Steve Irwin, Gone But Not Forgotten

On September 4, 2006 Australian naturalist Steve Irwin was tragically killed while filming along the Great Barrier Reef when he was struck in the chest by a stingray’s barb. It has now been 5 years since his death but I think every time I turn on the Animal Planet I still hear “Crickey”. 

 In 2002 Dart Flip Cards released a 72-card Crocodile Hunter set, the set was not widely available and I ended up picking up a box on eBay for about $35-40 in early 2003. The base card set was a mix of pictures of Steve and Terri Irwin and lots and lots of creatures and critters. Many of the pictures were out of focus, off-center and seemed to be put together at random. The backs included a tid-bit about the creature on the front along with “The Crocodile Hunter’s Aussie Glossie” an Australian term that was “translated” for us who are not from Down-Under.

Dangerous Reptiles

There were 4 insert /subset sets, Dangerous Reptiles, Lethal Insects, Dangerware Relics and Autographs. The Dangerous Reptiles and Lethal Insects were based on the base cards but had a holofoil coating across the front. The 2 card Dangerware relics set contained a piece of Steve or Terri Irwin’s Australian Zoo shirts and the 2 card Autograph set were on-card autographs from Steve or Terri Irwin. 

Lethal Insects

 I completed the base set (and I still had enough to complete 95% of a second set plus leftovers) along with a handful of Dangerous Reptiles and Lethal Insects holofoils and both Steve and Terri’s Dangerware relic cards. 

Steve and Terri Irwin Dangerware

I read an interesting story about the shirts that were sent to Dart to be used in the Dangerware relics, apparently Steve sent his shirt basically right off of his back. It was covered in dirt and mud and smelled horribly but Terri washed her shirt before she sent it.