Flashback Product of the Week: 1993 Press Pass Previews

Every manufacturer has their first set.  Press Pass’s entry into racing cards came with their 1993 Press Pass Previews boxed collection.  Originally retailing for about $13.00, this 34-card set contains many top drivers of the time.  Its basically worth next to nothing today, but its interesting to see where Press Pass got their start.  Inside each box you’ll find the complete set, redemption coupon for free race-used memorabilia, and an offer for an exclusive 5-card Davey Allison Prism set.  I can’t help but notice that their “Prism Technology” in 1993 looks exactly like Panini’s Cracked Ice parallels today.  That seems to be the norm.  Renaming various printing technologies even though many of them look the same.

The 1993 Press Pass Previews box itself is terribly designed.  It has a gravely black/grey background with red and gold text.  You can barely read it.  It looks like something a two year old would make with PowerPoint.  Just like a lot of products in the 90’s, it was drastically overproduced.  Although something must have stuck with collectors, because Press Pass is the #1 (technically the only one) manufacturer of racing cards.  Their biggest competition came in the 90’s from manufacturers like Upper Deck.  I bet in 1993 the people at Press Pass weren’t even thinking about releasing an expensive product like Five Star which returns later this month.