Hobby Oddities: Fleer’s All-Star Collector’s Hat

Our hobby is filled with lots of crazy stuff.  When it comes to odd merchandise, Fleer’s All-Star Collector’s Hat has to be at the top of the “What were they thinking?” list.

Mail-in offers have been around the hobby since the beginning.  During the 80s though, card companies started to offer all kinds of weird stuff on the back of their packs.  Topps, Fleer, and Donruss all offered something as a thank you for your purchase.  Card storage units, team hats, and albums are among some of the items you could get.

1986 Fleer Baseball is remembered for rookies of Jose Canseco, Cecil Fielder, Paul O’Neill, and Lenny Dykstra.  The set’s blue borders are notorious for chipping which can make high-grade examples very desirable to collectors.  In a million years you couldn’t have guessed what the Fleer marketing team settled on as their mail-in offer for this set.

With a cost of $2.95 plus (3) proofs of purchase, you could be the proud owner of this ultra-cool Fleer All-Star Collector’s Hat.  This just isn’t any regular old hat either.  It has pocket sleeves that can hold eight of your favorite cards.  You heard correctly boys and girls.  Now you can proudly display your favorite cards on your head.

What a dumb idea.  I can’t imagine many people actually sent away for this.  You rarely find them today.  Which eight cards would you put in this hat?  I’d fill mine with eight ’52 Topps Mickey Mantle cards, and wear it outside on the sunniest summer day.