One of my least favorite card companies from the 90′s was Pacific Trading Cards. Being a critic even back then, I just did not like a single thing about them. Coming back into collecting in 2007, I was somewhat relieved that they were no longer producing trading cards.
Today, I’ve probably scoured through several thousand Pacific cards from their early-90′s releases up until the final year and more often than not I have been left pleased. Here was a company that lacked the history and possibly funds of companies like Topps & Upper Deck yet always managed to change things up year after year.
When we start seeing the new wave of 2010 products early next year, only one company will be producing licensed baseball cards. Having grown up on brands like Donruss, Pinnacle, & Fleer, it’s sad to see The Hobby revert back to where it was 30 years ago.
While Topps has put out one excellent release after another in baseball this year, it’s not going to be very exciting in 2010 when all the non-Topps cards have to airbrush and/or use clever photography to avoid showing Major League logos. Non-licensed cards was my biggest issues with Donruss in 2008.
Here’s hoping for a miracle in 2010. Maybe Upper Deck can find a loophole that allows them to continue producing cards with logos. Even better, it would be great to see a company rise up the way Razor Collectibles did last year (minus the controversy) and produce great baseball cards to shake up The Hobby.
Anyone know who owns the rights to Pacific Trading Cards?
I believe Playoff/Donruss/Panini picked up the copyrights somewhere along the line.
I believe Donruss bought the rights to the “Pacific” name a few years back. That means, Panini now owns the name.
Donruss bought Pacific Trading Cards in 2004 or 2005 after they shut down.
Their Crown Royale cards and such from about 2000 were pretty cool cards
They had some pretty nice die cuts.
I’m pretty sure that Donruss/Panini owns the rights to the Pacific brand.
I really liked the Pacific Invincible cards… b/c they were part cardboard, part acetate.
Pacific certainly were kings of diecutting and producing condition sensitive inserts. The all-star inserts from the early aught hockey sets jump into mind. The little diadems that protrude from the top were rarely undamaged coming out of the pack. Give it to Pacific, they sort of revolutionized the one card per pack concept. That took balls. When most companies were giving collectors around a dozen cards for under 2 bux Pacific was charging the same or more for 1 ridiculous foilboard mess!
Always loved the Pacific die-cuts, and my two best Ladainian Tomlinson cards came from them. They may be the reason for the rise of craptacular relic cards though. Those crappy hit & three random packs for $10 things might not exist today if not for Pacific in 2001. Two… err, six words: Tim Dwight/Patrick Jeffers dual jersey.
I actually liked the hockey releases of Pacific cards, the colors were always vibrant and the designs were pretty nice.
So the company who will likely never again produce baseball cards owns Pinnacle AND Pacific?
Yep, Mario. Here’s the link:
http://collectibles.about.com/od/manufacturersreleases/a/blPRdonr100504.htm
It’s a shame that a good company like Pacific went under, especially when we are talking about hockey jersey cards. They produced fine cards! Now, Upper Deck has the monopoly. This is not how it should be!
I like the 1991-1993 Pacific Nolan Ryan Series cards, It’s a shame that it was sold and all the previous owners or designers are not known, I have many unanswered questions that I would like to find answers for, If anyone out there can help – PLEASE Help, I need some contact information, Scott at reliablerecycle@aol.com THANKS
I won the Shoot the NFL contest in Nov 1995. Michael Cramer the owner and I flew to San Diego to shoot pictures of the game between the San Diego Chargers and the Cardinals. The flight and the Hotel and the added prizes added up to a great prize. I got a shirt hat and a set of Crown Royal Cards. I did not receive a full set . I wrote a letter and by returned mail got the balance of missing cards.
The owner of Pacific Michael Cramer and the rest of his staff were wonderful. I enjoyed the trip and the hoopla. And mainly The set of cards. I will miss the whole Crew.
Jerry Wheatley