1981 Fleer Baseball Card Wrapper

Fleer Issued 17 Baseball cards and a stick of gum in 1981 for .30¢ a pack. The wrappers featured two premium offer variations. One wrapper offer; You could get your favorite team cap for $4.00. The other, for $1.00, a "Giant 3" Photo Button" of your favorite star. Twenty-six players were offered on the wrapper. These Baseball Player Photo Buttons were produced by Sports Photo Associates located in Hawthorne NJ. The player photos taken for the 1978 copyright buttons were eventually used for the 1981 Fleer baseball cards. The first set issued by Fleer since 1963.

In 1975 Fleer sued under the antitrust laws to obtain the right to sell baseball cards in competition with Topps, alleging that Topps and the Major League Baseball Players Association had unlawfully restrained trade in baseball cards. In 1980 Fleer won the case in Federal District Court, and began distributing baseball cards with its bubble gum in 1981. The courts decision was made on June 30, 1980, and caused Fleer to rush production to be ready for the 1981 season. Sports Photo Associates had licensed photos in stock, that they had taken for the buttons, and made a deal with fleer.

Fleer's legal victory was overturned after one season, but Fleer contended in court that Topps contracts covered only cards packaged with gum or candy. In 1983, Fleer and Topps settled out of court. Fleer could continue to sell cards but not with gum. Fleer substituted stickers with team logos in place of the gum.

1981 Fleer Baseball Card Wrapper Premiums


Steve Garvey Card & Button	Reggie Jackson Button Wrapper	Nolan Ryan Proof Button

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