FORGOTTEN: 1996 Zenith Football

Here is our NEW segment on Sport Card Collectors. This segment is not about the players per say, its more about the cards and design. We will focus our efforts on bringing you brands you may have forgotten about over time.

With thicker base cards, very appealing design, and a high end feel in the 1990's, Zenith Football was a hot release from Pinnacle that only lasted a few  years.

The base card at that time was one of the best I had seen for a football product. The black and gold background with the Wilson football being the background behind the bright colorful player. I liked the 1996 design much more than the 1997 that I also bought some of.

This is how a box break would go down.

24 packs per box, 6 cards per pack
Parallel set:
Artist's Proof 1:23

Inserts:
Noteworthy 1:12
Rookie Rising 1:24
Z-Team 1:72

Some of the inserts used unique innovations at the time such as Dufex and also included a lot of rainbow shine that really seperated them from the base cards. I remember hitting the biggest pull I would say from the product at a card show (yep at one time they existed where I live) a Emmitt Smith Z-Team. I immediately got an offer for the card but turned it down. It was the best card in my collection at that point. But sadly now, I no longer have the card since I traded it to my mom the Cowboys fan for some Giants cards. I do miss the card a little but seeing them fall for less than $15 each it could be an easy future pickup. Boxes run around $33 as well. Would be a fun bust I think for now-a-days pulling those exciting 1990's inserts.

I do hope someday that Panini picks up the Zenith brand (which Donruss did try to revive in 2005 but it didn't get a passing grade) and does something with it. I would love to see a product like this made again.