The Complete "Always Be Collecting" Fleer Tribute

"What do you mean the checklist in 1993 Fleer is weak? It's a good set. We know what it is. It's fine. All I'm saying, you look at the checklist, they threw...wait, wait, wait, Fleer threw the Piazza RC away. All that I'm saying, they wasted their Piazza rookie."

For your convenience and future reference, here's a link to all the A.B.C. Fleer posts.

Pre-1981 1981 1982 1983 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007

What Did We Learn Today?

So now that the Stale Gum year-by-year tribute to Fleer Baseball is (mercifully) over, what did you think?

Now that Fleer baseball is gone, what was its legacy to The Hobby?

What was the greatest Fleer/Fleer Tradition baseball card ever?

What was the worst Fleer/Fleer Tradition set ever?

I have my picks, and I'll be revealing them shortly. But for now, I yield the floor to you.

Always Be Collecting: 2006 Fleer

2006 Fleer

Base Set: 430 cards (one series; last 30 cards exclusive to factory sets)
Parallels:

• Glossy: 400 cards (1:12 Hobby, 1:24 retail)
  
• Glossy Gold: 400 cards (1:144)

Inserts:

• Awards Winners: 6 cards*
  
• Lumber Company: 25 cards*
• Smoke 'n Heat: 15 cards*
• Smooth Leather: 14 cards*
• Team Leaders: 30 cards*
• Top 40: 40 cards (two-per-pack, fat pack exclusive)
  
• Stars of Tomorrow: 10 cards (1:10)
• Team Fleer: 15 cards (1:360)

* Stated odds of finding an insert from one of these sets: one-per-pack.

Autogamers:

• Autographics: 9 cards (1:432)
• Fleer Fabrics: 42 cards (1:36 Hobby, 1:72 retail)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes; 24 pack, 10-card retail waxboxes; 14 pack, 10-card Blasters; 20 pack, 52-card Fat Pack boxes; factory sets
Notable Cards: The dozens of factory-set exclusive parenth-RCs.
Other Notes:

• First Fleer Baseball set produced by Upper Deck.
• Five years after Fleer-Skybox screwed over set builder by issuing a factory set with additional base set cards, Upper Deck issues a factory set with additional base set cards. Although in UD's defense, 2006 was the first year the MLBPA limited the number of releases to 20, and a dedicated Update set would have counted against that figure.
• First year of the MLBPA's "ROOKIE CARD" icon program; however, most 2006 Fleer cards bearing that icon are not "true" RCs.

Full Set: $40 (NmMT)
Full Set (factory): $50 (NmMT)


2006 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 200 cards (one series)
Parallels:

• Sepia: (1:3 Hobby, 1:18 retail)
  
• Black & White: (1:9 Hobby, 1:36 retail)
  
• Press Plates: (1:288, Hobby exclusive)

Inserts:

• 1934 Goudey Greats: 100 cards (1:36, Hobby Exclusive)
• Blue Chip Prospects: 25 cards (1:6 Hobby, 1:18 retail)
• Diamond Tribute: 25 cards (1:9 Hobby, 1:36 retail)
• Grass Roots: 25 cards (1:6 Hobby, 1:36 retail)
• Triple Crown Contenders: 15 cards (1:9 Hobby, 1:36 retail)

Autogamers:

• Ken Griffey, Jr. 1989 Fleer Autographed Buyback: 1 card (Hobby exclusive, numbered to 99)
• Traditional Threads: 41 cards (1:41 Hobby, 1:108 retail)
• Signature Tradition: 2 cards (1:1269, Hobby exclusive)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes; 36 pack, 10-card retail waxboxes;

Notable Cards: Kenji Johjima and Jon Lester RCs, Ryan Zimmerman, Jonathan Papelbon parenth-RCs.
Other Notes:

• In lieu of releasing an Update set, Upper Deck released this one-off product. They probably would have done better if they went with the Update set.
  
• Much like the 2002, Upper Deck released both a "Fleer Baseball" and "Fleer Tradition Baseball" sets. Unlike 2002, '06 Fleer Baseball is considered to be part of the Fleer/Fleer Tradition "lineage," while '06 Fleer Tradition should not.
• A design that borrows from various Topps sets from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
• First Fleer set with Press Plates.
  

Full Set: $30 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 2005 Fleer Tradition

2005 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 350 cards (one series)

• short set: 300 cards
• Trio Prospects: 30 cards (1:2)
• Award Winners: 10 cards (1:2)
• 2004 Post Season: 10 cards (1:2)

Parallels:

• Gray Backs (1:2)
• Yellow Letter Gray Backs (1:36)
  

Inserts:

• Club 3000/500/300: 20 cards (1:360)
• Cooperstown Tribute: 10 cards (varies from 1972-2000 copies, Hobby exclusive; Gold: 1:24, retail exclusive)
• Diamond Tributes: 25 cards (1:6)
• Standouts: 15 cards (1:18)

Autogamers:

• Cooperstown Tribute Jersey: 10 cards (1:200; Patch: numbered to 10)
• Diamond Tribute Jersey: 18 cards (1:30; Patch: numbered to 50)
• Diamond Tribute Double Patch: 10 cards (numbered to 50)
• Standouts Jersey: 11 cards (1:18; Patch: Numbered to 50)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby boxes; 24 pack, 10-card retail boxes; 14 pack 10-card Blasters.
Other Notes:

• Originally intended as a massive 750-card, three series set, 2005 Fleer Tradition was limited to one 350-card series due to Fleer's bankruptcy.
• Design influenced by 1961 Topps -- complete with "cloudy" backgrounds.

Full Set: $150 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 2004 Fleer Tradition

2004 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 500 cards (one series)

• short set: 400 cards
• Short Prints: 45 cards (1:2)
• Standouts: 17 cards (1:6)
  
• Award Winners: 9 cards (1:9)
• Prospect Trios: 30 cards (1:3)

Inserts:

• Career Tributes: (1:36, numbered from 1956-1993 copies; Die-Cut: numbered from 56-93 copies)
• Diamond Tributes: 20 cards (1:6)
• Retrospection: 10 cards (1:360)
• This Day in History: 15 cards (1:18)

Autogamers:

• Diamond Tributes Game Jersey: 20 cards (1:36; Patch: Numbered to 50)
• Retrospection Autographs: 16 cards (1:720)
• Retrospection Dual Autographs: 8 cards (1:720, numbered to 19)
• Stand Outs Game Used: 11 cards (1:41; Gold: numbered from 20-27)
• This Day in History Game Used: 10 cards (1:288)
• This Day in History Game Used Dual: 5 cards (numbered to 25)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes; 24 pack, 10-card retail wax.
Other Notes:

• Put a stamp on this one, because Fleer mailed this one in.
  
• Design loosely based on 1990 Fleer. 1990 Fleer? Ummm, yeah.
• Design of Retrospection cards based on the 1960 Fleer set.
  

Full Set: $150 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 2003 Fleer Tradition

2003 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 485 cards

• Short Prints: 100 cards (one-per Hobby pack, 1:12 retail)
• short set: 385 cards

Inserts:

• '36 Goudey: 25 cards (numbered to 1936, Hobby exclusive; Gold: numbered to 36, Hobby Exclusive; Red: numbered to 500, retail exclusive)
• Checklist: 15 cards (1:4)
• Hardball Preview: 10 discs (1:400 Hobby, 1:480 retail)
• Lumber Company: 30 cards (1:10 Hobby, 1:12 retail)
• Milestones: 25 cards (1:5 Hobby, 1:4 retail)
• Standouts: 15 cards (1:40 Hobby, 1:72 retail)

Autogamers:

• Tradition Game Used: 44 cards (1:35 Hobby, 1:90 retail; Gold: numbered to 100)
• Lumber Company Game Used: 24 cards (1:108 Hobby, 1:195 retail; Gold: production varies)
• Milestones Game Used: 14 cards (1:143 Hobby, 1:270 retail; Gold: numbered to 100)

Packaging: 40 pack, 10-card Hobby boxes; 24 pack, 10-card retail boxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters.

Notable "Cards": Blaster exclusive Barry Bonds pin.
Other Notes:

• Based on the design of various 1970s-era MSA disc sets, the Fleer Hardball inserts were a promo for the upcoming set of the same name. Never heard of 2003 Fleer Hardball? Don't worry, you didn't miss much.
• Speaking of forgettable... Five years after including an insert based on the 1963 set, Fleer went to the well again by designing the whole 2003 Fleer Tradition around the '63s.
• Among the 100 Short Prints are 34 players active in 1963 who did not appear in the original '63 Fleer set.
  
• Backs of unnumbered Checklists form puzzles of Derek Jeter and Barry Bonds.
  

Full Set: $150 (NmMT)


2003 Fleer Tradition Update

Base Set: 398 cards

• short set: 285 cards
• "Pack" Rookies: 14 cards (1:4)
• "Box" Rookies: 99 cards (25-per"Rookie" Box.)

Parallels:

• Glossy: 885 cards (1:24 retail, randomly inserted into Hobby, numbered to 100) Includes cards from both Fleer Tradition and Fleer Tradition Update.
  

Inserts:

• Diamond Debuts: 25 cards (1:8 retail, 1:10 Hobby)
• Long Gone!: 20 cards (1:72 retail, randomly inserted into Hobby, production varies from 410-536 copies)
• Milestones: 20 cards (1:6 retail, 1:8 Hobby)
• Turn Back the Clock: 10 cards (1:160 Hobby, 1:288 retail)

Autogamers:

• Milestones Game Jersey: 16 cards (1:20 Hobby, 1:96 retail; Gold: numbered to 100)
• Throwback Threads: 5 cards (1:64 Hobby, 1:288 retail; Patch: numbered to 100)
• Throwback Threads Dual: 2 cards (numbered to 100)

Packaging: 32 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes w/25-card "Rookie" box as a chiptopper; 24 pack, 10-card retail boxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters.
Notable Cards: Hideki Matsui, Delmon Young, Chien-Ming Wang RCs
Other Notes:

• In a rather confusing (and in retrospective downright stupid) packaging gimmick, each Hobby waxbox contained a 25-card "Rookie" box. The final 99 cards in the base set were only available in this box and not in packs.
• More of a second series than a true "Update" set. Includes base cards such players as Alex Rodriguez, Barry Bonds, Curt Schilling and Alfonso Soriano -- all of whom were not included in Fleer Tradition.
• Last year for Fleer Tradition Update.
  

Full Set: $150 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 2002 Fleer Tradition

2002 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 500 cards

• Short Prints: 100 cards (1:2, stealth)
• short set: 400 cards

Parallels: Glossy (numbered to 200)
Inserts:

• Diamond Tributes: 15 cards (1:6 Hobby, 1:10 retail)
• Grass Roots: 10 cards (1:18 Hobby, 1:20 retail)
• Heads Up: 10 cards (1:36 Hobby, 1:40 retail)
• Lumber Company: 30 cards (1:12 Hobby, 1:20 retail)
• This Day in History: 29 cards (1:18 Hobby, 1:24 retail)

Autogamers:

• Grass Patch: 10 cards (limited to 50 copies)
• Lumber Company Bat: 30 cards (1:72)
• This Day in History Autographed: 8 cards (production varies from 50-100 copies)
• This Day in History Game Used: 22 cards (production varies from 50-250 copies)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby waxboxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters.
Other Notes:

• Design based on the 1934 Goudey set.
• One year after screwing over set builders with a factory set, collectors take it in door number two again after it is discovered that the first 100 cards in the base set are short-printed. Fleer never mentioned anywhere in run-up to Tradtion's release that there were any SPs.

Full Set: $200 (NmMT)


2002 Fleer Tradition Update

Base Set: 400 cards

• Prospects: 100 cards (one-per-pack)
• short set: 300 cards

Parallels: Glossy (numbered to 200)
Inserts:

• Diamond Debuts: 15 cards (1:6)
• Grass Roots: 10 cards (1:18)
• Heads Up: 10 cards (1:36)
• New York's Finest: 15 cards (1:83)
• Plays of the Week: 30 cards (1:12)
• This Day in History: 25 cards (1:12)

Autogamers:

• Grass Patch: 7 cards (numbered to 50)
• Heads Up Game Used Caps: 11 cards (numbered to 150)
• New York's Finest Single Swatch: 20 cards (1:112)
• New York's Finest Double Swatch: 6 cards
• This Day in History Autographs: 6 cards (1:582)
• This Day in History Game Used: 20 cards (1:28)

Packaging: 28 pack, 10-card Hobby boxes; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters
Notable Cards: Oliver Perez RC
Other Notes:

• First Update set released in pack form since 1996.
• Largest Fleer Update set ever.
  
• First 100 cards in set short-printed, but at least Fleer had the courtesy to state that they were SPed.
• Designs and names of most inserts were recycled from the base set.
  

Full Set: $120 (NmMT)


2002 Fleer

Base Set: 540 cards
Parallels:

• Gold Letters (15% of total production run)
• Minis (numbered to 50, retail exclusive)
• Tiffany (numbered to 200, Hobby exclusive)

Inserts:

• Barry Bonds Career Highlights: 10 cards (1:12 Hobby, 1:36 retail)
• Diamond Standouts: 10 cards (serial numbered to 1200)
• Golden Memories: 15 cards (1:24)
• Headliners: 20 cards (1:8 Hobby, 1:12 retail)
• Rookie Flashbacks: 20 cards (1:3, retail exclusive)
• Rookie Sensations: 20 cards (numbered to 1500, Hobby exclusive)
• Then and Now: 10 cards (numbered to 275, Hobby exclusive)

Autogamers:

• Barry Bonds Career Highlights Autographed: 10 cards (numbered to 25 each)
• Classic Cuts Autographs: 9 cards (1:432, Hobby exclusive)
• Classic Cuts Game Used: 94 cards (1:24)
• Classic Cuts Game Used Autographs: 3 cards (limited to 35 or 45 copies)

Packaging: 24 pack, 10-card Hobby packs; 10 pack, 10-card Blasters.

Notable Cards: Classic Cuts
Other Notes:

• A one-off product, 2002 Fleer is not considered to be part of the Fleer/Fleer Tradition "lineage."
• Despite this, many collectors consider this set to be a superior product to 2002 Fleer Tradition.
• Hobby exclusive Rookie Sensations and retail exclusive Rookie Flashbacks have the same 20-card checklist.
• Barry Bonds Career Highlights use the same design as the 1992 Roger Clemens Career Highlights insert.
  

Full Set: $100 (NmMT)

Always Be Collection: 2001 Fleer Tradition

2001 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 485 cards (last 35 cards exclusive to factory set)
Inserts:

• Diamond Tributes: 30 cards (1:7)
• Grass Roots: 15 cards (1:18)
• Lumber Company: 20 cards (1:12)
• Stitches in Time: 24 cards (1:18)
• Warning Track: 23 cards (1:72)

Autogamers:

• Stitches in Time Autographed: 7 cards (1:144)
• Stitches in Time Memorabilia: 5 cards (1:144)
• Turn Back the Clock: 21 jersey cards (1:144)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card waxboxes; 12 pack, 10-card Blasters; factory sets.
Notable Cards: Dozens of factory set exclusive RCs, Willie Mays Stitches in Time AU
Other Notes:

• One year after 2000 Fleer Tradition ushered in the retro era, 2001 Fleer Tradition was blown out of the water by Topps Heritage.
• Design loosely based on '55 and '56 Topps.
• Stitches in Time insert pays tribute to Negro League legends.
• In lieu of releasing a proper Update set, Fleer instead chose to screw over set builders by issuing a factory set with 35 additional base set cards. Among those 35 extra cards: RCs of Albert Pujols, Ichiro Suzuki and Mark Teixeira.

Full Set: $50 (NmMT)
Full Set (factory): $100 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 2000 Fleer Tradition

2000 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 450 cards + 50 Glossy exclusive "Prospects"
Inserts:

• Dividends: 15 cards (1:6)
• Grasskickers: 15 cards (1:30)
• Hall's Well: 15 cards (1:30)
• Ripken Collection: 10 cards (1:30)
• Ten-4: 10 cards (1:18)
• Who to Watch: 15 cards (1:3)

Autogamers:

• Fresh Ink: 37 Autographs (1:144, hobby exclusive)
• Glossy Lumberjacks: 45 Bat Cards (one-per-Glossy Set, production varies from 30 to 809 copies)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card Hobby and retail waxboxes; Glossy factory sets.
Notable Cards: Ripken Collection inserts, Glossy Rookies.
Other Notes:

• The product that single-handedly kicked off the "retro" themed craze of the 2000s.
• Lauded as the best product of 2000.
  
• Base set is a dead-ringer for 1954 Topps.
• Cards printed on "shoebox gray" stock without any foil stamping or glossy coating.
• 10,000 serial numbered "Glossy" factory sets produced. Each set included five of 50 Glossy exclusive Prospects (each card serial numbered to 1000) and a Lumberjack bat card.
• Lumberjacks, the first game used element in Fleer/Fleer Tradition.
  

Full Set: $50 (NmMT)
Full Glossy Set (factory): $60 (NmMT)


2000 Fleer Tradition Update

Base Set: 149 cards
Autogamers: Mickey Mantle game jersey (1:80 sets)
Notable Cards: Johan Santana and Barry Zito RCs
Other Notes:

• Card #50 (believed to be C.C. Sabathia) was pulled from the set after he was taken off the Indians 40-man roster.

Full Set (factory): $25 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 1999 Fleer Tradition

1999 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 600 cards (one series)
Parallels:

• Warning Track (one-per-pack, retail exclusive)
• Starting Nine (numbered to 9, Hobby exclusive)

Inserts:

• Vintage '61: 50 cards (one-per-pack, Hobby exclusive)
• Date with Destiny: 10 cards (numbered to 100)
• Diamond Magic: 15 cards (1:96)
• Going Yard!: 15 cards (1:18)
• Golden Memories: 15 cards (1:54)
• Stan Musial Monumental Moments: 10 cards (1:36)
• Rookie Flashback: 15 cards (1:6)

Autogamers: Stan Musial Monumental Moments Autographed (limited to 500)

Packaging: 36 pack, 10-card waxboxes; Millennium Edition factory sets.
Notable Cards: Not much
Other Notes:

• Return to a single series.
• Vintage '61 inserts done in the style of the 1961 Fleer Baseball Greats set.
  
• The "Millennium Edition," limited to 5000 sets, first factory set since 1992. Sold exclusively by Shop at Home.

Full Set: $60 (NmMT)
Full Millennium Edition Set (factory): $80 (NmMT)


1999 Fleer Tradition Update

Base Set: 150 cards
Packaging: factory set
Notable Cards: Josh Beckett and Alfonso Soriano RC. Only RC of Eric Gagne.
Other Notes:

• First ten and last ten cards of '99 Fleer Tradition Update were included in the Millennium Edition factory set.
  

Full Set (factory): $25 (NmMT)

Always Be Collecting: 1998 Fleer Tradition

1998 Fleer Tradition

Base Set: 600 cards (350 in the first series, 250 in the other)

• Short Set: 535 cards (310 in the first series, 225 in the other)
• Smoke 'n Heat: 10 cards (1:6, series one)
• Golden Memories: 10 cards (1:6, series one)
• Tale of the Tape: 20 cards (1:4, series one)
• Unforgettable Moments: 25 cards (1:4, series two)

Inserts:

• Vintage '63: 128 cards (one-per-pack Hobby pack; Classic '63: numbered to 63; cards #1-63 and a checklist in series one, #64-126 and a checklist in series two)
• Diamond Standouts: 20 cards (1:12, series one)
• Lumber Company: 15 cards (1:36, series one retail exclusive)
• Power Game: 20 cards (1:36, series one)
• Rookie Sensations: 20 cards (1:18, series one)
• Zone: 15 cards (1:288, series one)
• Decade of Excellence: 12 cards (1:72; Rare Tradition: 1:720, series two)
• Diamond Tribute: 10 cards (1:300, series two)
• In the Clutch: 15 cards (1:20, series two)
• Mickey Mantle Monumental Moments: 10 cards (1:68; Gold: numbered to 51, series two)
• Promising Forecast: 20 cards (1:12, series two)

Packaging: 36 pack, 12-card Hobby waxboxes, 20 pack, 10-card retail waxboxes.
Notable Cards: Mickey Mantle's first Fleer card, Maggilo Ordonez and Mike Lowell RCs.
Other Notes:

• Fleer flagship brand renamed "Fleer Tradition."
• Mickey Mantle's first Fleer card -- released three years after his death.
• First short-printed base set cards.
• One-per-pack "Diamond Ink" cards allowed collectors to save "points" and redeem them for autographed baseballs.
  

Full Set: $150 (NmMT)


1998 Fleer Tradition Update

Base Set: 100 cards (one series)
Packaging: factory set
Notable Cards: J.D. Drew and Troy Glaus RCs.
Other Notes:

• First Fleer Update factory set since 1994.

Full Set (factory): $15 (NmMT)

Box Break and Review: 2006 Fleer Tradition

One Box of 2006 Fleer Tradition baseball (paid $55)
36 packs per box, ten cards per pack ($1.49/pack)

The Details

Base Set: 200 cards (no short-prints)

Parallels*:

• Sepia: 200 cards


• Black & White: 200 cards


• Press Plates: 200 cards (four for each card)

Inserts*:

• Blue Chip Prospects: 25 cards


• Grass Roots: 25 cards


• Triple Crown Contenders: 15 cards


• Diamond Tribute: 25 cards


• Goudey Greats: 100 cards


• 1934 Goudey Buybacks

* Odds of finding an insert or parallel (according to fleer.com): one-per-pack.

Autogamers#

• Traditional Threads: 42 cards


• Signature Tradition: 16 cards


• 1989 Fleer Ken Griffey, Jr. Autographed Buyback: one card

# Odds of finding an autogamer(according to fleer.com): "better than one-per-box."

The Pulls.

Base Set: One complete 200-card base set
122 doubles

Parallels:

• 12 Sepias: T. Hudson, Halladay, Pujols, J. Aclardo, C.C. Sabathia, A. Beltre, D. Wright, J. Peavy, R. Howard, K. Millwood and C. Barmes


• 4 Black & Whites: A. Rios, J. Schmidt, E. Bedard and A-Rod

Inserts:

• 6 Blue Chip Prospects: Zimmerman, H. Ramirez, A. Wainwright, J. Johnson, K. Morales and C. Billingsley


• 5 Grassroots: V. Martinez, M. Cabrera, J. Kent, C. Beltran and C. Carpenter


• 3 Triple Crown Contenders: A-Rod, T. Helton and T. Hafner


• 6 Diamond Tributes: Griffey, Thome, T. Hafner, R. Oswalt, R. Harden & B. Abreu


• 1 Goudey Great: K. Johjima

Autogamers:

• 1 Traditional Threads: M. Young

The Review

Earlier this year, Upper Deck announced that they would release four baseball products under the Fleer name this season (Fleer, Ultra, Greats of the Game, and Flair Showcase). After breaking one box of Fleer Tradition, the fifth Fleer Set of 2006, UD probably should have stuck with four.

The 200-card base set feels a bit like an "Update" set. 26% of the base set (52 cards) are of MLBPA approved "ROOKIE CARDS" -- by far, the largest proportion of RCs in a product this year. (Of course, the vast majority of these are parenth-RCs.) Then again, with regular player cards of all the top stars (most of whom did not change teams) you can't really call it a true "Update" set?

So what are we to make of 2006 Fleer Tradition? Well, like the Fleer Trad sets of the past few years, the design gives the appearance of an old-fashioned Topps set, in this case 1981 -- although I don't remember Topps UV coating their cards back in '81. When The Hobby is starting to recycle the designs of cards issued a mere 25 years ago for a retro themed set -- especially a lousy one like '81 Topps -- this proves that the "retro" fad has officially jumped the shark.

Not that you would know it by looking on the back of the wrapper, but each pack contains either a parallel or an insert. As usual, UD conveniently forgot to include the insertion ratios and checklist cards. By now, you should know the routine: go to their website, download and print.

Standing out like the proverbial sore thumb from the rest of the inserts are the 100-card Goudey Greats. Done in the style and size of the 1934 Goudeys -- like we haven't seen that before (See: 1997 Fleer Goudey Greats inserts and 2002 Fleer Tradition base set) -- it appears that these undersized cards are inserted at the rate of one-per-box. Again, this is only a guess since the insertion ratios are unknown. Considering just how big a waxbox is (360 cards-per-box); how puny the size of the base set is (200 cards); and how relatively easy the other non-parallel inserts are to pull, the Goudeys seem out of place.

And yes, there are the standard one-per-box autogamers. According to Fleer's website, the 42-card "Traditional Threads" game used cards "(portray) what memorabilia cards would have looked like in the 1950s." They look nothing of the sort. Nice try though.

The Bottom Line:

For a set that really has no reason to exist, '06 Trad is about what you would expect. Now I don't know about you, but if I were in charge of UD, and management ordered me to produce a fifth Fleer product, I might consider issuing an "Update" set -- especially considering just how late in the season it is. Either an update of Fleer or Ultra, or even a multi-brand bundled update set would have made a lot more sense than this.

The box yielded a full 200 card base set and a stack of over 120 doubles. Each pack contained the promised insert, with a Goudey Great of Kenji Johjima and a gamer of Michael Young. Yawn.

Product Rating: 1.5 Gumsticks (out of five)

Do I recommend this product?

Only if you're a Fleer Tradition set completist. Otherwise, save your money and skip it. If you absolutely have to build a Fleer Tradition base set the old fashioned way, buy loose packs. Better yet, spilt up a box with a friend and play pack poker with it.