The Fleer 2000 baseball card set was released in 2000 and marked Fleer’s return to the baseball card market after losing the license to produce cards for the MLB, MLBPA, and all 30 MLB teams in 1997. Fleer had been a major producer of baseball cards since 1956 but lost out on renewal of their license to produce official MLB cards to Upper Deck.

This new Fleer 2000 set was not considered an “official” MLB product as it did not have licenses from the league or players association. It did feature current photos and stats for many major league players from the 1999 season. The set size was 324 cards and included parallels, inserts, and rookie cards of players who would go on to have strong MLB careers like Albert Pujols, Bobby Crosby, and Mark Prior.

Some key things to know about the Fleer 2000 baseball card set include:

Design – The design on the front featured a white border around a photo with the team logo in the bottom left and Fleer branding at the top. Stats were on the back along with a career retrospective. It had a classic baseball card look and feel despite not being an official MLB product.

Production – Cards were printed on standard thick cardboard stock. The photos and design quality were on par with what collectors had come to expect from Fleer in the late 90s. The lack of MLB licensing meant no logos or team names could be used.

Rarity – With no official MLB license, Fleer had to obtain photos and rights from individual players and teams. As a result, some notable stars of the day like Ken Griffey Jr., Alex Rodriguez, and Barry Bonds were missing from the set altogether. Other top players had fewer card variations compared to flagship sets.

Parallels – To increase appeal for collectors, Fleer included several parallel insert sets within the base 324 card checklist. This included “Fleer Metal” parallels printed on foil-like stock, “Fleer Ink” signature parallels, and “Fleer Threads” jersey parallel cards.

Rookies – One bright spot for the set was its rookie class, headlined by Cardinals first baseman Albert Pujols. Pujols’ impressive rookie campaign made his Fleer 2000 rookie card very desirable. Other notable rookies included Bobby Crosby, Mark Prior, Jason Jennings, and Eric Hinske.

Inserts – In addition to parallels, Fleer included various specialty inserts focusing on accomplishments, milestones, and retired players. Notable inserts included “This Day in Baseball History”, “Fleer Tradition” retired stars, and “Diamond Kings” parallels featuring current stars.

Upon release in 2000, the Fleer 2000 set was met with mixed reviews from collectors. While it provided the only new baseball cards on the market that year other than smaller independent sets, the lack of any MLB licenses was a major drawback. Photos were also harder to obtain for some top players which resulted in fewer variations. The inclusion of rising rookie stars and hit parallels made it appealing to both collectors and investors.

In the years since, the Fleer 2000 set has developed a cult following among vintage baseball card collectors. The rookie cards of Pujols, Crosby, Prior and others have increased greatly in value with the passing of time. Parallel and insert cards remain popular specialty pieces in collection. While not in the same class as the true “flagship” MLB sets of the late 90s, Fleer 2000 has come to be appreciated as an interesting niche product capturing a transition year in the industry before new licenses were obtained. For collectors seeking to fill in gaps from 1999-2000, or who enjoy the designs of late 90s Fleer sets, tracking down a complete Fleer 2000 set can be a fun collecting challenge two decades later.

Despite some limitations from the lack of official MLB licenses, the Fleer 2000 baseball card set played an important role in the hobby during a transition year. Led by rookie cards of future stars, it gave collectors new cards to pursue and provided the foundation for parallels and inserts that remain popular specialty pieces today. While it may not have received top grades from collectors upon release, Fleer 2000 has developed a strong cult following in the decades since as a representation of its time period.