Introduction to Pro Set Baseball Cards
Pro Set is a sports card company that started in 1987 with the goal of challenging the dominance that Topps had in the baseball card industry. Their first set featuring active major league baseball players debuted that year and helped usher in a new era of competition and creativity in the hobby. Since then, Pro Set has released several different baseball card sets per year showcasing both current athletes and vintage players from baseball’s past.
While Topps had established itself as the premier brand due to decades as the sole producer of MLB licensed cards, Pro Set sought to differentiate itself through innovative design styles, unique photography, and inserts highlighting special subsets of players. They also offered more cards per box and set compared to Topps, providing collectors with better odds of completing full roster collections. This introduction of new competition finally broke Topps’ monopoly and forced them to adapt as well.
1987 Pro Set Baseball Cards – The Origins
Pro Set’s 1987 baseball release served as their debut entry into the market and helped put the upstart company on the map. The base set totaled an impressive 762 cards featuring major and minor league players. Rosters of each MLB franchise were included along with rookie cards, career stats on the backs, and a wide array of variations including refractors, die-cuts, and acetate parallels.
Notably, this initial set contained rookie cards of future Hall of Famers Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux, John Smoltz, and Craig Biggio. Other top rookies like Chuck Knoblauch and Travis Fryman also had their first cards produced through Pro Set in 1987. The design scheme utilized action photography with a dark gray border around each image. Set checklists and information was provided on the wrappers and inside boxes.
Later in 1987, Pro Set followed up their flagship release with a Traded set highlighting players who were dealt to new teams midseason. This 101 card insert focused more on career accomplishments and statistics compared to the base rookies found in the main set. Both issues from ’87 were successful in introducing collectors to the new brand and remained popular for years after in the secondary market.
Beyond 1987 – Subsequent Pro Set Baseball Releases
In the decades since, Pro Set has continued to add new baseball products each year. Some of their most notable sets included:
1988 – Their second year boasted an 888 card standard issue plus inserts like Traded, Hometown Heroes, and MVP Awards. This maintained Pro Set’s reputation for quality and volume.
1989-1992 – Pro Set kept up a busy release schedule during this stretch with various oddball parallels, short prints, and special subsets added to their flagship offerings each spring.
1993 – Highlighted by rookie cards of Derek Jeter, Jim Thome, and Jason Giambi, this 796 card set saw Pro Set still thriving amid competition.
1997 – Mark McGwire’s epic 70+ home run season fueled interest in this 660 card rainbow foil design release. Base cards had additional color tints.
1999 – Featured one of the rarest modern parallels, the 1/1 Silk Cut Signature parallel autograph card of Carlos Delgado.
2000 – Their last true baseball set before changing directions, it contained 600 cards and notable rookies like Adam Dunn.
While no longer actively producing new MLB-licensed cards on an annual basis today, Pro Set created a legacy as an innovator and volume leader. Their early releases in the late 80s and 90s grew the market, brought rookies to new collectors, and challenged Topps’ dominance with creative designs, parallels, and variations that are still beloved today from a nostalgic standpoint. Pro Set pushed the entire baseball card industry forward during their time as a major competitor and influential participant.
Collecting Pro Set Baseball Cards Today
Though Pro Set is no longer an active baseball card manufacturer, their older sets and inserts from the late 80s through 90s remain very popular with both collectors and investors. Completed base sets in top condition can carry significant value depending on the specific year and any short prints, parallels, or notable rookie cards included. Some examples of desirable Pro Set cards that command premium prices include:
1987 Tom Glavine rookie card (PSA 10 has sold for over $7,000)
1992 Derek Jeter rookie card (PSA 10 over $20,000)
1996 Jim Thome refractive parallel rookie (Gem Mint has exceeded $5,000)
Vintage Pro Set inserts like Traded, MVP Awards, and Coach cards containing all-time greats fetch high sums as well. Perhaps their rarest modern parallel, the 1999 Carlos Delgado 1/1 Silk Cut auto sold for nearly $9,000 back in 2001. These scarce Pro Set issues from their heyday remain hunted trophies by dedicated collectors decades later.
For the everyday collector on a budget, Pro Set still offers an affordable path to building full teams or players due to their large print runs compared to other brands from the late 80s and 90s. Many stars, role players, and entire league sets can be completed for a reasonable cost. Organizing the large volumes of cards they produced each year also forms an fun challenge respected within the hobby. Overall, Pro Set created a lasting legacy through both their pioneering efforts and enduring cardboard treasures from baseball’s past.
Conclusion
Through their introduction of new competition and emphasis on volume, innovation, and player subsets, Pro Set revolutionized the baseball card industry. While no longer producing new MLB licensed products today, their 1980s and 90s releases remain highly regarded for both nostalgia and long-term investment potential. Pro Set challenged Topps’ monopoly dominance and pushed the entire hobby forward through progressive design styles and parallel variations that collectors still appreciate today. This underdog company that sought to dominate carving out its own unique identity left an indelible mark on the baseball card space that remains influential to both seasoned veterans and newcomers alike within the collecting community.
