The 1998 Score baseball card set was one of the most highly anticipated releases of the year following the excitement of the home run chase between Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa during the 1998 regular season. Fans were eager to collect cards featuring the monster home run totals both players achieved, as well as rookie cards of up-and-coming young stars like Kerry Wood, Nomar Garciaparra, and Scott Rolen. Score did not disappoint collectors with its 480 card base set released in 1998.
Some key things to know about the 1998 Score baseball card set include:
Mark McGwire’s main base card shows him mid-swing launching a home run ball. It captures the iconic image of “Big Mac” in the midst of his record-setting 70 home run season. McGwire’s card is one of the most sought after and valuable from the set.
Sammy Sosa’s base card also portrays him taking a mighty cut at a baseball to acknowledge his astounding 66 home runs in 1998. While not as rare as McGwire’s, Sosa remains a highly collectible part of the 1998 Score issue.
Rookie cards for Kerry Wood, Nomar Garciaparra, and Scott Rolen were hot commodities straight from packs. All three would go on to have stellar MLB careers and their rookie cards maintain strong value today. Wood’s displays him winding up for a fastball while Nomar and Rolen are both pictured batting.
Other notable base rookie cards included CC Sabathia, Michael Cuddyer, and Mike Piazza in one of his last card issues as a rookie before debuting in the majors later in 1998. Each of these players went on to successful careers.
Players were photographed for Score cards in a mix of action shots and standard posed portraits. Batters were usually shown mid-swing but also sometimes just standing at the plate. Pitchers tended to be depicted on the mound or winding up.
Parallels and inserts added to the excitement and chase of the 1998 Score release. Silver Signature parallels featured photo variants of stars. Alternate uniform jersey cards depicted players in different on-field looks.
Special subsets in the base set paid tribute to the past with rookie era cards and Turn Back The Clock cards placing players in vintage uniforms. Top Prospects cards highlighted minor leaguers on the verge of the majors.
Higher end inserts included Embossed Diamond Kings featuring foil player signatures and Diamond Anniversary parallels marking the 30th anniversary of Score’s first release in 1968.
The set total of 480 cards was on the higher side compared to typical 400-450 card releases of the era. The extra cards accommodated more player photos and added inserts/parallels.
An Autographs insert set presented on-card autographs of over 50 current major leaguers and Hall of Famers. The autograph cards added excitement and were popular chase cards.
A Thrills parallel insert paid homage to exciting highlight photos from scoring plays in Score’s history. Jim Abbott’s 1994 no-hitter was one example featured.
Score also issued factory sets, factory sets with bonus packs, and jumbo box factory sets to make collecting the whole base issue more convenient. Hobby boxes contained 11-12 packs with 16 cards each.
Several factors made the 1998 Score baseball card release a massive hit with collectors. Capturing the home run exploits of McGwire and Sosa at the peak of baseball’s resurgence in popularity was a major draw. Debut cards for future stars like Nomar, Rolen, and Wood added to the intrigue. Score loaded the set with parallels, inserts, and variations to provide an abundance of collecting challenges beyond just the base cards. Strong photography and lively action shots brought the on-field action to life in the cards. Combined with aggressive distribution through hobby boxes, factory sets, and retail packs, 1998 Score succeeded in being one of the most highly collected issues of the decade. Today, cards from the flagship 480 card base set remain a staple in collections dating back to the summer of the home run.
