u/BosSF82

Now these were not pack released, as Star didn't do packs, and I'm not sure of their distribution dynamics, and that knowledge may be lost to time, but before these, no modern card company had ever distributed autographs or put numbers on them, though in this case Yaz also put the numbers, so in a sense it's also the first player inscribed card as well lol

And yes of course the 1990 Upper Deck Reggie Jackson is still the first pack released in history.

They are both graded 5's, but there is significantly more damage across the first card, front and back, corners and surface, than the second card. There is legit rounding on the first card on 3 corners. The centering on the first is much worse as well across front and back. It's not even close.

This is an all time Boston MC post and it's just going to waste in the desert that has long now been Craigslist. It's sad, absurd, invokes the long gone Copley Store 24, it's vintage, reminding me of the Craiglist golden years. I hope he finds her.

He sleep with the wife of the CEO?

I saw them recently for the first time in decades and all these memories of this set just flooded back. Bonus imposter Karim Abdul Jabbar throwback as well

OK, first off, what does 'museum worthy' mean? It doesn't mean necessarily the most beautiful, cool or rare, though my choices generally fit more than one of those categories. Museum worthy cards here are cards that are so daring, creative and unique, they stretched the boundaries of what cards could be and have not been equaled to this day.

I tend to divide such cards into two main categories, 1. The Physical and 2. The Visual.

The physical category are those that added something completely new to the dimensionality, location and actual handling of the cards.

The visual category isn't simply about stunning looks, but the uniquely creative application of what you see.

There can be some crossover between the two, but here I keep the division.

Picture #2 shows what I would consider 'The Big 4', the cards so unique and groundbreaking, they are frozen in time, still unequaled to this day. They are 1. 1998 Skybox Thunder 'Flight School', 1997 Skybox 'Silky Smooth', 3. 1998 Skybox E-X Century 'DUNK'n GO-NUTS', and 4. 1998 Skybox 'That's Jam'.

Pictures 3-5: Skybox Thunder 'Flight School'. I have posted about these before and you can review the older thread with more photos and details here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/basketballcards/comments/1v97kn4/1998\\\\\\\_skybox\\\\\\\_thunder\\\\\\\_flight\\\\\\\_school\\\\\\\_probably\\\\\\\_the/

These cards are not mere cards but rather a combination of binoculars and a lightbox. They come with 2 lenses on each side and expand like an accordion to reveal and image inside. When viewed under ideal lighting, the image pops out onto the lens and you can also peer into the lens to view the enlarged picture. These cards are so physically complex and wacky, that PSA won't even grade them. And I can't blame them. It's amazing they were ever inserted into packs!

Pictures 6-7: Skybox 'Silky Smooth': When I first saw these, I was like 'what the heck!?' It's supposed to be a net, but it's not a net. I dismissed their wildness at first, and then it struck me, this is fckin legit art! Of course they could have done a realistic looking net, but this is straight up Art Nouveau, with it's wild sinuous curves that are also delicate AF. Oh yea, the net also opens up and closes like a booklet. These cards are so condition sensitive, that I think less than 3 9's exist across the entire set, and no 10's. PSA 6's and 5's are considered wins. When they were first released people were so confused by the nets that Skybox offered to cut them off if you mailed your cards in, but to me that completely ruins the card. A Silky Smooth without the net is like a eunuch, no juice. You might see the netless cards for sale, ignore them.

These two are the basketball master inserts of the physical. The next two are the masters of the visual.

Photo 8: DUNK'n GO-NUTS & That's Jam. Straight up 100% Pop Art, never has been replicated to this day, probably because of the threats of lawsuits that Skybox faced. They speak for themselves.

The next 3 inserts are sort of crossovers between the physical and visual, they belong in the 'envelope' sub-category.

Photos 9 & 10: 1997 Skybox Hoops 911: Again, pure pop art. But not because of the image, but because of the paper! These are total pizzazz, rizz, straight out Dorothy's Ruby Red Shoes in the Wizard of Oz. The picture here doesn't even do the ruby red color justice.

And now the physical. The actual glitter portion is a die-cut envelope and inside is a somewhat basic card, that mirrors the image on the inner envelope. Here is what is extra interesting...PSA doesn't grade both the inner card and the envelope together, but they will grade them separately...so in essence, it's like 2 cards. If you have the Jordan, you can grade and pawn the envelope to pay your rent and you still have the inner card to do the same later. Of course, to me, they really need to be together.

Photos 11 & 12, the first non-Skybox mentioned: Fleer Ultra Exclamation Points. Same deal as 911, PSA doesn't grade the card and envelope together, but here they do not grade the envelope at all, as it does not depict the player. The card without the envelope is also pretty bland, with weird cheetah print. It's a crime to separate them.

Photos 13-15: 1997 Skybox And one...

Previously wrote about these here:

https://www.reddit.com/r/basketballcards/comments/1vbwuto/1997\\\\\\\_skybox\\\\\\\_and\\\\\\\_oneanother\\\\\\\_all\\\\\\\_time\\\\\\\_great\\\\\\\_unique/

And One's are great because they have another unique dynamic to them. Unlike the other envelope cards, where you can simply remove the card from the envelope, here Skybox tests your decision making skills by sealing the card inside with a Skybox sticker. The sticker dynamic is what makes or breaks this card. PSA won't grade them together, only the inner card, and that also ruins the whole thing. One must find a nice version with the seal clearly unbroken (they are not that easy to lift off and reseal without it being noticeable) and minimal space between the back side paper folds. They are highly condition sensitive cards, but it's not as big a deal as the state of the seal.

Photos 16: 1997 Skybox Thunder & Lightning. This is an awesome jaw dropping set, visually and materially. Prices reflect that. You might not be familiar and see this card and wonder why I chose this and not perhaps also include 1993 Ultra 'Scoring Kings'. I love that set but neither that nor this are the first lightning themed cards and definitely not close to the last. What sets this apart is photo 17....

Photo 17: Yes, go into a pitch dark room with a Thunder & Lightning from 1997 and that is what you'll see. They are coated with a luminescent material and even after 30 years, it still glows like that! Amazingly cool, which you must pay for.

Photo 18: two more legendary sets, with a mix of physical and visual, the 1997 Metal Universe Platinum Portraits and the 1998 Flair Showcase Takeit2.net.

The Platinum Portraits are well known, they use complex matrix-etching to make tiny cuts that as a whole are portraits of the players. After 1999 there were no more of these types of cards for some reason, perhaps the cost? But the 1997 set is the only Portrait set that used this technology in basketball. Football released a similar set in 1998. Basketball and baseball use the technology again but for their 'Fusion' inserts in 98-99, and that was it.

The Flair Showcase Takeit2.net are the king of turn of the century web/internet cards. Serial numbered on the back to 1000 and featuring a touchy circuit board front. Pop-techno art for sure.

.

Photo 19: 1997 Upper Deck Records Collection. Probably the easiest to pull out of every card in this showcase, but also extremely condition sensitive. These are obviously designed to look AND feel like vinyl records. Up close you see the ridges in the card, just like on a record. Upper Deck is not known for their visually daring inserts but here they struck a great note.

Photo 20: 1969 Topps Rulers. Previously posted about them here: https://www.reddit.com/r/basketballcards/comments/1ury07q/got\\\\\\\_my\\\\\\\_first\\\\\\\_topps\\\\\\\_ruler\\\\\\\_even\\\\\\\_though\\\\\\\_the/

The grand daddy to them all..the VERY FIRST insert set in basketball card history. This was like a great omen for the future, as right out of the gate, we get a set that is both physically and visually daring. These were indeed inserted into packs (folded) and when graded, come in these cool giant slabs. Legendary. 

I am done. I hope you enjoyed this long post, and above all, it is just my opinion, so don't feel bad if I overlooked any sets you may like or love. Nearly all were Skybox, except for two Fleer, one Upper Deck and one Topps, and none were later than 1999. There are plenty of nice looking and rare cards after that, they just do not match the creativity of the ones in this list.

Feel free to suggest some not mentioned as well.

I never met her. She'd be 117 today, and I am only in my early 40s.

Probably because it would most likely be just some nothing mini. Rather have the unique Witt RC to 65.

I mean he left after a year, as Snowden is not known as a sports showcase school, but it's still cool and he is probably the biggest attendee since Mark Wahlberg.

It's weird, compared to almost everyone else he has so few autos.

This is one of the most decorated, most fierce players of all time, who today would be a man among boys, giving endless nightmares on both ends of the court. Guys who haven't done anything yet have rc cards in the millions whereas poor Drob's rookie card legacy is basically a cup of coffee.

I guarantee you if this set had the 1996 rookie class stars as its checklist it would be known as one of the most legendary sets of all time. But alas, this amazing set has truly one of the worst checklists one can imagine when your theme is the future stars of the NBA. See pic 5.

Anyways, out of the pack this card comes in a truly one of a kind double encasing. The inner case protects the card. The outer case is a soft plastic that wraps around the entire card and is filled with liquid and glitter.

Wave of the Future had been a Flair staple insert for some years at that point but never before did they attempt something so wild. How could you even grade this? You can't even touch the actual card without ruining the card.

If the checklist was any better maybe Flair would have done it again, but years later it stands as a truly unique insert lost to time.

The Marbury and Garnett are the rarest. That's Jam is right up there with Dunk N Go Nuts as the great pop art insert set of all time.

The Garnett Exclamation Point is very rare, but this one is particularly great but it has the sleeve and is in very nice condition. PSA doesn't grade the sleeve, so it's hard to find top names from the set with a crisp sleeve in the wild.

The MJ Behind the Glass is just a beautiful, condition sensitive card with one of his best card photos.

And I posted about the Shaq yesterday before the others arrived. Scoring Kongs, nothing further needs to be added.