Friday, January 29, 2021

Something in the water

I've wanted this card for years, but never acted it on it until just last week.
It's not a pricey card and can be had for a few bucks, if that. I just let it sit in my eBay saved searched, checking occasionally. While I am actively trying to de-clutter my collection, I decided to make room for it because it's just so cool.

In a very 1990s move, 1998 Flair put a new spin on their popular Wave of the Future insert set. They put actual water - or some form of liquid - inside of the card!

The card is made of a soft plastic, and the liquid has some glitter in it to help it shimmer even more. The card actually reminds me of a baby's teething toys. You know, the kind you freeze so the baby can gnaw their gums on it.

This card is an extreme example, but I miss card companies trying things. I don't call this innovation, but more so how competition breeded the desire to stand out and make an effort to try something new. We don't get that anymore.

Flair was a premium brand, and a card like this was one of the untouchables for a kid growing up. I'm glad to have it 23 years later, and impressed that the wave is still fluid and hasn't dried up. Literally.

What a fun card.

9 comments:

  1. Maybe it's the secret ingredient in Twinkies.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Interesting concept. I've always liked the throw stuff against the wall and see what sticks. Even the stuff that didn't quite catch on.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Glad yours still has liquid. Pretty sure the ones I have in my collection are dry to the bone.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a super strange card. Had no idea about these.

    ReplyDelete
  5. What the ever living mother effing eff? This is the weirdest card I think I've ever seen and, to boot, I had no idea Mikey Lowell played for the Yankees. I need to get out more (in 1998).

    ReplyDelete
  6. Pre-Rona, I used to come across the '97-98 basketball WOTF's in dime boxes all the time, and even though people always talk about having dried up copies, I never once saw them. Makes me wonder how people are storing them to cause the liquid to evaporate.

    ReplyDelete
  7. That’s so cool, I’ve never seen those before!

    ReplyDelete
  8. That's a great looking card. Lowell is a sneaky good player, not many people talk about him, but he had some really big moments in his career.

    ReplyDelete