The 2006 Fleer baseball card set was the final Fleer brand baseball card release before Upper Deck acquired the Fleer trademark and license from Bubbco/Card Pro later that year. While not quite as desirable or highly sought after as some other vintage sets, the 2006 Fleer issue does contain several valuable cards collectors seek after today.
Released in March of 2006, the base set featured 331 cards of current Major League players as well as past stars and coaches. Some of the biggest names included Barry Bonds, Alex Rodriguez, Albert Pujols, and Derek Jeter. The base cards have a relatively low value compared to Parallel, Autograph, and Rookie cards from the set that feature star players. Complete base sets in near mint to mint condition can usually be acquired for $30-50.
One of the most valuable cards in the 2006 Fleer set is the Miguel Cabrera Superfractor Parallel #/10. Cabrera was already well on his way to a Hall of Fame career at age 23 during the 2006 season when this card was released and remains one of the game’s top hitters today. Numbered to only 10 copies, mint condition specimens of this rare parallel regularly sell for $1,000 or more on auction sites. Another highly sought after parallel is the Alex Rodriguez Autograph Parallel #/25 which often fetches $400-600.
Rookie cards tend to be the most valuable cards in baseball sets aside from rare parallels. The 2006 Fleer issue introduced cards for several players who went on to stardom including Ryan Braun, Jonathan Papelbon, and Andre Ethier. The Braun rookie remains among the most valuable at around $50-75 in near mint condition given his 2011 NL MVP award and status as a franchise cornerstone for the Brewers. Papelbon’s rookie holds value at $15-30 due to his successful career as a closer, winning a World Series with Boston in 2007. Ethier’s rookie clocks in around $10-20.
Additionally, Fleer in 2006 produced insert sets including ‘Hitting Heroes’, ‘Fleer Futures’, and ‘Diamond Kings’. The ‘Hitting Heroes’ set is the most collectible and features parallels of offensive stars like Bonds, Rodriguez, Pujols, and Manny Ramirez. Complete ‘Hitting Heroes’ inserts sets go for $30-50 while singles can be had for $2-5 depending on the player. Notable parallels include a Barry Bonds Superfractor #/10 that is valued near $200.
Compared to some other Fleer issues of the early 2000s like 2003 and 2005 which contained rookie cards of players like Josh Hamilton, Johan Santana, and Troy Tulowitzki, the 2006 Fleer set isn’t quite as highly regarded. It does mark the last release under the Fleer brand before Upper Deck took over and remains a fun set from that late 90s/2000s period rich in baseball card history. While base cards possess little value long term, the parallel and rookie cards of stars continue to attract collectors. While not the most valuable vintage set, the 2006 Fleer release does offer several obtainable cards that hold meaningful value for today’s collectors.
