Cheap Wax Wednesday Box Breaks: 1996 Pro Line Football
1996 Pro Line Football features a base checklist of 350 cards. Included in the checklist are 37 rookies, and some decent names like Mike Alstott, Eddie George, Terry Glenn, Kevin Hardy, Marvin Harrison, Keyshawn Johnson, Lawyer Milloy, and Eric Moulds.
The release is a simple one. There is one parallel, Printer’s Proofs. The lone standard insert set is a tough one. Touchdown Performers fall just once in every 75 packs. Then there are autographs. Base autographs feature a 71-card checklist. There are some good names, including Alstott, Drew Bledsoe, Tim Brown, Marshall Faulk, and Keyshawn Johnson. There are also Gold Autographs limited to 250. The highlight of that checklist? A Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith dual autograph.
1996 Pro Line Football Box Break
Cards per pack: 10
Packs per box: 28
Price paid: $40
Shop for 1996 Pro Line Football boxes on eBay.
Pack 1 highlights:
Dorsey Levens, Errict Rhett & Emmitt Smith
Yes, I am immediately dealing with some bricking on these. I am going to soldier on and pretend that isn’t the case. I cringed, believe me.
Pack 2:
Steve Young
Pack 3:
Eric Metcalf, Frank Sanders & Tim Biakabutuka RC
Pack 4:
Marcus Allen, Rodney Hampton, Jerome Bettis, Steve McNair & Tim Brown
Bettis was traded to the Steelers in April, 1996. He was dealt, along with a third round pick, for two draft picks, a second rounder and fourth rounder. I can’t imagine the Rams look back on this one fondly.
Pack 5:
Barry Sanders, Trent Dilfer & Ken Norton, Jr.
Pack 6:
Kordell “Slash” Stewart & Kerry Collins
Pack 7:
Keyshawn Johnson RC, Curtis Martin, Jay Novacek & Marvin Harrison RC
This draft class was loaded with very solid wide receivers.
Pack 8:
Lawyer Milloy RC, Andre Rison & Levon Kirkland Printer’s Proof (1:10 packs)
Pack 9:
Brian Blades
Pack 10:
Thurman Thomas, Cris Carter & Jeff George
Carter’s full name is Graduel Christopher Darin Carter.
Pack 11:
Shannon Sharpe, O.J. McDuffie, Ricky Watters & Derrick Thomas
Pack 12:
Kevin Carter, Rashaan Salaam & Joey Galloway
Pack 13:
Cortez Kennedy, Karim Abdul-Jabbar RC, Rod Woodson & Joey Galloway Touchdown Performers (1:75 packs)
Luckily this tough Galloway insert came out fairly unscathed!
Pack 14:
Irving Fryar, Jeff Blake, Tim Biakabutuka RC & Junior Seau
Pack 15:
John Elway, Kevin Greene & Terry Glenn RC
Pack 16:
Larry Brown, Kevin Hardy RC, Eddie George RC & Daryl “Moose” Johnston
Brown earned Super Bowl XXX MVP honors after two interceptions in the Cowboys’ win.
Pack 17:
Kyle Brady & Darren Woodson
Pack 18:
Ben Coates, Natrone Means & Drew Bledsoe
Pack 19:
Keenan McCardell, Herman Moore, Carl Pickens, Randall Cunningham, Boomer Esiason, Lawrence Phillips RC & Bobby Engram RC
Engram, a second round pick, recorded a career high six touchdown receptions his rookie season.
Pack 20:
Napoleon Kaufman, Bobby Engram RC, John Randle & Tony Banks Printer’s Proof (1:10 packs)
Pack 21:
Keyshawn Johnson CL, Jim Kelly, Terrell Davis, Ty Law, Eddie George RC & Bruce Smith
Pack 22:
Craig “Iron Head” Heyward, Robert Brooks & Derrick Mayes Autograph (1:25 packs)
Mayes was a Packers second round selection out of Notre Dame. His best season came in Seattle in 1999 when he racked up 829 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns.
Pack 23:
Bryan Cox, Emmitt Smith CL, Drew Bledsoe CL & Ki-Jana Carter
Pack 24:
Dorsey Levens, Keyshawn Johnson CL, Amani Toomer RC, Mark Brunell, Johnie Morton & Warren Moon
Pack 25:
Jerry Rice, Jerome Bettis & Willie McGinest
McGinest was a first round pick in 1994. He would win three Super Bowl rings with the Patriots.
Pack 26:
Emmitt Smith CL & “Rocket” Ismail
Pack 27:
Reggie White, Kevin Greene, Marvin Harrison RC, Lawyer Milloy RC & Vinny Testaverde
Pack 28:
Napoleon Kaufman & J.J. Stokes
Lastly, the Kaufman card back. He made an instant impact with the Raiders his rookie season.
Obviously I can’t overlook the bricked cards. Keep that in mind if you ever consider picking up a box. The possibility of damaged cards is definitely there. It’s too bad, because this is an attractive set.
Luckily, the autograph card survived without much damage. Same with the tough Galloway Touchdown Performers insert card. At least it wasn’t a total loss.
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Want more installments of Shane Salmonson’s Cheap Wax Wednesday? Check out his other breaks in the archives.
