2013 Fleer Retro Marvel Checklist, Trading Cards Info, Precious Metal Gems

October 29, 2021

The 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel trading cards checklist make old new again. Drawing inspiration from both Marvel sets from the past and some popular sports inserts from the Fleer/SkyBox portfolio, there’s as much ’90s here as there is in a night of binge watching Fresh Prince of Bel Air reruns. That popular nostalgia mixed with some tough odds has made this one of the most valuable sets of Marvel trading cards — ever.

2013 Fleer Marvel Retro Checklist Details

The base set is probably best seen as informative than particularly coveted. Consisting of 60 cards, it’s a character-driven checklist. Modern art and foil highlights make up the fronts. Backs offer vitals, background and a short bio. They’re also handy for mentioning first appearances. A handy Power Rating chart shows strengths and weaknesses of the featured heroes and villains.

Printing Plate parallels are available for the base set. Although each is a one-of-one, each card has four versions: Black, Cyan, Magenta and Yellow.

One of the two sketch card themes in 2013 Fleer Marvel Retro is also rooted in the main set. The card itself starts as a blank version of a character’s card. Artists were then free to offer their renditions of the respective heroes and villains.

Nostalgic Inserts

Much of the “retro” on the 2013 Fleer Marvel Retro checklist is found in the inserts. Some are based on ’90s Marvel trading card sets while others have origins in sports cards sets.

Impel’s Marvel Universe run is the focus of three separate but similar sets. The 1990 Series I, 1991 Series II and 1992 Series III layouts are each used for separate sets only with new art and different characters. With odds ranging from 1:6.5 to 1:10 packs, these are some of the easier inserts to pull. That said, like much of the product, supply has dried up a lot over the years. Printing Plates can be found here as well as Artist Autographs for select cards.

Holograms are another throwback to Impel’s run with the Marvel line in the early ’90s. When the sets debuted, these were the lone chase cards. They’re not easy to pull at 1:80 packs, however there are just three cards on the checklist.

Power Blast cards, which are inspired by similar inserts in 1994 Fleer Marvel Universe, are also 1:80 packs. However, with 21 cards to collect, finding specific cards can be challenging (and expensive).

Sports Central

A handful of inserts on the 2013 Fleer Retro Marvel checklist come from Fleer/SkyBox sports sets.

Intimidation Nation (20 cards, 1:30 packs) goes back to 1998 with insert sets in 1998-99 SkyBox Premium Basketball and 1998 SkyBox Premium Football.

Metal Hardware (10 cards, 1:60 packs) is based on a set in 1997-98 Metal Universe Championship Basketball.

Ti-22 (21 cards, 1:40 packs) is an acetate set that has roots in 1997-98 Metal Universe Basketball. There, it’s called Titanium. However, if you translate the name here to the Table of Elements, you get the same thing.

Quick Strike (21 cards, 1:40 packs) is another set done on acetate. Here, the inspiration comes from 1997-98 Z-Force Basketball.

Finally, there’s Jambalaya, one of the most iconic inserts to make its debut in the ’90s. This is its debut in a set of Marvel trading cards. Although not serial numbered, with 21 cards and odds of 1:200 packs, these die-cut cards are scarce. They have the values to match with single cards selling for hundreds.

2013 Fleer Marvel Retro Precious Metal Gems

Marvel Metal is the easiest insert in the product, falling 3.5:10 packs. Done with etched foil, they’re another reimagined set from Marvel’s past.

However, it’s the Precious Metal Gems versions that get most of the attention today.

Instead of the normal silver backgrounds, PMGs come in three colors: Red (/100), Blue (/50) and Green (/10).

The popularity of Precious Metal Gems goes far beyond this set. Some of the earliest basketball ones from superstars like Michael Jordan have reached six figures. They’re not that high in 2013 Fleer Marvel Retro, but some can still command hundreds or even thousands. Values on these are more like sports cards in that key heroes and villains command premiums — some significantly. Needless to say, these are some of the most iconic and most valuable modern Marvel cards.