1986 All-Star Game Insert

("Front")                                                           ("Back")

Card Review: Not a "Card"

After some debate, I've decided that this doesn't count as a "card."  I don't doubt that it was cut out of the 1986 All-Star Game Program, though I can't prove that it was either.  Regardless,  I am willing to accept that it was.  That was also the case with the 1983 All-Star Game Program Insert, the 1984 All-Star Game Program Insert, and the 1985 insert.  I count all three of those as "cards," albeit, I do so reluctantly.  This '86 version is similar in size, paper stock (or lack there of) and came from the same place, but I'm not giving it the same benefit of the doubt.  

I have a few reasons for declining to call this a card.  For starters, I was extremely reluctant to call it's predecessor's cards.  These were cut from a magazine, and of very thin paper stock.  This one is even slightly thinner than the others, and is essentially nothing more than glossy magazine paper.  The others are slightly thicker, or more aptly, less flimsy, as they aren't all that "thick" either.

The others also appear to have been meant to be cut out and treated as cards.  They have unique backs with the players name, some info on the player, and the logo of the respective All-Star Game.  The info provided is nominal (see below), but they are definitely made to be specific to the picture on the front.  Tony Gwynn lining up behind Wallach on this one is likely just pure chance.  It probably could have just as easily been a portion of a Budweiser ad.  Nothing about this indicates to me that it was meant to be cut-out and treated as a card.  This looks like it was probably more of a "year book" style roster of MLB players.  Most programs have photos like this of the teams.  No one calls them cards.

Finally, this "card" doesn't show up anywhere on checklist.  I am far from a slave to the online checklist.  I appreciate the service they can provide as a source of information, but just because they define something as a card, or not a card, does not affect what I deem to be a "card." for purposes of my collection.  At times it can be persuasive, but it is far from dispositive on the issue.  Depending on what checklist you're looking at, you'll find different items treated as cards, so it's not as though there is even consensus among the various outlets.  Such is the case with the '83, '84, and '85 inserts.  Some list them as cards, and on others they're absent.  This '86 insert appears no where.  I tend to error on the side of the "not a card" judgment, and am not going to make an exception here.

Finally, look at the backs to the others.  These were clearly meant to be individual items, so they're counted as cards.  As this 1986 edition is not a "card," there will be no tally as to how many I have.  It's just an oddball item (and some money wasted on eBay that I'll never get back).