In fact, each were essentially a blaster box before they were called "blaster boxes." They were the Target boxes that costs $10 or $20, but I sort of looked down on them because they weren't "hobby boxes." I dunno, I was middle-school aged and it felt like getting a cheaper thing than the real thing. Well, dummy, because it was.
It was also a time when the boxes were basically the same size as a hobby box, but had a ton of foam padding inside.
The first year I can remember, I actually got basketball cards. It would have been a blaster of 1996-97 Upper Deck Collector's Choice basketball series 2. Not only was Collector's Choice my favorite baseball brand, but I loved their basketball cards too. Maybe even more. Looking back, this was a solid choice because it had rookies of Kobe, Nash, Ray Allen, and Allen Iverson. I still have most of those. It looked something like this:
Pretty solid rookie class, and I'm glad I never got rid of them. Especially happy to still have the Kobe!
I believe it was 1998 that would have brought baseball card under my Easter basket. Yes, not in, but under. I distinctly remember my basked being placed on top of a 4-pack of Pinnacle Inside cans. They looked a little something like this:
Maybe no better card product represents the quirky 90s than these.
Moving on to 1999, I'm pretty sure I got a box of 1998 cards in the form of Pacific Online. These were odd cards that had a massive url at the top. You know, because players now had web pages on the world wide internet. Only instead of something like a vanity URL, you were expected to type in this a long web address to look up stats on your favorite player!
The last box I got, which I still have, was again getting cards from the year before, this time in the year 2000 getting cards from '99. In this instance, it was a blaster box of 1999 Score Rookie Traded with Chipper on the front.
It's funny how I can barely remember yesterday, but cards in Easter baskets 20+ years ago? No problem.
Happy Easter!
Happy Easter! I don't remember if I ever received cards... but I do remember all of the chocolate and the Easter egg hunts. Good times. And that 1996/97 Collector's Choice set is fantastic. I was looking to pick up a factory set, but they're a little too pricey these days.
ReplyDeleteSo these boxes were the same size of hobby boxes but had a ton of foam patting inside? That is an insane level of box bloat that seems oddly right for the 90's.
ReplyDeleteI remember those retail boxes! Got a few over the years myself. Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteI've never received cards but that is great. Heck I don't think I'd even remember all that. Fun post and Happy Easter!
ReplyDeleteI definitely remember those old retail boxes with the foam inside, bought a lot of those in the '90s. Can't recall any specific card gifts for Easter as you have here, but I did get a blaster of Gypsy Queen from my wife this morning.
ReplyDeleteHappy easter!
Happy Easter! Mix of stuff here; most of it new to me. I don't know if we got Easter cards or not. I always remember getting a nice, spring-ish shirt. And candy, of course. But I'm sure at some point we might've gotten cards.
ReplyDeleteYou sure got some good rookie cards in that basketball set.
ReplyDeleteI never got cards. I got a poetry anthology one year. Though I probably preferred the Cadbury creme eggs. Ha.