Barry Larkin Collection 461: 1997 Donruss Preferred - #109

Barry Larkin

Year:  1997

Brand:  Donruss Preferred

Card number:  109

Parallel set:  Cut to the Chase

The 1997 Donruss Preferred set was sold in tins - and if that wasn't weird enough, the base set was split into a bunch of different rarities.  Barry Larkin ended up in the 30-card "gold" section - cards seeded 1:12 packs.  There is also a silver section (more common) and a platinum section (much less common than gold).  To make the set even more confusing, there is also a full parallel set (also with the same rarity breakdown) called Cut to the Chase (basically a die-cut version of the regular base card).  The card you see above happens to be one of the parallels...a gold Cut to the Chase die-cut.  

Really rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?  *eye roll*

As for the card itself, I can't compare it to the original base card because I don't yet own the non-die-cut version!  I will say that I like it better than Larkin's other card in the set (from the National Treasures subset seen here)...and I actually liked the National Treasures card as well.  It's almost enough for me to consider looking into collecting the Donruss Preferred set...but then I remember the goofy rarity system and it doesn't take long to go back to wanting "just the Larkins" for the set!  

Therefore, I believe I still need the regular base card (non-die-cut) and the die-cut parallel of the National Treasures card before I can consider this set complete!