The 1990's were a period of incredible innovation for sports cards. One of the most notable creations coming out of the era was the introduction of the "One-of-One" or "1/1" by Fleer in the 1997 release of Flair Showcase. Other manufacturers quickly followed suit and began experimenting with their own 1/1's in 1998 and 1999 releases. We have searched every corner of the internet to find every "One-of-One" baseball card released during the decade, pulled pictures of the cards for you to reference, and provided some context for each manufacturer. Enjoy!
Fleer
Fleer dominated the 1/1 game in the late 90's. The 1/1's released across the Flair Showcase, Ultra, Mystique, and Metal Universe brands have become some of the most sought after parallels for 90's collectors. While each 1/1 parallel they released have a slightly different characteristic that makes the card stand out from its base counterparts, Fleer really nailed the differentiation in the 1999 Ultra and 1999 Metal Universe Releases where it truly felt like you were receiving a one of a kind card.
1997 Flair Showcase Row 0 Masterpiece
1997 Flair Showcase Row 1 Masterpiece
1997 Flair Showcase Row 2 Masterpiece
1998 Flair Showcase Row 0 Masterpiece
1998 Flair Showcase Row 1 Masterpiece
1998 Flair Showcase Row 2 Masterpiece
1998 Flair Showcase Row 3 Masterpiece
1999 Flair Showcase Row 1 Masterpiece
1999 Flair Showcase Row 2 Masterpiece
1999 Flair Showcase Row 3 Masterpiece
1998 Fleer Sports Illustrated First Edition
1998 Ultra Masterpiece (Base)
1998 Ultra Masterpiece (Checklists)*
1998 Ultra Masterpiece (Pizzazz)
1998 Ultra Masterpiece (Prospects)*
1998 Ultra Masterpiece (Season Crowns)
1999 Ultra Masterpiece (Base)
1999 Ultra Masterpiece (Checklists)*
1999 Ultra Masterpiece (Prospects)*
1999 Ultra Masterpiece (Season Crowns)
1999 Fleer Mystique Masterpiece (Base)
1999 Fleer Mystique Masterpiece (Prospects)*
1999 Fleer Mystique Masterpiece (Super Stars)*
1999 Metal Universe Gem Masters (Base)
1999 Metal Universe Gem Masters (Building Blocks)
1999 Metal Universe Gem Masters (Caught on the Fly)
1999 Metal Universe Gem Masters (Checklists)*
1999 Metal Universe Gem Masters (MLPD)
Leaf
Leaf Rookies & Stars stood out at release due to the unconventional approach of guaranteeing a serial numbered insert or short printed base card in each pack. The set featured the Longevity parallel that was serial numbered to 50, but the first serial numbered copy of each player was printed on holographic foil making the first card in the run a one-of -one.
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity Holographic (Base)
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity Holographic (High-Numbers)*
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity Holographic (Power Tools)*
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity Holographic (Rookies)*
1998 Leaf Rookies & Stars Longevity Holographic (Team Lineup Card)*
Pacific
The EO Portraits Pacific, released in 1998 and 1999 as part of the Omega set, incorporated a technology that gained wider recognition with the 1999 Skybox Molten Metal Fusion insert. This innovative approach features a laser-cut bust of the player through the card. While there have been only a handful of sales of the 1 of 1 copies, and even fewer photographs showcasing their design, our research reveals that the primary distinguishing feature of these cards is the laser-cut "1/1" mark on the front.
1998 Pacific Omega EO Portraits 1 of 1*
1999 Pacific Omega EO Portraits 1 of 1
* Card not pictured in gallery above
Pinnacle
1997 Pinnacle Mint Solid Gold Coin*
1998 Pinnacle Mint Solid Gold Coin
1998 Pinnacle Plus Mirror Artist's Proof
Score
Score might not have been the most popular manufacturer from the era, but they produced one of the most unique 1/1 parallels of the decade. The 1998 Score Rookie/Traded Showcase Series Artist's Proof 1 of 1 is highly sought-after for its cutting-edge multi-layered printing technology, which adds a depth and richness to the card's appearance, greatly setting it apart from its base counterparts.
1998 Score Rookie/Traded Showcase Series Artist's Proof 1 of 1
Topps
Long before the superfractor reigned supreme, Topps had the "One-to-One" parallel in Gold Label. Topps Gold Label had a similar design and set configuration to Flair Showcase's Row 1, 2, 3 structure in their Class 1, 2, 3. Topps introduced a secondary element in that each card featured the "Gold Label" emblem and the player's script in the standard gold, red, or black. There were 9 one-of-ones for each player player in both the 1998 and 1999 issuances of the set.
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Base One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Black One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Red One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Base One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Black One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Red One-to-One*
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Base One-to-One
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Black One-to-One*
1998 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Red One-to-One*
* Card not pictured in gallery above
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Base One-to-One *
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Black One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 1 Red One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Base One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Black One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 2 Red One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Base One-to-One
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Black One-to-One *
1999 Topps Gold Label Class 3 Red One-to-One *
1999 Topps Gold Label Race to Aaron One-to-One
* Card not pictured in gallery above
Upper Deck
Despite Upper Deck's considerable success in the 90s, they fell short in their initial foray into producing one-of-ones. Although they produced as many 1/1 cards as other manufacturers of that era, the completed sales for these cards are almost non-existent, ghosts. This scarcity in the market is likely due in large part to the minimal differences between the 1/1 cards and their base counterparts in many of the releases. Chances are that those cards were tossed somewhere along the way from an unknowing collector.
1998 SPx Finite SPectrum Cornerstones of the Game*
1998 SPx Finite SPectrum Heroes of the Game*
1999 SPx Spectrum (Base)
1999 SPx Spectrum (Rookies & Prospects)*
* Card not pictured in gallery above
1999 Ultimate Victory - Ultimate Victory Collection (Base)*
1999 Ultimate Victory - Ultimate Victory Collection (McGwire Magic)*
1999 Ultimate Victory - Ultimate Victory Collection (Rookie 99)*
1999 Black Diamond Diamond Dominance Emerald*
1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Artifacts (Redemption for a framed cut auto, signed baseball, or signed jersey)*
1999 Upper Deck Century Legends Legendary Cuts
1999 Upper Deck Century Legends MVPs
1999 Upper Deck PowerDeck Gold*
1999 Upper Deck PowerDeck Auxiliary Gold*
1999 Upper Deck PowerDeck Most Valuable Performances Auxiliary Gold*
1999 Upper Deck PowerDeck Powerful Moments Auxiliary Gold*
1999 Upper Deck PowerDeck Time Capsule Auxiliary Gold*
1999 Upper Deck Retro Platinum
1999 Upper Deck UD Exclusives Level 2 (Base)
1999 Upper Deck UD Exclusives Level 2 (Checklists)*
1999 Upper Deck UD Exclusives Level 2 (Foreign Focus)*
1999 Upper Deck UD Exclusives Level 2 (Star Rookies)*
1999 Upper Deck 10th Anniversary Team Home Run*
1999 Upper Deck Immaculate Perception Home Run*
1999 Upper Deck Crowning Glory Home Run*
1999 Upper Deck Wonder Years Home Run*
* Card not pictured in gallery above