Can you help identify this card?

[kid4rock]

Was sorting through my Finest box and came across a couple of Mystery cards, one of which is a real mystery to me. One of the cards (left of scan) has Garciaparra on one side, and is black on the other side (some kind of peel-off label?). The other card is black on both sides. When I hold that card under the light I can see outlines of players underneath the black layer on each side. In the past I've never peeled labels off cards but wondering if I should do so with these to identify them??

 

[bongo870]

WOW you found a mystery finest. These were inseted into finest pack back in the late 90's. You didnt know what the card was untill you peeled the black film off. That Nomar shuold of had the black film on the back too. i would peel it. I remember some had a list of 4 players on the back yand you didnt know what one of the 4 players were on the front. I say peel away!

 

[cjay101]

Mystery Finest

Cards from this 90-card set feature color action photos of top players on double-sided cards. Each player is matched with three different players on the opposite side or another photo of himself in each series. Each side is covered with the Finest opaque protector that must be fully removed on both sides.

In the first series, 50 Mystery Finest cards were randomly inserted; while in Series Two, another 40 cards were produced. Unfortunately, Topps re-numbered the Series Two cards as its own distinct set, with a similar design and the same card numbering scheme. to distinguish between the two series of Mystery Finest cards, all 50 Series One cards have a "wave" design, while the Series Two cards have an "arch."

Each card is also available as a Refractor.

Series Two

M1 Nomar Garciaparra / Frank Thomas



All the above was taken from Baseballcardpedia.com

The one with Nomar is the back of one mystery finest. The front should have Frank Thomas on it when peeled off.
The double-black would work the same way...you have to peel it to find out what it is.

 

[bongo870]

.

 

[kid4rock]

Thanks for the help guys. I went ahead and peeled them. You were right about the Garciaparra. With great anticipation, I slowly peeled the other card to reveal................................ Ben Grieve. Still kind of cool peeling a card that has been sealed for 15 years. Thanks again.

 

[scc76]

Congrats on the find.

 

[bongo870]

Did the film leave anything on the card after all these years?

 

[kid4rock]

Did the film leave anything on the card after all these years?

No, the cards came out beautiful.

 

[cjay101]

Just think, back when that was a new product, that Grieve would have been a nice pull!

 

[David K.]

I was hoping it was Frank Thomas! Best regards, David

 

[kid4rock]

Hey David,
Hope you are doing well, enjoyed doing a fair amount of trading with you back a few years ago.

I was hoping it was Frank Thomas! Best regards, David