1988 Fleer

Description

1988 Fleer consists of 660 cards. Card fronts feature a distinctive white background with red and blue diagonal stripes across the card. As in years past cards are organized numerically by teams and team order is based upon the previous season's record. Subsets include Super Star Specials (622-640), Major League Prospects (641-653), and checklists (654-660).

Rookie Cards in this set include Jay Bell, Ellis Burks, Ken Caminiti, Ron Gant, Tom Glavine, Mark Grace, Edgar Martinez, Jack McDowell and Matt Williams.

Compared to 1987 Fleer, production was dramatically increased; thereby depressing the long-run value of this set.

Distribution

Wax: 36 packs per box, 15 cards and 1 sticker per pack. 20 boxes per case.

Cello: 24 packs per box, 28 cards and 2 stickers per pack.

Rack: 24 packs per box, 45 cards and three stickers per pack.

Factory Sets

Glossy Factory Sets (Hobby only)

Insertion Ratios

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Wax Odds	Cello Odds	Rack Odds
Base	660	-	?	?	?
All-Stars	12	-	?	?	N/A
Headliners	6	-	N/A	N/A	one-per-pack

Checklist

Base Set

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num < 622) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

SuperStar Specials

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num BETWEEN 622 AND 640); </sql2wiki>

Major League Prospects

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num BETWEEN 641 AND 653); </sql2wiki>

Checklists

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer') AND (num > 653); </sql2wiki>

Parallels

Glossy

For the second consecutive year, Fleer produced a Glossy set. Similar to Topps Tiffany, Fleer Glossy is a 660 card parallel to the regular Fleer issue. The cards (along with the 12-card World Series insert set) were issued as a full set in a tin box distributed exclusively through hobby dealers. Since many dealers had problems selling their 1987 sets, production was reduced for the 1988 issues. It is believed that between 40,000 and 60,000 sets were produced.

Mini

See 1988 Fleer Mini.

Inserts

All-Star Team

This 12-card set was inserted randomly in wax and cello packs.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer All-Stars'); </sql2wiki>

Headliners

This six-card set came one-per rack pack.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer Headliners'); </sql2wiki>

World Series

This 12-card set was included in each factory set, and features highlights of the 1987 World Series. A Glossy version was also included in each factory set.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer World Series'); </sql2wiki>

Box Bottoms

These 16 cards (C1 to C16) were printed on the bottom of the wax boxes. There are four different "panels" with four cards on each panel. The value of the panel uncut is slightly greater, perhaps by 25 percent greater, than the value of the individual cards cut up carefully.

Panel A

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer Wax Box Cards') AND (SUBSTRING(num from 2) < 5); </sql2wiki>

Panel B

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer Wax Box Cards') AND (SUBSTRING(num from 2) BETWEEN 5 AND 8); </sql2wiki>

Panel C

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer Wax Box Cards') AND (SUBSTRING(num from 2) BETWEEN 9 AND 12); </sql2wiki>

Panel D

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1988) AND (setname = 'Fleer Wax Box Cards') AND (SUBSTRING(num from 2) > 12); </sql2wiki>

Team Stickers

Once again, each pack of 1988 Fleer Baseball contained one team logo sticker. Each team has two designs, which are the same as the previous year's set: "Logo on Baseball" and "Dual Logos with Wordmarks." The Dual Logos stickers pair-up two teams (usually from opposite leagues) with two nickel-sized mini team logos along with four team wordmarks -- two for each team. The wordmark stickers were, at the time, popular for labeling team sets.

The reverse of each sticker features a photo of a Major League stadium.

Fleer/Fleer Tradition
Pre-License Era: 1959 Fleer Ted Williams - 1960 - 1961 - 1963
Triopoly Era: 1981 - 1982 - 1983 - 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987
Junk Wax Era: 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991
Marvel Entertainment Era: 1992 - 1993 - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997
Fleer Tradition Era: 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2001 - 2002 - 2003 - 2004 - 2005
Upper Deck Era: 2006 - 2007
Update Sets: 1984 - 1985 - 1986 - 1987 - 1988 - 1989 - 1990 - 1991 - 1992 - 1993 Final Edition - 1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1998 - 1999 - 2000 - 2002 - 2003
Other Fleer/Fleer Tradition Brands: 2002 Fleer - 2006 Fleer Tradition