The 2001 Post Collector’s Series was an exciting entry in the famed Archives Collector’s Choice brand from The U.S. Postal Service. Released in 2001, the set featured 85 cards honoring some of baseball’s biggest stars from the 1990s and early 2000s. What made this particular Collector’s Choice set unique was that it was tied to a specific year and contained only active players from that season.
After producing sets focused on retired stars and all-time greats in the late 1990s, The Postal Service shifted their Collector’s Choice brand to a contemporary player approach with the 2001 edition. They selected a diverse mix of both well known superstars and rising young talents to capture the current state of Major League Baseball entering the new millennium. Rosters, statistics, and career highlights were all updated to reflect the 2001 baseball season.
Notably, all players featured were still active big leaguers that very year rather than legends of the past. Some of the biggest names included on cards were Barry Bonds, Roger Clemens, Sammy Sosa, Mark McGwire, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, Pedro Martinez, Greg Maddux, Ken Griffey Jr., and Chipper Jones. Each card paid tribute to these modern icons with sharp color photography and textual facts chronicling their impressive careers up to that point.
In addition to the game’s biggest household names, there was a strong representation of rising young stars just starting to make a name for themselves in 2001. Cards for players like David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, Alfonso Soriano, Carlos Beltran, Adrian Beltre, and Torii Hunter highlighted the next generation of future all-stars. Collectors enjoyed keeping up with the ever-changing player pool from year to year through Postal Service sets.
One highlight of the 2001 Collector’s Choice cards was a focus on pitching matchups from memorable postseason games and series. Iconic duels between starters were celebrated, such as Pedro Martinez vs. Curt Schilling from the 1999 ALCS or Mike Mussina vs. Roger Clemens in the 2000 ALCS. Relievers like Mariano Rivera, Troy Percival, and Armando Benitez also received cards recognizing their shutdown performances in October.
In addition to stunning photography, each card contained thorough statistics, career accolades, and fun facts about the players. The backs provided a brief bio that told the story of how each star reached their current level of success. Copious box scores and game details brought to life their greatest playoff moments under bright lighting. Collectors enjoyed exploring the rich histories and traditions of the MLB.
The card stock and designing remained top-notch as always for Postal Service issues. With sharp die-cuts and vivid colors similar to a sportscard, they satisfied fans looking for the collecting experience of packs and boxes. Professionally produced in partnership with outside licensees, each entry continued to raise the bar for quality coin-operated vending machine cards.
As baseball entered an era of heightened offensive production and home run chases, the 2001 set documented the players changing the game. cards for nascent superstars like Alex Rodriguez, who had just delivered his third-straight 50 home run season, portrayed the next generation that would come to define the sport’s new power surge. Archives carefully selected which athletes to memorialize, emphasizing those with hall of fame potential.
The timing of this particular Collector’s Choice set proved prescient, as many of the players featured went on to have incredible careers in the following years. Stars like Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Chipper Jones, and Pedro Martinez produced some of their finest individual seasons shortly after. Meanwhile, young talents like David Ortiz, Miguel Tejada, and Adrian Beltre emerged as perennial all-stars. The 2001 cards ended up commemorating players right before they cemented legends statuses.
By obtaining rights to use active MLB logos, uniforms, and branding, the 2001 Postal Service set felt like an official major league product. Alongside stats, it provided key accomplishments like division titles, league awards, and World Series results extending into 2001 for added relevance. Fanatics enjoyed following the continued success of their favorite stars each new year. The thorough research captured baseball in a memorable single season snapshot.
With sharp photography, descriptions of playoff moments, and career highlights, the 2001 Post Collector’s Series cards celebrated the state of the game at the turn of the century. In meticulously profiling the biggest names alongside rising young talents, it documented an era of transition into high scoring “Steroid Era” baseball. Its blend of modern stars and statistical details made it a favorite for collectors seeking to reminisce about recent history. The timing also proved prescient, as many of these featured players went on to even greater accomplishments. The 2001 edition stands out as one of the strongest Collector’s Choice sets for its contemporary player focus and commemorating a unique moment in time for the national pastime.
