1997 Fleer
Description
1997 Fleer is a 761-card set released in two series of 500 and 261 cards. Series One (which was not marketed as "Series One") was issued in April, 1997. In lieu of an "Update" set, Fleer instead published a second series, which despite its name, serves as the de facto 1997 Fleer Update. As with the previous year's set, the cards are printed with a matte finish and are gold foil stamped.
It is believed that the last 11 cards in Series Two (751-761) were late additions to the set and short-printed.
For the first time since 1993, Fleer did not include an insert in every pack. This would also be the final year for "Fleer" baseball, as the firm decided to rename their flagship product "Fleer Tradition" beginning in 1998.
Series Two features one of only two "true" rookie cards of David "Big Papi" Ortiz, although he's billed as "David Arias-Ortiz."
Distribution
Series One Hobby/Retail: 36 packs per box, 10 cards per pack (MSRP: $1.49).
Series Two Hobby/Retail: 36 packs per box, 11 cards per pack (MSRP: $1.49).
Reviews
Insertion Ratios
| Cards | Total Cards | Numbered To | Hobby Odds | Retail Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Base | 761 | - | ? | ? |
| Tiffany (S1, S2) | 761 | - | 1:20 | 1:20 |
| Rookie Sensations (S1) | 20 | - | 1:6 | 1:6 |
| Golden Memories (S1) | 10 | - | 1:16 | 1:16 |
| Team Leaders (S1) | 28 | - | 1:20 | 1:20 |
| Night and Day (S1) | 10 | - | 1:240 | 1:240 |
| Zone (S1) | 20 | - | 1:80 | N/A |
| Lumber Company (S1) | 18 | - | N/A | 1:18 |
| Million Dollar Moments (S2) | 50 | - | one-per-pack | one-per-pack |
| Headliners (S2) | 20 | - | 1:2 | 1:2 |
| New Horizons (S2) | 15 | - | 1:4 | 1:4 |
| Goudey Greats (S2) | 15 | - | 1:8 | 1:8 |
| Goudey Greats Foil (S2) | 15 | - | 1:800 | N/A |
| Soaring Stars (S2) | 12 | - | 1:12 | 1:12 |
| Glowing Stars (S2) | 12 | - | ? | ? |
| Diamond Tribute (S2) | 12 | - | 1:288 | 1:288 |
| Decade of Excellence (S2) | 12 | - | 1:36 | N/A |
| Decade of Excellence Rare Traditions (S2) | 12 | - | 1:360 | N/A |
| Bleacher Blasters (S2) | 10 | - | N/A | 1:36 |
| Andruw Jones 1997 Circa Autograph (S2) | 1 | 200 | ? | ? |
Checklist
Promo
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Promo'); </sql2wiki>
Base Set
Series One
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num < 501); </sql2wiki>
Series Two
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num > 500); </sql2wiki>
Parallels
All 761 base cards are available in a "Tiffany" parallel. The Tiffany's are glossy coated and stamped with holographic foil.
Inserts
Rookie Sensations
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Rookie Sensations'); </sql2wiki>
Golden Memories
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Golden Memories') ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>
Team Leaders
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Team Leaders'); </sql2wiki>
Night and Day
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Night and Day'); </sql2wiki>
Zone
This set is exclusive to Series One Hobby packs.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Zone'); </sql2wiki>
Lumber Company
This set is exclusive to Series One retail packs.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Lumber Company'); </sql2wiki>
Million Dollar Moments
See 1997 Fleer Million Dollar Moments.
Headliners
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Headliners'); </sql2wiki>
New Horizons
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer New Horizons'); </sql2wiki>
Goudey Greats
In a precursor of "throwback" sets to come, this 15-card set is done in the style of the 1933 Goudey (R-319) set. Like the originals, each card measures 2 3/8" X 2 7/8".
This set is also available in a gold foil-stamped parallel, found only in Series Two Hobby packs.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Goudey Greats'); </sql2wiki>
Soaring Stars
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.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Soaring Stars'); </sql2wiki>
Diamond Tribute
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Diamond Tribute'); </sql2wiki>
Decade of Excellence
This 12-card set is exclusive to Series Two Hobby packs, and is done in the style of the 1987 Fleer set. All players in this set were active in 1987; however, the cards in this set all have different photographs than the player's 1987 Fleer card. Each card also has the words "Fleer Decade of Excellence 1987-1997" foil stamped in the corner.
This set is also available in all-foil "Rare Traditions" parallel.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Decade of Excellence'); </sql2wiki>
Bleacher Blasters
This die-cut insert is exclusive to Series Two retail packs.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Bleacher Blasters'); </sql2wiki>
Autographs & Game-Used
Andruw Jones 1997 Circa Autograph
Fleer had Andruw Jones autograph 200 copies of his 1997 Circa base card. In order to acquire the card, one had to collect a set of redemption cards that were seeded into Series Two packs at the rate of 1:4/packs. The redemption cards are identical to those inserted into '97 Circa packs as part of that product's Emerald Autograph program and incorrectly state "6 CARD AUTOGRAPH SET;" however, only Jones was available through this offer. (Jones was not part of Circa's Emerald Autograph program.)
The backs of each redemption card are sequentially-numbered "X of 10." Collectors who found all ten cards could then redeem them for the Andruw Jones autograph -- however, card #7 was extremely short-printed.
<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info,serial FROM cards WHERE (year = 1997) AND (setname = 'Fleer Circa Autograph'); </sql2wiki>