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In the early 1990s, the sports card hobby was experiencing one of its most explosive periods of growth. Card shops were thriving, collectors were opening packs by the case, and trading card companies were searching for new ways to create excitement inside every box.

Among the most innovative companies of the era was Pro Set, Inc., a Dallas-based trading card manufacturer that quickly rose to prominence with its officially licensed National Football League releases. While the company produced several memorable sets during the boom years, one promotion in particular would quietly help shape the future of the entire trading card industry.

That promotion was the Pro Set Platinum Redemption Program.

The Birth of the Modern “Chase Card”

Today, collectors are familiar with rare inserts, serial-numbered parallels, and redemption cards. Major manufacturers such as Panini Group, Topps, and Upper Deck Company routinely build products around ultra-rare cards that collectors chase.

But in the early 1990s, this concept was still in its infancy.

Rather than placing the actual rare cards inside packs, Pro Set, Inc. inserted redemption certificates. Lucky collectors who discovered one would mail the certificate back to the company and receive a special Platinum version of the card directly from the manufacturer.

This process created several innovations that are now standard across the hobby:

• Manufacturer redemption programs

• Extremely limited production runs

• Premium parallel versions of base cards

• Documentation verifying authenticity

• Direct fulfillment from the card company

These ideas would later become foundational elements of modern trading card products.

For that reason, many collectors consider the Pro Set Platinum promotion one of the earliest true “chase card” programs in sports cards.

The Emmitt Smith Platinum Redemption Card

Among the most coveted of the Platinum cards is the version featuring legendary running back Emmitt Smith.

Smith would go on to become the NFL’s all-time leading rusher and a cornerstone of the Dallas Cowboys dynasty of the 1990s. During the period when these cards were issued, Smith was rapidly emerging as one of the most exciting players in football.

The Platinum parallel created for him was produced in extremely limited numbers.

Hobby research and long-time collector tracking suggest that approximately 650 examples were produced, making it one of the most elusive early-1990s football parallels.

However, the true number of surviving cards may be far lower.

Why the Actual Surviving Population May Be Much Smaller

The redemption system used at the time means that not every Platinum card was ultimately distributed.

Several factors likely reduced the number that exist today:

• Some redemption certificates were never mailed in

• Others were lost or discarded by collectors unfamiliar with redemption programs

• A number of cards were likely affected during the financial collapse of Pro Set, Inc. in the mid-1990s

• Many surviving examples have remained hidden in private collections for decades

Because of this, Platinum redemption cards from this era are rarely seen on the open market.

The Importance of the Original Documentation

One of the most remarkable aspects of surviving Pro Set Platinum cards is the documentation that accompanied the redemption process.

Collectors who mailed their certificates received not only the card itself but also official materials confirming the redemption.

These materials often included:

• The original redemption certificate

• A formal letter from Pro Set

• The card sealed in the original manufacturer holder

Many of those documents have been separated from the card over the past thirty years.

As a result, examples that still include the complete original paperwork are especially desirable to collectors.

A particularly notable feature is the letter signed by John T. Grigsby Jr., who served as President and Chief Executive Officer of Pro Set during the height of the card boom.

This letter serves as a piece of hobby history, connecting the card directly to the manufacturer and the era in which it was distributed.

A Snapshot of the Sports Card Boom

The early 1990s represented a pivotal moment for the trading card industry.

Demand was surging, innovation was accelerating, and companies were experimenting with new ways to engage collectors.

The Pro Set Platinum redemption cards were born from this environment and represent one of the earliest attempts to create the type of ultra-limited chase cards that dominate modern releases today.

In many ways, these cards are historical artifacts from the moment the hobby began evolving into its modern form.

Why Collectors Still Pursue These Cards Today

For modern collectors, the appeal of the Pro Set Platinum cards goes beyond rarity alone.

They represent:

• One of the earliest examples of the modern chase card concept

• A connection to the sports card boom of the early 1990s

• A rare parallel featuring one of football’s greatest players, Emmitt Smith

• A collectible with authentic documentation from Pro Set, Inc. itself

When preserved alongside the original redemption certificate and signed corporate letter, the card becomes something more than just a trading card.

It becomes a complete piece of trading card history.

A Rare Survivor from the Birth of the Chase Card Era

Today, redemption programs, numbered parallels, and premium inserts are standard across the hobby. But decades ago, these ideas were still experimental.

The Pro Set Platinum redemption promotion helped pave the way.

Collectors who own one of these cards are holding more than a rare parallel — they are holding one of the early building blocks of the modern trading card industry.

And when the card is preserved together with its original documentation, it stands as a remarkable survivor from one of the most fascinating periods in sports card history.

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