Batting Helmet Memorabilia Cards Make A Return

In 1997 Collectors Edge introduced player’s helmets in the 22K Football set, this was the first time we saw helmets used in memorabilia cards. In 2000 Fleer started inserting batting helmets in the cards making the first time a helmet was used in a baseball product. Other companies followed, including Donruss in 2003 with the Hard Hats memorabilia cards. In all there have been only 150 different batting helmet memorabilia insert sets since the first baseball release in 2000 by Fleer.

Panini is reviving the Hard Hats memorabilia cards in the 2011 Limited which should be available on May 2^nd and will run $100 for 7 cards, including 3 autograph or memorabilia cards.

The Limited Gamers memorabilia cards look cool and the Historical Cuts, even though they do not include an athlete picture, looks nice but the Hard Hats are just horrible. No logos, due to the lack of MLB license, is a downer that affects the card’s overall look, the colors seem muted, which could be just because the three cards that they previewed include players in dark blue matching the design color. Finally the use of a dark blue helmet pieces are lost in the dark blue design. The marbling is fine, it actually reminds me of the Donruss Elite inserts of the 1990s, but possibly using a complimentary color, such as a red or orange, may have made the helmet piece “pop” out against the background.

Right now only three players have been announced from the Hard Hats checklist, Tony Gwynn, Dwight Gooden and Kirk Gibson. I think that they do not plan to release the rest of the checklist until the product goes live.

The Gwynn preview card appears to have a portion of his autograph, I know there are probably only a couple that will include his auto and they will demand a premium but it really is cool.