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Skybox: Impact

My Skybox: Impact Collection (Updated December 26th, 2021)

Fleer introduced it's "Skybox" brand to the hobby in 1992 and it started it with 2 titles, the "Primetime" title, and the "Impact" title. I'll go into only the "Impact" title on this page. In 1992, the hobby got its first taste of "Skybox: Impact"; a solid 350-card set that was a solid player once it entered the hobby. I liked the initial release of the Skybox Impact title, especially the player's last name written very LARGE across the top of the card, (See the 1992 Skybox Impact: "Johnny Rembert" #265 left). The first release from "Skybox: Impact" didn't have much in the way of insert sets, (only 2), but the set itself was clearly about maximizing as many star players on each team as the set would allow. Although not very sexy, this set was a very solid initial release by "Skybox: Impact", in my opinion.

In 1993, Skybox continued its Impact set with a 400-card offering. Now we're talking. A 400-card set gives the collector a really good team set. Not the 2-3 cards that today's sets give. I liked the focused shot of the player against the hazy background, (See the 1993 Skybox Impact: "Andre Ware" #100 right). The '93 set also gave the collector 3 insert sets, none of which really command a high asking price. I thought the card design in '93 set a classic, maybe not the best, but good enough to stick around in a crowded 90s. hobby.

1992 Skybox Impact: “Johnny Rembert” #265

1993 Skybox Impact: “Andre Ware” #100

1995 Skybox Impact: “Quentin Coryott” #62

1994 Skybox Impact: “Ken Harvey” #11

The '94 release brought a change to the "Skybox: Impact" title. Gone was the massive 400-card set, instead a 300-card set was a new size. Still a respectable size, but now not as awesome as the previous year, (See the 1994 Skybox Impact: "Ken Harvey" #11 left).  Skybox added more insert sets to its portfolio that year, keeping with the increasing trend, (2 sets in 1992 and 3 in 1993), the '94 set had 4. One of those sets, the Instant Impact set, has eluded me all these years. I'm still looking for that simple $20 set. I liked the '94 "Skybox: Impact" set. Back in those days, (yes, it is over 20+ years ago), you could still find complete sets on a regular basis. 

1996 Skybox Impact: “Calvin Williams” #112

The '95 "Skybox: Impact" offering was a very nice set; Crisp photography and new images were what the '95 set was, (See the 1995 Skybox Impact: "Quentin Coryott" #62 right). The only glaring problem; the set shrunk again. The '95 release was a pitiful 200 cards, half of what it was

In '96 "Skybox: Impact" release continued with the action shots, (See the 1996 Skybox Impact: "Calvin Williams" #112 above left). The '96 release was another 200-card set, but the '96 offering had an uptick with the quality/design of the insert sets. In previous years, I always thought the insert sets were a little drab and uninteresting. Not so in 1996. Take the "No Surrender" insert set, (See the 1996 Skybox Impact: "Jerry Rice" No Surrender #16 right), this set had a raised surface to act as a "tear" in the football. Skybox wasn't the first to do this, but this set was 

1996 Skybox Impact: “Jerry Rice” No Surrender #16

1996 Skybox Impact Rookies: “Eric Moulds” RC #8

1997 Skybox Impact: “Gilbert Brown” #38

2000 Skybox Impact: “Fred Lane” #9

Well, what can I say about the '97 "Skybox: Impact" release? Holy smokes!! Talk about mixing things up a little bit.  My first thought was that they turned everything over to "Collector's Edge". This release was an absolute disaster. So much so,

In '96 Skybox also released a sister set to the "Skybox: Impact" title, it was called "Skybox: Impact Rookies". I didn't like the name of the set and the reason why is that there were veteran players in this set. That didn't make any sense, (See the 1996 Skybox Impact Rookies: "Eric Moulds" #8 above left). The '96 "Impact: Rookies" set is insanely cheap; the book value as I write this is a mere $12 bucks. Maybe it's the insanely low 150-card set that makes it so. There were 5 insert sets included with this release, one of those being a 6-card rookie autograph set.  Funny, but the tiny 6-card autograph set made up for any shortcomings the 150-base card set had.

 

After the afore-mentioned 2 years off, the "Skybox: Impact" title came back with a vengeance. Although, I don't understand why this release had a mere 199 cards. I have no idea what kept them from adding that one card. The cards were very nice, nonetheless, (See the Skybox Impact: "Fred Lane" #9 left). The 2000 release also included 4 insert sets, my favorite being the "Hats Off" memorabilia set, (See the 2000 Skybox Impact: "Rob Moore" Hats Off #18 left). The "Hats Off" insert set made its first appearance in the '99 "Skybox: Dominion" release. Now that was an awesome set. This one? Even though it was nice, some cards just didn't make sense. For example, the set is called, "Hats Off", yet some of the players in the pictures aren't wearing hats. Kind of defeats the purpose of the set, doesn't it?

 

back in '93. The '95 release did have a very good collection of insert sets; 6 sets this time around. But the real item of interest from this release was the 2-cards that were NOT included. Joe Montana and his representatives had issues with licensing and these issues were not worked out prior to the printing of 2 sets, (the "Future Hall of Famers" set and the "Power" set); therefore, his cards were pulled early on in the process. You can still find one or two online, but you'll pay a steep price for them. I don't have either of them.....yet.

 

cool, nonetheless. The '96 "Skybox: Impact" offering had 6 insert sets, all of which were pretty cool and are still easy to come by.

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 that the "Skybox: Impact" title didn't come back until 2000. I guess Fleer needed two years off to recuperate after this monstrosity, (See the 1997 Skybox Impact: "Gilbert Brown" #38 above left). When I look back at it, I kind of  sense that the '97 Impact release was a test set for the '98 "Skybox: Thunder" release, (See the Skybox: Misc Titles" page). Both sets are very similar in their hideousness. The set size did make a slight jump in 1997, from 200 in 1996 to 250 in 1997, but this didn't help. It just gave the collector more ugly cards to look at. In the end, avoid this set unless your like me and you have to collect everything.

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2000 Skybox Impact: “Rob Moore” Hats Off #18

In closing, the "Skybox: Impact" title was far from the best option collector's had, but it definitely wasn't one of the worst either. Fleer released just a solid football set year after year under the "Skybox: Impact: title. It wasn't sexy, but it won't cost you a lot to get either. And other then the 2 Joe Montana cards from the 1995 insert sets that were pulled early there really isn't much else of any real value. But If I were a new collector today who just wanted to collect an inexpensive set from the 90s, then any of these sets would do.

I have complete sets:
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Skybox Impact Series:

1) 1992 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Hologram Insert

    B) Major Impact Insert

2) 1993 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Kelly / Magic Insert

    B) Rookie Redemption Insert

    C) Update Insert

3) 1994 Skybox Impact Set

    A) QB Update Insert

    B) Instant Impact Insert

    C) Rookie Redemption Insert

    D) Ultimate Impact Insert

4) 1995 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Rookie RB Insert

    B) Countdown Insert

    C) More Attitude Insert

    D) Fox Announcers Insert

    E) Future Hall of Famers Insert - Incomplete ( 7 / 8 ) *

    F) Power Insert - Incomplete ( 29 / 30 ) *

5) 1996 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Excelerators Insert

    B) Intimidators Insert

    C) More Attitude Insert

    D) No Surrender Insert

    E) Versa Team Insert

6) 1997 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Boss Insert

    B) Excelerators Insert

    C) Instant Impact Insert

    D) Rave Reviews Insert

    E) Total Impact Insert

7) 1998 Skybox Impact Set - Does Not Exist

8) 1999 Skybox Impact Set - Does Not Exist

9) 2000 Skybox Impact Set

    A) Hats Off Insert

    B) Point of Impact Insert

    C) Review '99 Insert

 

Skybox Impact Rookies Series:

1) 1996 Skybox Impact Rookies Set

    A) All-Rookie Team Insert

    B) Draft Board Insert   

    C) 1996 Rookie Autographs Insert

    D) Rookie Rewind Insert - Incomplete ( 9 / 10 )

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* Note: These sets are both considered complete due to Joe Montana's card being pulled from the set. However, I consider them both still incomplete. 

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