The 1998 Pinnacle baseball card season was one of the more unique years in the hobby. While Pinnacle had produced cards packaged in wax packs and boxes in the past, 1998 saw the introduction of their baseball cards sealed inside of metal cans. This new “cards in a can” product caught the attention of collectors and created buzz around the Pinnacle brand.
Pinnacle had been producing baseball cards since 1991 but was still working to gain widespread recognition among hobbyists. In the late 1990s, Upper Deck and Topps dominated the baseball card market. Seeking a way to stand out, Pinnacle’s marketing team dreamed up the novel idea of packaging and sealing cards inside metal cans. They saw it as a fun, distinctive packaging concept that could draw new collectors to the brand.
The cans themselves became a big part of the appeal. Each one contained 20 cards and had colorful baseball-themed graphics printed on their exteriors. Dimensions of the cans were approximately 3.5 inches in diameter by 5 inches tall. The front of each can prominently displayed the Pinnacle brand name and logo along with images of baseballs and bats. Turning the can over revealed pictures of star players from that year like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Ken Griffey Jr., and Cal Ripken Jr.
Inside, the 20 cards in each 1998 Pinnacle “cards in a can” product were sealed with a plastic wrapper. This ensured the contents stayed pristine until opened. The packaging was designed so collectors could easily remove the plastic wrap to access their cards after puncturing a small hole in the top of the can. It created a fun unboxing experience that added to the excitement of the unique product release.
Card collectors and investors were intrigued by Pinnacle’s new “cards in a can” concept upon its unveiling in late 1997. The packaging grabbed attention on store shelves among the sea of traditional wax packs and boxes. Many were curious to try out this novel approach and see what cards they might pull from inside the metal containers. Strong early sales signaled the new product line was achieving its goal of generating buzz for Pinnacle in the competitive baseball card market.
Within the cans, collectors could find a wide array of inserts and parallels along with base cards. The 1998 Pinnacle release included various inserts like “Diamond Kings”, “All-Star Threads”, and “Signature Songs”. Parallels like “Gold”, “Silver”, and “Rainbow” Foil were available at different rarity levels. Serialized parallels like “Red” and “Green” numbered to 99 or less provided some chase appeal. The base card designs highlighted action shots on a white background with simple black borders.
Some of the biggest hits collectors hoped to pull from “cards in a can” were rare autograph and memorabilia cards. Pinnacle was known for including coveted autographed rookie cards and game-used memorabilia inserts in their releases. In 1998, one of the most sought-after autographed rookies was that of San Diego Padres shortstop Khalil Greene, who had just been drafted 13th overall. Other notable rookie autos that year included Rocco Baldelli, Jason Jennings, and Jon Lieber.
While base rookie cards of future stars like Chase Utley, Carlos Beltran, and Lance Berkman could be found inside most cans, rarer game-used memorabilia cards provided the true chase. One example was a Mark McGwire jersey card numbered to only 25 copies. Other low-numbered memorabilia inserts featured swatches of uniforms from superstars like Ken Griffey Jr., Greg Maddux, and Cal Ripken Jr. Pulling a rare autographed or memorabilia card straight from a can was a real thrill for collectors.
As the 1998 baseball season progressed that summer, excitement around Pinnacle’s “cards in a can” product continued to build. Mark McGwire’s chase of Roger Maris’ single season home run record was one of the biggest sports stories of the year. Meanwhile, Sammy Sosa was nipping at McGwire’s heels in the home run race. Fans were buying up cards of the two sluggers in droves, hoping to land a rare parallel, autograph, or memorabilia insert.
By late summer, Pinnacle had sold out their initial production run of “cards in a can”. Strong demand meant the product was flying off shelves faster than expected. The innovative packaging had succeeded in boosting visibility and sales for Pinnacle’s 1998 baseball card release. While other manufacturers stuck to traditional formats, Pinnacle gained attention as the “cards in a can” brand that year.
As the 1990s drew to a close, collectors looked back on 1998 Pinnacle “cards in a can” as one of the more unique releases in hobby history. The metal packaging was a fun, eye-catching concept that still sparks nostalgia today. Cards pulled fresh from the cans carry extra cachet for investors too. Over 20 years later, unopened examples in mint condition still attract premium prices on the secondary market. The innovative marketing ploy helped elevate Pinnacle’s brand recognition and cemented “cards in a can” as one of their most iconic product lines ever.
In summary, 1998 was a breakthrough year for Pinnacle’s baseball card brand thanks to their novel “cards in a can” product. The innovative packaging drew new collectors and hype and helped Pinnacle gain ground on the sport card market’s dominant players. Rare autographed rookies, memorabilia cards, and parallels of stars like McGwire added to the excitement of uncapping each freshly sealed can. Two decades later, 1998 Pinnacle “cards in a can” remains a collector favorite and a unique part of hobby history. The innovative marketing ploy helped elevate Pinnacle’s brand and status in the industry for years to come.
