What is the best insert design of all time? - Page 2

mwf94 · 12-16-2025, 06:29 AM

Also bumping this to say the Panini Manga inserts look like middle of the mall AI T-Shirt garbage. It's a good idea but the artists they get have the style of filipino DBZ

BoSoxFan1999 · 12-16-2025, 09:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bas

93/94 ultra scoring kings

This.

I also love the 95 Skybox E-Motion N-Tense cards.

Archangel1775 · 12-16-2025, 11:06 AM

Going to have to agree with Jambalaya. The insert has crossed over to other sports(where it can) and non-sports. They have been extremely popular.

TheGZA · 12-16-2025, 01:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by oldgoldy97

In hand, Jambalayas are fabulous. I only have one but it might be my favorite card.

I don't think there is any other answer. I've never seen one IRL but pictures alone are majestic.

duron · 12-16-2025, 05:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Asian62150

It's kind of wild that 30 years later there aren't a lot of foil-etched inserts.

Such good looking cards that make the primary subject really pop with the foil background.

Can you imagine if the Manga or Kabooms utilized foil etching?

Preach. I’ve said the same over the years.

Is it the same with other sports?

r00kie · 12-16-2025, 06:32 PM

Gotta go with an OG

jimmysbutler · 12-17-2025, 01:22 PM

Interesting to see how many old-school die-cuts made this thread. I feel like contemporary/modern die cuts kind of suck.

stalemonkey30 · 12-17-2025, 01:48 PM

I miss the old foil and holoview stuff.

MJGOAT23 · 12-22-2025, 03:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheGZA

I don't think there is any other answer. I've never seen one IRL but pictures alone are majestic.

cool but I don't like the shape.

BdotHobbs · 12-23-2025, 09:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MJGOAT23

cool but I don't like the shape.

Agreed. I really want to like Jambalaya cards I just don’t like the shape

all my answers have already been mentioned

92 Beam Team
93 Scoring Kings
93 Power In The Key

One that I really like that I don’t see get much hype is the 93 Ultra All Defensive. There’s no foil or crazy colors but the design is just super clean

MJGOAT23 · 12-23-2025, 01:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BdotHobbs

Agreed. I really want to like Jambalaya cards I just don’t like the shape

all my answers have already been mentioned

92 Beam Team
93 Scoring Kings
93 Power In The Key

One that I really like that I don’t see get much hype is the 93 Ultra All Defensive. There’s no foil or crazy colors but the design is just super clean

Facts , love that one too. Those jumbo wax boxes are elusive nowadays too.

Skers7071949597 · 12-23-2025, 02:59 PM

Kind of wild looking cards, but I've always really liked the 1998 SkyBox Premiums 3d's

bas · 12-23-2025, 04:48 PM

The 93-94 ultra award winners are nice too and dynamic dunks is a cool design

Fullerton · 12-23-2025, 06:37 PM

I always loved the glittery multicolored eye appeal of 1997-98 Topps Season’s Best Shooting Stars.

I think the regular Topps looks better than the Topps Chrome version.

duron · 12-23-2025, 07:59 PM

some of my original favorites

1980bust · 12-24-2025, 12:05 AM

1996-97 Cut Above
1995-96 Hot Numbers
1993-94 Scoring Kings
1993-94 Die Cut All-Stars
1997-98 Thunder & Lightning

PuddleMonkey · 12-24-2025, 02:29 AM

I never realized we had so many blind card collectors on Blowout.

duron · 12-25-2025, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PuddleMonkey

I never realized we had so many blind card collectors on Blowout.

mwf94 · 12-25-2025, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PuddleMonkey

I never realized we had so many blind card collectors on Blowout.

I think a lot of answers here were clouded with the value of the card over pure aesthetic design.

The PMG for instance is super expensive and legendary but let's be honest, it is pretty plain looking. The base looks cooler to people outside of the hobby because more colors.

After ripping a few Chrome boxes with the newest set that got back the NBA License, Tall Tales is a nice little nostalgic looking insert paying homage to pulp magazines and 50s horror posters.

fabiani12333 · 12-25-2025, 08:19 PM

Jambalaya is probably the right answer -- it has a long lineage dating back nearly three decades at this point. MJ, Lebron, Kobe, Magic, Bird, Iverson, etc all have at least one Jambalaya. Most modern NBA star players don't have one, which hurts its standing with the current market -- Downtowns and Kabooms have been the Panini-era go-to inserts. Topps doesn't really have a go-to NBA insert.

Donkaylove · 12-25-2025, 09:39 PM

flair elevators is everything prizm hoped to be, stadium club luminous die cuts, Creators embossed die cuts, take it 2 the net, net assets, oh my!

duron · 12-25-2025, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwf94

I think a lot of answers here were clouded with the value of the card over pure aesthetic design.

The PMG for instance is super expensive and legendary but let's be honest, it is pretty plain looking. The base looks cooler to people outside of the hobby because more colors.

I don’t even disagree with the second part here, but have you looked at the thread? Half the offerings so far are still relatively affordable sets, which is saying something in ‘25 with everything inflated to the gills.

PuddleMonkey · 12-26-2025, 12:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mwf94

I think a lot of answers here were clouded with the value of the card over pure aesthetic design.

Gotta be something like that, some of this stuff looks like it was designed by the same people who created Saved By The Bell.

PuddleMonkey · 12-26-2025, 12:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by al3xmac10

Let's not kid ourselves.

ninjabum87 · 12-26-2025, 01:07 AM

I like Cut Above, but I also really like a few of the Fleer ones. 24kt, Raise the Roof. I think what stands out about a lot of cool 90s inserts is they are either embossed and look really cool like Playmakers Theater, super out there like Thats Jam or Dunkn, or they are die cuts that go hard in either shape or effect. They don't often feel cheap, whereas a lot of random Panini or modern Topps just felt idk, cheap and low effort. Like Panini had one where dudes were in cereal boxes but compare that with Thats Jam and the Panini one looks like cheap slop. There are a lot of Panini inserts that do go pretty hard, but theyd realize people liked them and then drive them into the ground most of the time. If they were better about managing prestige thered be more that stands out. Like 5+ years of Kabooms and Downtowns was a lot. Color Blasts being Spectra x4, Mosaic, Prizm Black, Monopoly uggo money blasts, Obsidian x2, a metal one, dual ones, prizm draft picks. If Color Blast was a Fleer insert with a 1 or 2 year run from 1998 theyd be an all timer.

If we had 5 or 6 years of playmakers theater, High Voltage 500, 24Kt, Jambalaya (licensed) they probably wouldnt feel the same either.

12-16-2025, 11:06 AM	#28
Archangel1775 Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Cali baby! Posts: 22,149	Going to have to agree with Jambalaya. The insert has crossed over to other sports(where it can) and non-sports. They have been extremely popular. __________________ *There are the intangibles that set someone apart from the pack.So the blur isn't your inability to see his greatness, it's merely the inability to measure it.* Last edited by Archangel1775; 12-16-2025 at 11:17 AM.

12-16-2025, 06:32 PM	#31
r00kie Member Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: SoCal Posts: 442	Gotta go with an OG __________________ Part-time collector for 30+ years.

12-17-2025, 01:22 PM	#32
jimmysbutler Member Join Date: Nov 2024 Posts: 40 ryah32	Interesting to see how many old-school die-cuts made this thread. I feel like contemporary/modern die cuts kind of suck. __________________ Collect: Gem Mint (PSA, SGC, BGS) Ohio State in College Uni (low to mid end); NY Giants (with pref for DLine); 19/20 Mosaic Lebron Rainbow; 94/95 E-Motion N-Tense Set I believe there is nothing perfectly efficient about this market, so I always have a rationale for my pricing to account for incongruence to eBay.

12-17-2025, 01:48 PM	#33
stalemonkey30 Member Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: DesMoines, IA Posts: 414 stalemonkey30	I miss the old foil and holoview stuff. __________________ https://www.flickr.com/photos/140474714@N02/albums

12-23-2025, 04:48 PM	#38
bas Member Join Date: Jan 2012 Posts: 491	The 93-94 ultra award winners are nice too and dynamic dunks is a cool design __________________ http://s185.photobucket.com/albums/x16/bas040/ Last edited by bas; 12-23-2025 at 04:49 PM. Reason: Added

12-16-2025, 06:29 AM	#26
mwf94 Member Join Date: Dec 2025 Posts: 91	Also bumping this to say the Panini Manga inserts look like middle of the mall AI T-Shirt garbage. It's a good idea but the artists they get have the style of filipino DBZ

12-23-2025, 02:59 PM	#37
Skers7071949597 Member Join Date: Jul 2021 Posts: 10	Kind of wild looking cards, but I've always really liked the 1998 SkyBox Premiums 3d's

12-23-2025, 06:37 PM	#39
Fullerton Member Join Date: Feb 2021 Posts: 4	I always loved the glittery multicolored eye appeal of 1997-98 Topps Season’s Best Shooting Stars. I think the regular Topps looks better than the Topps Chrome version.

12-23-2025, 07:59 PM	#40
duron Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Location: NYC Posts: 12,182 drewtang duron	some of my original favorites __________________ IG: Darz90sCardz PC: MJ/Penny

12-24-2025, 12:05 AM	#41
1980bust Member Join Date: Dec 2018 Posts: 618	1996-97 Cut Above 1995-96 Hot Numbers 1993-94 Scoring Kings 1993-94 Die Cut All-Stars 1997-98 Thunder & Lightning

12-24-2025, 02:29 AM	#42
PuddleMonkey Member Join Date: Mar 2019 Location: Pacific Northwest Posts: 5,102	I never realized we had so many blind card collectors on Blowout.

12-25-2025, 08:19 PM	#45
fabiani12333 Member Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 13,414	Jambalaya is probably the right answer -- it has a long lineage dating back nearly three decades at this point. MJ, Lebron, Kobe, Magic, Bird, Iverson, etc all have at least one Jambalaya. Most modern NBA star players don't have one, which hurts its standing with the current market -- Downtowns and Kabooms have been the Panini-era go-to inserts. Topps doesn't really have a go-to NBA insert.

12-25-2025, 09:39 PM	#46
Donkaylove Member Join Date: Jan 2014 Location: PNW Posts: 3,224	flair elevators is everything prizm hoped to be, stadium club luminous die cuts, Creators embossed die cuts, take it 2 the net, net assets, oh my!

12-26-2025, 01:07 AM	#50
ninjabum87 Member Join Date: Nov 2018 Posts: 2,354	I like Cut Above, but I also really like a few of the Fleer ones. 24kt, Raise the Roof. I think what stands out about a lot of cool 90s inserts is they are either embossed and look really cool like Playmakers Theater, super out there like Thats Jam or Dunkn, or they are die cuts that go hard in either shape or effect. They don't often feel cheap, whereas a lot of random Panini or modern Topps just felt idk, cheap and low effort. Like Panini had one where dudes were in cereal boxes but compare that with Thats Jam and the Panini one looks like cheap slop. There are a lot of Panini inserts that do go pretty hard, but theyd realize people liked them and then drive them into the ground most of the time. If they were better about managing prestige thered be more that stands out. Like 5+ years of Kabooms and Downtowns was a lot. Color Blasts being Spectra x4, Mosaic, Prizm Black, Monopoly uggo money blasts, Obsidian x2, a metal one, dual ones, prizm draft picks. If Color Blast was a Fleer insert with a 1 or 2 year run from 1998 theyd be an all timer. If we had 5 or 6 years of playmakers theater, High Voltage 500, 24Kt, Jambalaya (licensed) they probably wouldnt feel the same either.