The 2006 Fleer baseball card set was issued during a transitional period for Fleer baseball cards. After decades of producing some of the most iconic and collectible baseball cards in the hobby, Fleer lost the MLB license after the 2005 season. The 2006 Fleer set was one of the last to feature officially licensed MLB logos and uniform designs.
Fleer produced their 2006 baseball card set as the “2006 Fleer Tradition” brand, featuring caricatures of players rather than photographs for the base cards. The set totaled 350 cards and included rookie cards for future stars like Ryan Braun, Justin Verlander, Todd Helton, and Brandon Webb. Insert sets in the release included “Sweet Tradition” parallels and “Past, Present, and Future” short print cards highlighting young stars.
Without MLB licensing, the 2006 Fleer Tradition set featured creative adaptations to work around the loss of official logos and trademarks. Uniform designs were altered from their real-life counterparts, with team names represented by city abbreviations rather than full names. Examples include “CHC” for the Chicago Cubs instead of the team name. Player names, positions, and stats were accurate but logos and wordmarks were omitted or modified.
The caricature style base cards in the 2006 Fleer Tradition set were rendered by artist Richard Shek, III. Shek brought a cartoonish yet recognizable style to each drawing that captured the essence of each player. The caricatures appealed to collectors both young and old and helped distinguish the Fleer set fromTopps’ licensed photography-centric releases at the time. The art style drawings were a unique element and the set is still fondly remembered by many collectors today.
Insert sets within the 2006 Fleer Tradition release added value and chase factors for collectors. The 48-card “Sweet Tradition” parallel insert portrayed players in different confectionary or dessert themes like being dipped in chocolate or sprinkled with sugar. Numbered to just 50 copies each, these colorful parallels added scarcity and boosted the set’s appeal. The “Past, Present, and Future” short prints highlighted newcomers like Ryan Braun alongside legends such as Hank Aaron and Stan Musial in a neat three-player vertical design.
Key rookie cards and stars from the 2005 season like Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, and Ryan Howard anchored the 2006 Fleer Tradition base set roster. Rising young talent like Prince Fielder, Vernon Wells, and Josh Beckett also featured prominently. Additionally, Fleer included retired stars like Nolan Ryan, Tom Seaver, and Johnny Bench who did not appear in competing license sets that year. This added valuable vintage content for collectors.
Checklist highlights from the 2006 Fleer Tradition base set include rookies for Ryan Braun, Justin Verlander, Todd Helton, Brandon Webb, and Cole Hamels. Superstars featured included Albert Pujols, David Ortiz, Ichiro Suzuki, Chipper Jones, Derek Jeter, and Barry Bonds. Other notables included Vladimir Guerrero, Roger Clemens, Mike Piazza, Pedro Martinez, Nomar Garciaparra, Carlos Beltran, Jimmy Rollins, Torii Hunter, and Lance Berkman among many others.
Insert sets from 2006 Fleer Tradition added value and collectibility beyond the base checklist. In addition to the aforementioned “Sweet Tradition” and “Past, Present, and Future” inserts, collectors could find parallels like “Gold Stars” refractors numbered to 50 copies each. Autograph and memorabilia inserts like relic cards and autographed plates were also available as chase cards for high-end collectors. The inclusion of these inserts helped attract attention and make the set appealing despite the non-licensed status.
When the 2006 Fleer Tradition was released, it received mixed reviews from collectors. Some fans praised the creative caricature artwork and commitment to producing a baseball set without the MLB license. Others critiqued that lack of official branding and logos diminished the true hobby value and appeal to both collectors and investors. Over time the 2006 Fleer Tradition set has grown in stature and popularity. Prices have increased for stars, rookies, and chase cards as collectors hold nostalgia for some of the final Fleer baseball releases before Topps became the sole Major League product in subsequent years.
For today’s collectors, picking up complete or fairly comprehensive sets of the 2006 Fleer Tradition base cards is quite achievable at moderate prices. Individual stars, rookie cards, and coveted inserts command higher values akin to releases from Fleer’s MLB-licensed heyday in the 1980s and 1990s. Overall the set stands as a unique artistic effort during a transitional period before Topps monopolized the baseball card market. The caricature style and scarcity bonuses like short prints continue attracting fans and solidifying the 2006 Fleer Tradition as both a collectible release and representation of nostalgia for the Fleer baseball brand.
