Variations on a Theme

While (s)trolling through the ebay the other day I came across a strange set of racing cards.  I didn't collect racing cards in 1997 when these Wheels cards came out.

I still don't know much about racing cards, but I know that my wife likes Jeff Burton, so I've started a small collection of his cards.  But these were too ripe to just let sit collecting dust on ebay, so I snagged some of the images to keep them from getting lost to memory as new, much better cards came along.

I don't know exactly what the variation, parallel or insert names are, so I'll guess.

First up is a base card for the Race Sharks.  Ward Burton, brother of Jeff.

Jeff Burton in the base of the Race Sharks, Tiger Sharks.

Then the First Bite variation of the Race Sharks, Tiger Sharks.

Still looking incognito, Jeff on a Shark Attack card.  Ah, the joys of die cuts.

In the late 1990s Jeff Gordon was a cash cow for NASCAR.  This is the Hammerhead diecut insert.

I think that this is a promo card for the set.  Hammerhead plus a shark bite.

And would a set be complete without relics?  Nope.  Apparently Wheels went to the tee-shirt shops at Hilton Head and bought up the basket of shark teeth.  Rusty Wallace has a few car dealerships in and around the Knoxvegas area.  So see a lot of him on TV.

And would a set be complete with out autographs?  Nope, again.

I won't be chasing this ridiculous set, but I probably would purchase the Jeff Burtons if they were at the right price.

Coming up soon, what is the right price for cards?