Gold Medallions

Parallels are nothing new in the world of trading cards. Now days collectors are literally chasing the parallel rainbow for their favorite player. Do card companies today get carried away with this? Yes, but it still can be fun. However can you remember a time when parallels weren't as plentiful in each set? Gold parallels were hit when Topps first introduced them in their 1992 baseball set. Other card companies would follow suit with their own gold parallel, but one company excelled in this department...at least in my opinion. Fleer. Fleer Ultra to be more exact. First released in their 1996 Ultra set, the parallel started off with just a small gold medallion logo stamped on the front of the card. Each year though this parallel would change.

Recently I've been working on bolstering my NC State collections across basketball and football and I ran across several Gold Medallion parallels of former Rams WR, Torry Holt. Looking at several years of these parallels in my hands all at the same time made me appreciate them that much more. There are a few of his Gold Medallion cards I've yet to find, but I've got the majority of them so let's take a look at what I currently have.

1999

This was Torry's rookie year and with him pictured in his NC State Wolfpack uniform, it's one of my favorite images. For this version of the popular parallel the entire background image was covered in a gold metallic ink. The holographic silver foil that wraps around the player's name was also changed out for gold holographic foil. Not my favorite Gold Medallion parallel, but it works.

2000

I've always been a sucker for die-cut cards so I like the 2000 version of this parallel. The top of the card has a dome shape cut, which works well for football since several teams play in dome stadiums. Like with the 1999 set, the silver holographic foil is swapped out for gold. Gold Medallion Edition lettering also adorns the top of the card. One of my favorite versions!

2002

Skipping 2001 since that's one of the few I don't own, in 2002 I feel like Fleer got a little lazy with basically using the same idea they first used in 1999. The entire background photo has been covered in gold, which looks OK, but it's been done before. Pass.

2003

Now one could say Fleer continued their laziness with the 2003 version of the Gold Medallions, but where as the 2000 set's cut covered one whole side of the card, they opted to just round off one corner of the card. I like it, I think it stands out. It also combines the 1999 and 2002 sets with the gold background. I think it looks pretty good, what do you think?

2004

I may have been able to give Fleer a pass in previous years, but in 2004 they basically did the same thing they did in 2003. Rounded off corner, gold background...been there, done that. I like the base design of the card and that is what saves this for me.

2005

Are you starting to notice a trend here? Not only does 2005's Gold Medallion cards look a lot like 2004, so does the base design! I think I prefer the font used in 2004 over this one, but these parallels are starting to get boring...which is sad.

2006

In Fleer's 2nd to last year producing an annual football set, their Gold Medallion parallels are once again boring a previous idea in that the card's silver foil and background are switched out for gold. *yawn*

I haven't picked up Torry's 2007 Gold Medallion version yet and while I plan too, that design is more of the same as well. Looking back at what they did with this parallel set in baseball, I feel like they were much more innovative. I especially liked 2006's full blown thick gold cards with the embossed logo. Where companies borrow designs across sports, I'm surprised Fleer didn't bring over some of their ideas from baseball into their football sets. Regardless of how lazy Fleer may have been with the Gold Medallion parallels in football, they still are a fun parallel to chase. Every time I see them, regardless of the sport, it takes me back to the 90's when I collected the heaviest. Fun times. Fun cards.