards and was always mesmerized by the interesting 3-D effect of a well-worn and cracked Nolan Ryan 1983 Kellogg's Xograph card I got out of a box of cereal. I've always enjoyed these types of cards and I'm guessing there are a few of you out there who do too.

Every couple of weeks, I plan to post a mini article describing and reviewing one of these sets. It will be an honest review that discusses whether the set was well executed or not. I'll skip around eras and products to keep it interesting and include a video showing various cards from the set because scans never do these collectibles justice. Each of you is also invited to join in on the fun and also post your new "pick-ups" in the thread as well. For those of you who aren't familiar with the history of these cards, I hope this thread will be educational and provide you with an increased appreciation of them. First up: the unfairly maligned and actually fantastic 1995 Sportflix set.

 

[sigma_chi]

Cool thread, I cant even tell you how many times I begged my dad to eat at Denny's during 94-95-96 when they had the holigram and lenticular card set. To this day, although quite worthless those are still some of my most cherished cards!

 

[Slette]

JoshHamilton will love this thread - he's building up a lenticular collection.

 

[JoshHamilton]

JoshHamilton will love this thread - he's building up a lenticular collection.

Yes.

Here's one I picked up a month ago. Placed a tracking bid on one a few nights ago and accidentally won that one too

 

[Tomlinson21RB]

Best of both worlds: hologram & auto.

 

[BunchOBull]

I have a lot more that I need to scan.

 

[Slette]

My Menards card is lenticular. It's beautiful.

 

[jacobbocce72]

A few from my Bagwell Collection:

 

[predatorkj]

Back in 1996...I was like every other kid I knew and heavily interested in basketball. Kinda weird how it gripped all of us at the same time. We all ditched baseball cards and went for basketball. In any case, ever since he was playing at NC and when he got drafted by the 76'ers...I was awestruck by Stackhouse. I collected every card of his I could and he was worth some money back then. I remember a buddy of mine being very upset at me because I put together the 1995-96 fleer metal rookie roll call set together(an example):

He wanted them and I said no way. Well, one day he got his revenge and he pulled this card:

I now own two of them myself but I always wanted it so bad and it booked for like $40-$60 back then(which might as well have been a $1000 on my meager $5 a week allowance. And he'd let me see it every day and smile because he knew he had me by the balls as he'd never part with it. I guess the story is kinda anti-climatic but for me, there was no greater joy than coming back into the hobby and starting my Stackhouse collection back up again. I loved finally nabbing this card and man...these things are pretty damn cool to look at. I have a few more but this is the only other one I have scanned:

Also, another friend of mine was lucky enough to pull this:

Man...it was so awesome looking. I actually think the photo used on this card was featured on the front cover of a Beckett basketball mag back in the day. I always wanted it. And now I own it too as well as several others from the set.

You know though, one question I always wondered is since Flair did not only sports cards but also comic cards, why did we never see a sports card like the ones they did for comic cards? By that, I mean why not do a hologram like the infamous spiderman v.s. Venom that used to be a $50 card back in the day and practically made you king of the playground if you owned one(oddly enough...the dude that owned that play maker's Stackhouse also owned this card as well...lucky bastard...):

http://cgi.ebay.com/1993-SPIDER-MAN-vs- ... 35b3318ddc

I mean, wouldn't you like to see a baseball card like this? But instead of it looking cartoonish, have it look like the real player, but maybe sliding into a base, making an over the wall catch, or a play at the plate?

 

[smapdi]

There are two types of images called holograms. There's a real hologram, made by refracting light across an object and capturing the image in a rotating field on special film. Then there's the lithogram, which isn't really a hologram at all but can sort of be made to look like one. So, in the first instance, you need the actual object, or person, to sit for you. In the other, you can use a photograph or something, but it would lack any variation in the image as you turn the card. With baseball cards, it would be very difficult to capture an aciton shot as a true hologram, so something like the Venom card, which was shot from a statue, would have to be staged somehow. To see the difference on baseball cards, check out the difference between cards in the 1997 SP Special FX set. Some players sat for holo imaging, but some didnt. The ones who didn't show up as flat images and don't move when you turn the card.

I started collecting the Fleer Basketball lenticulars last year, but they never really did as well in baseball. The Night And Day set just isn't quite as good, and I always found the Diamond Soul set rather hideous.

Btw, sometimes the original is always the best. If you ever get a chance to see some 1968 Topps 3D cards, you'll be blown away. Something about them makes me think they were never equaled in any later use. Maybe it's the extra-deep looking, out-of-focus background, but I remember seeing a few in a dealer case and fell in love. As a super-rare test issue they aren't cheap, the Clemente is probably a five-figure card, but they are simply great.

 

[JoshHamilton]

I will add a lot more to this thread today

 

[Greg Cleveland]

Here's a few goodies from my Bucket:

Love this one from Upper Deck. Have an A-Rod, too.

 

[JoshHamilton]

One of my favorite sets from the '90's

Same with these

4 Card Sportflics 2000 National Promo set

 

[JoshHamilton]

This is the 1996-97 Pinnacle McDonald's set. They're kind of like the Denny's sets in baseball

Probably my favorite oddball hockey set. The motion and the goalie cards look incredible

 

[JoshHamilton]

1995-96 Pinnacle McDonald's set. Not as nice as the previous one, but still cool

 

[JoshHamilton]

And, just to show everyone how much of a lenticular nerd I am, I bought Shrek 3D at a pawn shop. I don't own a 3D tv. I just wanted the cover

 

[pghbuccos]

 

[ffgameman]

One of my favorite sets from the '90's

Thanks for posting this so I didn't have to dig one out and scan it.

I loved that set as well as the Hammer Team set. I have several of those, some of the bigger name stars (Bonds, Thomas, etc).

Need any of them JH?

Edit: Here's a Jordan hologram from '92-'93:

And two more from the HoloGrFx set (loved these cards, especially in baseball):

 

[gracecollector]

 

[RITM]

LENTICULAR/3-D/HOLOGRAM/ APPRECIATION & PICKUP THREAD

Under the column of innovation, this is one of my favorite cards. Called the "Shadow Box", UD used layering to create a very unique effect to the card. Absolutely love it: