Saturday, September 1, 2007

1997 - Score confuses the world...(or maybe just me)


In 1997, Score produced several sets (including parallels) containing the Indians. For today's discussion, I am focusing on only eight (yes, 8!) of the sets. Now, to be fair, I am talking about only three base sets, believe it or not. Those are: Score Regular, Score Indians, and Score Indians Team.
























The Score Regular contain 26 player cards (checklist below). The cards show the player and have the scripted "S" logo on the front. They are pretty generic-looking cards, to me, which may explain why Score created two parallel sets of this style...
In addition to the regular issue, Score decided to make a version that was only available to hobby shops. In 1997, I have a feeling some of the large store chains (or one in particular) was muscling in on the local hobby seller's turf, so as to appease the local shop guy, Score created this parallel set: Hobby Reserve. Notice the difference between "HR" cards and the regular ones? Score added a gold foil seal that reads "Hobby Reserve by Score" and has a monogram-looking "hSr" in the middle.
Before the Hobby Reserve, Score decided they needed yet ANOTHER version of the same cards, and issued the "Premium Stock" variety. Note that this set changes the border (and card stock) to a "grey" color. Most of the folks I see selling these refer to the color as "silver." I think that's wrong. Silver is metallic (as will be seen in other cards in the Score line for 1997). At any rate, in addition to heavier cardboard and a new background color, the gold foil seal reads "PS." These cards were also only available to hobby shops.
Now, if that were the end of it, we'd be done. But, NO! Score had a brain-child to create a set of cards called the "Score Team Set Collection." These cards featured different poses and a different look to the card. The cards were sold in boxes of 32 packs, with 5 cards in each pack. Mainly, in place of the Score logo on the front, Indians cards have a red triangle with the logo and the team name embossed. I assume the 'triangle' is actually supposed to be a 'mountain,' since Pinnacle was the parent company of Score at the time... On the back, in gold-ish lettering, the words, "Team Collection" are watermarked across the player's stats. At any rate, the Team Set Collection set featured 15 player cards.
Once again, Score couldn't leave well-enough alone, so they created TWO parallel sets of these cards, too! One set (the more common) features a silver foil backing that is very iridescent when light reflects off it and the words "Platinum Team" watermarked across the stats on the back. These cards were placed in 1 of every 6 packs, so in a box of 32 "regular, Team Collection" cards, you would find 5 or 6 of the silvery "Platinum Team" cards. Like their counterparts, there are 15 players featured in this parallel set.
And, because good things come in threes, I guess, Score decided to make a parallel to the parallel of the "Team Collection" series. These 15 player cards featured gold iridescent fronts with the words, "Premier Club" watermarked on the back. These were inserted at a rate of 1 in every 31 packs. So, in a box of 32, you were essentially guaranteed to get one Premier card. In my first-hand experience, I had a box that had a sealed pack with only four cards in it, instead of the five that were "supposed" to come in the pack. It turns out that box also had NO Premier cards! Somewhere, a card-collating mathematician is having a good laugh...
Finally, we come to the 1997 Score Indians. I don't know about other Tribe collectors out there, but this set's existence has made it rather frustrating to collect the "Team Set Collection" because sellers are not always sure which "version" of Indians-specific cards they are selling (in boxes, packs). These cards look like the regular 1997 Score cards, but they have a red foil Indians logo embossed on the front. Also, the included players are not all the same. For example, card number 1 in this set is Matt Williams, whereas in the Team Collection, it is Albert Belle. The backs of these cards have no special writing at all.
And, of course, Score has to make a parallel of THIS set, too! At least the backs of these say, "Tribe Collection" and they are metallic silver. One other difference between the Team Set/Tribe Collection and the Team Collection/Platinum/Premier sets is the existence of checklists for this last mentioned set. The checklist is regular Score card stock and has no special embossing or coloring at all.

In my attempt to collect all the Premier Club cards, I have contacted several dealers all over the U.S., and not all of them know what I want when I ask for it. Some do, and others send me the "Tribe Collection" variety instead of the "Premier Club" version. On Friday, I received a shipment of four (4) boxes of the "Team Collection" version (with Premier) and noticed that on the edge of the box is printed the "odds of finding..." Premier Club cards. So, at least now I can ask the hobby shop guy if the edge of the box mentions "Premier Club" or not... :-) At least I see I am not the only one confused by these sets and parallels!

And, for your enjoyment, we have checklists! :-)





1997 Score Regular, Premium Stock, and Hobby Reserve
:


173 Sandy Alomar Jr.


12 Albert Belle


211 Mark Carreon


462 Tony Fernandez


139 Julio Franco


309 Brian Giles


255 Danny Graves


334 Marquis Grissom


378 Orel Hershiser


442 Dave Justice


230 Jeff Kent


157 Kenny Lofton


377 Albie Lopez


115 Dennis Martinez



85 Jack McDowell


366 Kevin Mitchell


177 Charles Nagy


526 Charles Nagy


403 Chad Ogea


162 Manny Ramirez


496 Manny Ramirez


207 Kevin Seitzer


107 Jim Thome


514 Jim Thome


153 Omar Vizquel


361 Matt Williams



Indians Team Collection, Platinum Team, and Premier Club
:


1 Albert Belle


2 Jack McDowell


3 Jim Thome


4 Dennis Martinez


5 Julio Franco


6 Omar Vizquel


7 Kenny Lofton


8 Manny Ramirez



9 Sandy Alomar Jr.


10 Charles Nagy


11 Kevin Seitzer


12 Mark Carreon


13 Jeff Kent


14 Danny Graves


15 Brian Giles



Indians Team Set
:


1 Matt Williams


2 Jack McDowell


3 Jim Thome


4 Chad Ogea


5 Julio Franco


6 Omar Vizquel


7 Kenny Lofton


8 Manny Ramirez



9 Sandy Alomar Jr.


10 Charles Nagy


11 Kevin Seitzer


12 Orel Hershiser


13 Paul Assenmacher


14 Eric Plunk


15 Brian Giles


16 Checklist

2 comments:

  1. Hope all is well. I am collecting Julio Franco cards and you are right 1997 score is insane- I have (5 total) for #139 cards the 1997 Score, 1997 Score Artist's Proofs White Border, 1997 Score Premium Stock,1997 Score Showcase Series, and 1997 Score Showcase Series Artist's Proofs
    In # 5 I have two cards one is plain and one is with a red Chief and red type (Is that tribe collection?). I know I also need platinum, premiere, Do you have either for sale?
    paul@millercommunications.com

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  2. I have a complete set of the 1997 MLB Indians Team Set (score) Never opened and still shrink wrapped in box. Curious as to if there is any value to this set. ddharlan3@yahoo.com

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