Instant winners

When I was a kid, I had a knack for pulling instant win redemption cards from packs. These weren’t autograph redemptions, rather granted you access to special cards or sets that could not be pulled from packs.

The first ones I remember well were the original 1994 Collector’s Choice You Crash the Game scratch-offs. I won at least three different times, which needed me this fantastic set of Home Run Derby Holograms:

Such a great looking set! And it also paved the way for You Crash the Game taking on a different form over the next few years. When a player accomplished a certain feat, one could send in that card for another prize, usually a set or a single card of that player. My favorites were from 1995.

As an avid basketball collector back then, I repeatedly pulled instant winners as well.

In 1994-95 Collector’s Choice, I pulled an instant winner for a Draft Lottery set, featuring some of the time’s biggest rookies. I can’t find the odds, but they fell either 1:36 or 1:144 (I know, quite the discrepancy). 

Just a season later, I had a very big instant winter pull, snagging one that fell 1:720 packs and landed me a Player’s Club Platinum Debut/Traded set. I pulled it at the local card shop, Ed's House of Cards. For the most part, the names were pretty lackluster, except for this guy, who made his NBA return that season: 

Zo was in it as well, after his trade to Miami. Love seeing Big Country Reeves trying to defend him.

Admittedly, I’ve never pulled a redemption from a current pack, but back then it was pretty fun pulling an instant winner redemption and anxiously awaiting for exclusive cards to come back in the mail.