1996-97 Fleer Ultra Starring Role bankruptcy copies?

[duron]

So I love this set, to the point where I picked up another copy of Penny last week. Problem is, no Fleer Ultra logo and no player name. Annoyed with myself because I usually catch these kinds of things.

Obviously it’s just a bankruptcy copy, but I’m curious how often people here have run across them. I can’t remember seeing other copies like this with “blank” fronts / only the “Starring Role” text.

[kukocitb]

Originally Posted by duron

So I love this set, to the point where I picked up another copy of Penny last week. Problem is, no Fleer Ultra logo and no player name. Annoyed with myself because I usually catch these kinds of things.

Obviously it’s just a bankruptcy copy, but I’m curious how often people here have run across them. I can’t remember seeing other copies like this with “blank” fronts / only the “Starring Role” text.

I can see it being a bankruptcy copy/sheet cut, but is it possibly a print error? Probably never know the true story. Seller of it might help as well.

[duron]

Originally Posted by kukocitb

I can see it being a bankruptcy copy/sheet cut, but is it possibly a print error? Probably never know the true story. Seller of it might help as well.

That didn’t cross my mind but you’re right that it’s a possibility, I remember pulling errors like that back in the day where text was missing on subsets.

Couldn’t hurt contacting the FB seller.

[kukocitb]

Originally Posted by duron

That didn’t cross my mind but you’re right that it’s a possibility, I remember pulling errors like that back in the day where text was missing on subsets.

Couldn’t hurt contacting the FB seller.

If you got it off of facebook I would almost lean towards error than sheet cut. Again there are always exceptions to the rule.

[gunnerhodgson]

you're not talking about the rising star insert set are you? Just want to make sure. Those are fairly easy to find without the foil (no name/logo/etc.). I haven't seen any starring roles without the name/ultra on them. Maybe a photo would help?

[duron]

Originally Posted by kukocitb

If you got it off of facebook I would almost lean towards error than sheet cut. Again there are always exceptions to the rule.

Yea I just can’t remember seeing an example of this. If I’ve just missed them it’s def not as common as it is with other sets.

Originally Posted by gunnerhodgson

you're not talking about the rising star insert set are you? Just want to make sure. Those are fairly easy to find without the foil (no name/logo/etc.). I haven't seen any starring roles without the name/ultra on them. Maybe a photo would help?

No I’m talking about the acetate set. Rising Stars are def super common to find like you mention.
I’ll post a side by side of my copies when I get home.

[duron]

[duron]

Anyone else with a copy like this?

[phdbeckett]

I've been in the thick of 1990s NBA inserts for close to three decades. My opinion is it a production error, where foil was not added vs any backdoor or sheet cut theory. There would be other examples of other players at the very least, and I would have run across them by now. FWIW I never saw a surge of the Fleer Skybox inserts from this particular era from the bankruptcy. Most were numbered or unnumbered cards from a few years later.

[duron]

Sounds more and more like I should just list it at an absurd price!

Or just pm nomad.

[duron]

@zbocards on IG tipped me off to this recent post. I also noticed a slightly older one which shows uncut Ultrabilities Superstars as well.

Seems like evidence it’s more likely sheetcut garbagio as opposed to so many errors being in one place at one time.

[phdbeckett]

Originally Posted by duron

@zbocards on IG tipped me off to this recent post. I also noticed a slightly older one which shows uncut Ultrabilities Superstars as well.

Seems like evidence it’s more likely sheetcut garbagio as opposed to so many errors being in one place at one time.

Very enlightening! When I spoke about the Fleer Bankruptcy, I was speaking to my knowledge of the breadth and depth of what hit the marketplace during the liquidation(2006-2008). There was a ton of 2000-2005 cards out there, but these sheets, obviously from Fleer/Skybox had yet to be seen as "singles" in the flood. There was a lot of these singles in the Ohio and Michigan area, and all of the larger regional show such as Detroit's Gibraltar, Chicago Sun Times, etc. I never ran across uncut or sheet cut "case hit" items. Those might not have found their way into circulation for quite some time after, since the liquidation took place 18 years ago.

[duron]

Originally Posted by phdbeckett

Very enlightening! When I spoke about the Fleer Bankruptcy, I was speaking to my knowledge of the breadth and depth of what hit the marketplace during the liquidation(2006-2008). There was a ton of 2000-2005 cards out there, but these sheets, obviously from Fleer/Skybox had yet to be seen as "singles" in the flood. There was a lot of these singles in the Ohio and Michigan area, and all of the larger regional show such as Detroit's Gibraltar, Chicago Sun Times, etc. I never ran across uncut or sheet cut "case hit" items. Those might not have found their way into circulation for quite some time after, since the liquidation took place 18 years ago.

I had made this post after zbo reached out to me. Hopefully I'm way off base, but you're forced to think the worst.



Additionally, right after this post, I received a dm from someone who said they've seen numerous examples of these in the Phillipines, and swore that they are faded from humidity. He compared them to the acetate Court Masters set, where portions of the gold lining are sometimes missing. I don't think he was lying about seeing blank Starring Roles, but I'm not convinced at all that this is why the text is missing. For one, I've never seen partial foil on the Starring Roles like I have with the Court Masters, and it seems to be a thicker/different foil altogether.

[Nomad]

Originally Posted by duron

At first glance there is something wonky about the cut, but then PSA checks that on all potential errors and backdoors, don't they? Nah, they didn't even denote anything. I would go to CSG and have them settle this, as they did with that Kobe silver.

[duron]

Originally Posted by Nomad

At first glance there is something wonky about the cut, but then PSA checks that on all potential errors and backdoors, don't they? Nah, they didn't even denote anything. I would go to CSG and have them settle this, as they did with that Kobe silver.

Admittedly I haven’t lined them up to check for size difference, but I’m not seeing what you are with the cut.

The guy I last mentioned claims he sold one 4 years ago with partially missing foil, but isn’t able to provide photos. Shocking.

[duron]

And here you go.

Stay safe out there, friends.