The 1996 Leaf Signature Series baseball card set was released during the peak popularity of sports card collecting in the 1990s. The set was unique among baseball card releases that year in that it featured autograph cards of major league players signed directly onto the front of the card for the first time ever. This revolutionary concept helped kick off the autographed memorabilia card craze that remains hugely popular among collectors today.

Leaf was attempting to one-up competitors like Topps and Fleer who at the time only included autographed cards signed on sticker autographs that were affixed to the card after it was printed. By having the players sign the card surface itself, Leaf created a much rarer and desirable product. This cutting edge concept came with several production challenges that help explain the set’s relative scarcity today.

Only 144 cards were produced in the entire Signature Series set, with each card containing an on-card autograph from a star MLB player signed in either black or silver ink. With the autographs being hand-signed directly on the printed card fronts, variations were inevitable between each signature. Centering issues, pen pressure differences, and the possible presence of stray pen marks all added variability between each autographed card that collectors enjoy discovering to this day.

One of the major problems Leaf encountered was that some players simply struggled to neatly sign their name in the tight confines of the standard-sized baseball card without smudging the ink or going outside the lines. As a result, reportedly only about 50-60% of the autographs came out clean and centered enough to Leaf’s standards to be considered “game-used” and shipped in packs. The remainder deemed not pristine enough were withheld and destroyed.

Another setback was that not all the players Leaf requested were willing or able to participate in the labor intensive process of individually signing over 100 cards each. Some declined or were unavailable due to injuries. This caused Leaf to scramble to find substitute players to make up the full 144-card run, leading to a few lesser known athletes being included.

Still, most of the Signature Series featured legitimate baseball superstars from the 1990s such as Ken Griffey Jr, Barry Bonds, Cal Ripken Jr, Greg Maddux, Kirby Puckett, Wade Boggs and more. Rosters even spanned eras with legends like Hank Aaron and Willie Mays making their autograph debuts on trading cards.

The scarcity caused by Leaf’s exacting signature quality control standards combined with strong demand made the 1996 Leaf Signature Series an instant hit on the collecting scene. With so few autograph cards of each player produced, finding high-grade mint specimens today is exceedingly difficult and expensive. PSA/BGS Gem Mint 10 Griffey Jr and Bonds autographs have sold at auction for over $10,000 each.

Even lesser stars fetch big bucks, as any on-card autograph from the mid-90s boom years carries nostalgia and rarity value. Condition is critical, as the fragile autographed signatures show wear more easily than standard sticker autos. Still, mid-grade copies can sell for hundreds to over $1000 depending on the player signature. Complete unmodified sets in top shape have even realized over $30,000 at past public sales.

Overall, Leaf’s cutting-edge risk of directly signing cards rather than stickers paid off by creating one of the most aesthetically pleasing and collectible autographed card sets ever produced. Its scarcity amplified demand and prices, cementing the 1996 Leaf Signature Series in hobby history as an iconic basketball card release that helped launch the modern market for autographed memorabilia cards that remains a lucrative industry today. With so few known to exist still in high grades, pristine copies will likely continue their upward appreciation for eager collectors.