My Least Favorite Sets list is a compilation of card sets or insert sets that the card manufacturers tried to sell as cards. In reality they were nothing more than sad, pathetic attempts to trick the collector. Needless to say, This is the list you don't want to be on.

Sometimes I wonder how the heck these card manufactures allow this crap out the door?  I mean really, look at the 1991 Fleer set.  Its horrible.  Fleer took a couple years off from the football card business to come back with this whopper and its predecessor the 1990 set.  The 1990 set wasn't worth the effort, but it was light-years ahead of the 1991 set.  What was Fleer thinking?  More importantly, how did Fleer continue making cards after those two sets?  If they did that today, with today's competition, Fleer would be extinct. 

It seemed the only edge that Collector's Edge was giving to the collector were hints to shop elsewhere. Unlike Fleer, Collector's Edge started off very well, (See my Collector's Edge page), but everything went downhill in a hurry. The 1996 Collector's Edge Advantage was a huge disappointment.  The front of the card wastes more space than the 1991 Pinnacle set.  With their use of colors, and swirls, and glitter on the card fronts, it made me think they were football cards right out of the 60s.  Another problem Collector's Edge had was that they never could figure out how to properly use the cards backside.  Topps was the master at this space utilization and Collector's Edge never could figure it out.  Check out some of their cards and you'll see what I mean.  The info is unorganized, inadequate and in my opinion incomplete.   Collector's Edge went bankrupt this past year and I wonder if we know why?  I think so.

Even the King of the Football community, Topps, had a winner in 1990.  They must have moved their whole budget into the Stadium Club project because nothing was left over for their flagship title.  The 1990 set was nasty.  But Topps stuck with their guns and produced cardboard stock cards for another year.  Well, I guess for every 1997 Topps Gallery and 1996 Upper Deck SP you have to have a couple 1990 Topps and 1991 Fleer sets.

One thing is for sure, after looking at the list you'll notice that if card manufacturers totally reject or ignore the backside, they have a good chance of ending up on this list. So, away we go with the worst the hobby has to offer.

1) 1991 Fleer - (See Fleer Page).

2) 1996 Collector's Edge Advantage - Thank God for the Game Ball cards!!

3) 1990 Topps - Just bad.  Topps Brass just loved cardboard!!  (Side Note: In this same year, Pro-Set had a borderless card; The hobby's first.)  What did Topps do?  They expanded theirs!!

4) 1995 Collector's Edge Instant Replay "Edge Tech Die Cut" Insert - CE needed to throw out these cards along with its CEO!!

5)  1996 Collector's Edge Advantage "Crystal Cuts" Insert - What was on the back?  The front....just reversed.  Bad idea!!

6) 1991 Pinnacle - (See Pinnacle Page)

7) 1997 Playoff Contenders - The front wasn't too bad. It was the backside that really got me.  What was it? The front.....again.  A little too much for me!!!

8) 1995 CE Excalibur "TekTech" Insert -  Is this from the 60s?  Again the card back is totally underutilized!

9) 1996 Pinnacle "Double Disguise" Insert - Double awful is more like it.

10) 1992 Pacific "Prism" Insert - Did these cards deserve their own set?!  Were they that good?

Dishonorable Mention11) 1990 Fleer - The early 90s were rough for Fleer!!