1998 Collector's Choice

Description

1998 Collector's Choice (produced by Upper Deck) is a 530-card set released in two series of 265 cards. First series packs went live around March, 1998 and second series packs followed suit in June, 1998.

The set contains the topical subsets: Checklists (266-270), Cover Glory (1-18), Golden Jubilee (271-279), Rookie Class (100-126/415-432), Masked Marauders (181-189), and Top of the Charts (253-261).

Key Rookie Cards in this set include Kevin Millwood and Magglio Ordonez. Card 202B featuring Kerry Wood was issued in factory sets to replace Tony Barron.

Distribution

Wax: 12 boxes per case, 36 packs per box, 14 cards per pack (MSRP: $1.29).

Factory Sets.

Insertion Ratios

Series One

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Odds
Base	265	-	?
Evolution Revolution	28	-	1:13
Stick 'Ums	30	-	1:3
StarQuest Special Delivery	45	-	one-per-pack
StarQuest Students of the Game	20	-	1:21
StarQuest Super Powers	15	-	1:71
StarQuest Superstar Domain	10	-	1:145

Series Two

Cards	Total Cards	Numbered To	Odds
Base	265	-	?
Prime Choice Reserve	18	500	?
StarQuest Single	30	-	one-per-pack
StarQuest Double	30	-	1:21
StarQuest Triple	30	-	1:71
StarQuest Home Run	30	100	?
Mini Bobbing Heads	30	-	1:3
You Crash the Game	90	-	1:5
You Crash the Game Instant Winner	30	-	1:721

Checklist

Base Set

Series One

NOTE: All 265 Series One base cards have two variations. Cards coming out of Series One packs have a "home plate" hologram on the reverse side while base cards produced for the factory set have a "diamond" hologram. This does not affect Series Two cards, as all cards coming out of Series Two packs and factory sets have a diamond-shaped hologram.

Cover Glory

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Checklists

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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice') AND (num BETWEEN 24 AND 99) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Rookie Class

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Masked Marauders

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NOTE: For the factory sets, card #202 was replaced with a card of Kerry Wood.

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Top of the Charts

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Series Two

Checklists

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Golden Jubilee

This nine-card subset commemorates the 50th anniversary of the first modern baseball card set, 1948 Leaf -- which, for obvious reasons, is not mentioned. Card #271 was purposely printed with misaligned borders.

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Rookie Class

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<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice') AND (num > 432) ORDER BY num +0 ASC; </sql2wiki>

Parallels

Jumbos

Cover Glory 5X7

This over-sized set partially parallels the "Cover Glory" Series One subset (cards 1-10). The set was available exclusively from Upper Deck via a wrapper redemption offer.

Golden Jubilee 5X7

This over-sized set partially parallels the "Golden Jubillee" Series Two subset (cards 271-279). The set was available exclusively from Upper Deck via a wrapper redemption offer.

Retail-Exclusive 5X7 Jumbos

These cards were randomly inserted into Series One and Series Two Blaster boxes. 33 cards (including some from the StarQuest insert) were in Series One Blasters, but only ten in Series Two.

Series One

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Series Two

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Prime Choice Reserve

Prime Choice Reserve is an 18-card partial parallel of the Series Two Rookie Class subset (numbers 415-432). Upper Deck added the cards at last minute. Each card is serial numbered to 500 on back.

Inserts

Crash the Game

These 90 different game cards were randomly seed at a rate of 1:5 exclusively into second series packs. Thirty different sluggers were each featured on three different cards, with one of three different game dates printed on front. If the featured player hit a home run during the series specified on the card front, the collector could mail the card in prior to the December 1st, 1998 deadline for a special upgraded Crash the Game Exchange card of their player.

Instant Winners

Randomly seeded at a rate of 1:721 Series Two packs, these thirty different cards could be exchanged prior to the December 1st, 1998 deadline for a complete 30-card set of upgraded Crash the Game inserts. Instant Win cards are very similar in design to the far more common Crash the Game cards also inserted in second series packs. The big difference is the special "Instant Win" logo on the card front that replaces the game dates.

It's important to note, that several of the thirty upgraded Crash cards (those players that lost all three times on their basic game dates) received in exchange for these Instant Win cards were available only through this method, creating some very tough short print cards within the Crash the Game Exchange set for a temporary period of time.

Unfortunately, in late 2003, a large volume of these sets appeared on the secondary market, decimating the previously established value of these once tough parallel insert cards.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player,info FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice Crash the Game'); </sql2wiki>

Evolution Revolution

Randomly inserted into Series One packs, this 28-card set features a player from each Major League team printed on a baseball jersey themed card which folded out to display the players accomplishments.

NOTE: The card's two "flaps" are folded in and stuck together with a small, clear sticker. Attempting to remove the sticker, and viewing the rest of the card, may cause damage.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice Evolution Revolution'); </sql2wiki>

Mini Bobbing Heads

This 30-card insert set features specially enhanced miniatures that fold into a stand-up figure with a removable bobbing head.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice Mini Bobbing Heads'); </sql2wiki>

StarQuest (Series One)

The Series One StarQuest inserts is a 90-card set fractured into four levels as follows:

Special Delivery (*)

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Students of the Game (**)

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Super Powers (***)

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice StarQuest') AND (SUBSTRING(num FROM 3) BETWEEN 66 AND 80); </sql2wiki>

Superstar Domain (****)

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StarQuest (Series Two)

For the second series, Upper Deck issued a second batch of StarQuest inserts. Like the Series One StarQuests, there are four levels of scarcity; unlike the first series which was fractured, the four tiers are parallels of the same 30 cards. The tier is identified by the number of stars on the front of the card.

• Single
• Double
• Triple
• Home Run (serial-numbered to 100 copies)

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice StarQuest Single'); </sql2wiki>

Factory Set Jumbos

A set of ten Jumbo cards, which partially-parallel the Series Two StarQuest set, were included in each 1998 Collector's Choice factory set.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice StarQuest Factory Set Jumbos'); </sql2wiki>

Stick 'Ums

This 30-card set features color player photos printed on stickers that can be peeled off and re-stuck anywhere.

<sql2wiki database="carddb"> SELECT num,player FROM cards WHERE (year = 1998) AND (setname = 'Collectors Choice Stick Ums'); </sql2wiki>

Collector's Choice
1994 - 1995 - 1996 - 1997 - 1998 - 1999 UD Choice
Other Collector's Choice Brands: 1995 Collector's Choice Special Edition - 1997 Collector's Choice Teams - 1998 Collector's Choice Teams - 1999 UD Choice Preview