1996 Part 3

You can see Part 2 of this series here.

Emotion-XL
This was a 300-card set produced by Fleer/Skybox. In 1995, the set was just called Emotion. In 1997, it will be called E-X and will continue to be produced with some name variations until 2004. The base card has 2 plies. The green border is actually a frame glued to the outside of the card. The shield-like thing in the bottom right is silver foil. This sort of card (with a frame) will be done again but I think this was the first time. I never bought any of this set new. The Dykstra card was picked up as a loose single at a card shop. 5-card packs cost $4.99 which is probably why I didn't buy any.

Emotion-XL D-Fense
D-Fense was a 10-card insert set in Emotion-XL (inserted 1:4 packs). The design carries along the frame from the base set but one better. The color image if the player is actually part of the silver frame. The background photo has no gloss. All of the text on the card is silver foil. This was acquired on eBay for $2.49 in 2004.

Emotion-XL N-Tense
Another 10-card set inserted at 1:12 in Emotion-XL. This card was also 2-ply. The photo is die cut where the white triangles are and then glued to a white card as background. The card has high gloss front and back with lots of silver foil. I got this card on eBay in 2004 for $2.49.

There are two other inserts in this set, Leagion of Boom (1:36) and Rare Breed (1:100) which I don't have.

Finest
This was the fourth edition of Finest. It consisted of 112 cards with 5 distinct designs. There were also 2 parallel sets. The base set was Bronze and the parallels were Silver and Gold. The 5 designs were called Stirling (shown above), Prodigies (shown below), Intimidators, Franchises and Phenoms. I only had a handful of these. A 6-card pack cost $5.00.
Finest Silver
I have one Silver parallel. These were inserted at 1:4. I don't have any of the Gold paralles (1:24) or the Refractor versions. The Bronze Refractors were 1:12, Silver Refractors were 1:48, and the Gold Refractors were 1:288.

Flair
This was also the 4th year for Flair. I always looked on these as the Fleer equivalent of Finest. A 7-card pack went for $4.99. I only have this one card from the set which I got on eBay in 2004 for $1.99. The front has a high gloss finish and it is printed in heavier card stock than most cards.

Flair Diamond Cuts
A 12-card set inserted into Flair at 1:20. The front of the card is a textured, refractive foil. It's quite an attractive card in person. I got this on eBay for $2.11 in 2003.

Flair Powerline
Another Flair insert. 10 cards inserted at 1:6. It has a hard glossy finish and a thick card stock. I paid $3.24 for this on eBay in 2004.

There are two more insert sets in Flair which I don't have, Hot Gloves (1:90) and Wave of the Future (1:72).

Fleer
In 1996, Fleer made a dramatic change in direction with their flagship product. This 600 card set is printed on plain white cardboard with no gloss. The text and logos are in gold foil. By 1996, every major card set had a hard glossy finish. I believe that this is also the first card to feature full bleed printing without a glossy finish. There were no subset cards in the main set. Instead, many of the themes reserved for subset cards were made into inserts. An 11-card pack cost $1.49.

Fleer Tiffany
In the 1980s, Topps, Fleer and Donruss produced glossy, limited edition versions of their sets. Fleer and Topps both called these glossy sets Tiffany. in 1996, one Tiffany card was included in each pack. The foil was silver on these.

Fleer Checklist
The 10-card checklist set was inserted at 1:6. It has a glossy finish front and back. I got this in a repack in 2006.

Fleer Golden Memories
This 10-card set was inserted at 1:10. It features a refractive foil background and high gloss. I bought the entire set on eBay in 2004 for $4.08.

Fleer Lumber Company
A 12-card set inserted at 1:9. This card has a non-glossy finish. The "Lumber Company" brand is embossed into the card.

Fleer Post Season Glory
A 5-card set celebrating the 1995 playoff season. Remember when the Braves were great?

Fleer Prospects
This was a 28-card set inserted at 1:6. This is the only one I have and I probably got it new in a pack. I guess this wasn't a good year for prospects as Beckett doesn't list a single card from this set separately.

Fleer Road Warriors
Another 10-card set, inserted at 1:13. I bought the whole set in 2003 for $6.99. It features a nice group of mid-1990s players: Mark McGwire, Greg Maddux, Mike Piazza, Tony Gywnn, Frank Thomas, Tim Salmon, Matt Williams, Derek Bell and Mo Vaughn. Some of these guys didn't hold us as well as others.

Fleer Rookie Sensations
A 15-card set inserted at 1:11. The right side of the card is refractive foil. Beckett doesn't list anybody from this set either. I'm happy to have the Nomo card.

Fleer Smoke 'n' Heat
10 cards, 1:9. In a set featuring Roger Clemens and Greg Maddux, I pulled Todd Stottlemyre.

Fleer Team Leaders
28 cards, inserted at 1:9. This time I got luck and pulled Ripken.

Fleer Zone
The hardest card to get was Fleer Zone, a 12-card set inserted at 1:90. I bought this on eBay for $3.99 in 2004.

I'm only missing 1 Fleer insert, Tomorrow's Legends (10 cards, 1:13). I just scored the Manny Ramirez from this set on eBay for $2.30 including shipping.