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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.

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  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.

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

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

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  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).

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  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.

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

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  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.

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