2004 Fleer InScribed: Box Review (Hobby)

The 2004 Fleer InScribed (hobby) box comes with 12 packs with 5 cards per pack.  

Each hobby box should contain one autograph and two memorabilia cards.  The 2004 Fleer InScribed base set contains 75 regular base cards, 10 retired player short prints (#/1000) seeded 1:20 packs, and 15 rookie short prints (#/750) seeded 1:12 packs.  I ripped this box as part of my recent Nachos Grande Breaker's Club group break.

The base design for the set is a crisp, no-frills white bordered card with a nice finish on the card.  The cards feel very classy - understated, but classy!  Our box yielded exactly 50 base cards.

We didn't find any of the retired player short prints but we did end up with two of the rookie short prints (the stated pack odds say we should have only found one such card).  

We also found one parallel card - a Facsimile Signature Gold card #/199 Tino Martinez card for the Rays!  

Parallels are seeded 1:8 packs overall so we didn't beat the odds here by only getting one (that said, we were within the stated pack odds so I can't complain).  I will say that this particular parallel is a sharp looking card - the black borders make the overall card design really pop!

The 2004 Fleer InScribed set is rather light on inserts but we did find one in our box - a lovely "Names of the Game" card of Joe Morgan #/299.  

I love the raised stamp on the card - something I haven't seen used in many baseball card sets over the years!  As a Reds fan, this one is an instant keeper for me!

Finally, we get to the hits.  First, our one-per-box autograph:

The base design works well for autographed cards - though here I think Bonderman signed a bunch of "note cards" and then Fleer sandwiched the signed card between the border and card back.  Even so, it's a nice looking final product to be sure.

Last, but certainly not least, our two relics beginning with an Award Winner relic of Eric Gagne #/175.

While the Gagne was definitely nice (and low numbered), the real highlight of the box for me was pulling this Cal Ripken, Jr. relic #/250:

What a great looking card - and a great pull for the Orioles team slot in our group break (congrats to Shane who had Baltimore in the break)!

Overall, I give the 2004 Fleer InScribed (hobby) box the following rating:

Set Design:  B+

Collation:  A-

Opening Thrill:  B+

Overall:  B+

For the cost of a box, I'd like to receive more than 50 base cards plus a small handful of inserts but otherwise there isn't much to complain about here.  I'd happily include another box of 2004 Fleer InScribed in a future group break if I could find a box at an affordable price!