Featured Card: 1991 Upper Deck Hank Aaron Hologram

Ghosted by the holographic technology and poised for the delivery, Hank Aaron demonstrates his oft-used batting stance that propelled him to success. Fittingly, this tribute was labelled as one of the original (2nd year) Upper Deck Heroes of Baseball. Aaron's professionalism and sheer statistical greatness earned him the title.

This was not the best scan that I had of the card, but it was the only one which was able to showcase both the foreground and background. Notice that the fans' expresssions are inscrutable behind their varied array of sunglasses while Aaron's is focused and tunneled towards the approach of the stitched spheroid.

This card was a surprise for anyone to receive in a pack in 1991; these were "special cards' inserted at rates never before seen (well, that's not exactly true) . In addition, this was a hologram, the multi-color 3D card tech that would keep me tilting and re-tilting the card until the entire image could be gleaned one piece at a time in my mind's eye.

Who needs superfractors when this type of card is there to tempt your optics?

Topps All Time Fan Favorites vs. Original: Hank Aaron

Like many people I was not really an active collector during the 1999-2006 era of card autos, relics, and shininess. Therefore, I was unable to properly obtain and appreciate what I think was one of the more innovative card sets of that period, the 2003-2005 Topps All-Time Fan Favorites Series.

These aren't reprints like the Topps Archives sets nor were they players on new designs. These were new images with the retro designs with the twist being that the new image was supposed to be taken from the same period as that card design.

Another great aspect of the Topps All Time Fan Favorites set is that the card backs are also identical to the original card design with one exception. The stats for the player only encompass the years in which the players were on that team, including the team career totals. I like that a lot, it really gives the set focused.

I was fortunate to be able to purchase both the 2003 and 2005 sets off ebay each for the same price as a blaster. It is really fun to sort through these cards and remember what players bring back memories of days gone by. Some of them are as recent as Edgar Martinez in a 2003 Topps design.

Anyway, once I get my feet back on the ground and I am not pursuing too many other card goals. I would like to pair up as many as these cards as possible with the original just because it would be fun to look at.

This is the first one that I was able to locate. It's one of two Hank Aaron cards I have and luckily, it was represented in the All Time Fan Favorites set.

This is an iconic card, celebrating when Hank Aaron was anticipating to pass Babe Ruth at the onset of the 1974 season.

Which do you prefer: the 1974 Topps #1 or the modern re-working of the classic...or maybe a little of both?