NBA · 1997Modern Set Archive

125 cards, the Duncan and McGrady rookies and the birth of PMG

1997-98 Metal Universe: The Set That Looked Like the Future

SkyBox's futuristic, comic-book-inspired release gave the 1990s one of its most distinctive designs — and introduced Precious Metal Gems, the parallel that became a benchmark for the modern card market.

The 1997-98 Metal Universe Basketball set is one of the most visually distinctive releases of the 1990s. Known for its futuristic artwork, colorful backgrounds and action photography, the set brought a completely different look to basketball cards.

The 125-card base set features 123 player cards and two checklists. Its rookie class is led by Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady, while established stars like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson and Gary Payton give the checklist plenty of collecting appeal.

Metal Universe is also important for introducing Precious Metal Gems (PMG), one of the most recognizable and sought-after parallel concepts in sports card collecting.

Tracy McGrady #42 · 1997-98 Metal Universe · PSA 9 MINT
Tracy McGrady #42 · 1997-98 Metal Universe · PSA 9 MINT

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Set overview

The 1997-98 Metal Universe set at a glance

Metal Universe cards stand out through their elaborate backgrounds, dramatic player photography and futuristic, comic-book-inspired artwork. The design combines bright colors, planetary imagery and metallic textures to create cards that look different from traditional basketball releases of the period.

The visual approach reflects the creative direction associated with Fleer/SkyBox during its ownership under Marvel Entertainment. The result is a set that feels more like a collectible piece of artwork than a conventional player card.

The base checklist runs 125 cards: 123 players plus two checklists. Two rookies headline it — Tim Duncan at #66 and Tracy McGrady at #42 — with Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Gary Payton and Scottie Pippen carrying the star power around them.

Manufacturer

SkyBox

Release

1997-98

Base set

125 cards

Player cards

123

Checklists

2

Key rookies

Duncan, McGrady

Key parallel

PMG

Design

Metallic artwork

Key rookie cards

Two rookies that define the 1997-98 class

The set's rookie class is short and top-heavy: a Spurs power forward who became the centerpiece of a dynasty, and a Raptors wing who became one of the defining scorers of his generation.

Tim Duncan #66 Precious Metal Gems · pictured graded example
Rookie card · Hall of Famer#66GEM MT 10

Tim Duncan

Precious Metal Gems · pictured graded example

Duncan's rookie card is one of the most important cards in the set. The future Hall of Fame power forward became the centerpiece of the San Antonio Spurs dynasty, making his Metal Universe rookie a major target for collectors.

The base card shows Duncan in his black Spurs jersey on the set's cosmic, textured backdrop, with his name and team on the dark bottom bar and the metallic Metal Universe badge at the bottom right.

Duncan's PMG versions are the headline chase — the pictured Precious Metal Gems example is graded GEM MT 10, the top of what the parallel can reach.

Tracy McGrady #42 Base card · pictured graded example
Rookie card · Hall of Famer#42MINT 9

Tracy McGrady

Base card · pictured graded example

McGrady's rookie card is another key release from the set. Known for his scoring ability and dynamic playing style, T-Mac became one of the defining players of his generation.

The card shows him seated in his purple Raptors uniform against a deep galactic background of orbs and star specks — one of the clearest examples of how far the Metal Universe art direction pushed a standard posed photo.

His Metal Universe rookie is especially desirable in Precious Metal Gems form, where the limited print run turns an affordable base rookie into a high-end target.

Key stars

The veteran cards collectors chase

Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant anchor the veteran checklist, and both have PMG versions that sit among the most desirable cards in the release.

Michael Jordan #23 card
#23MINT 9

Michael Jordan

Jordan mid-dunk in his white Bulls jersey, the ball trailing a glowing comet effect against a deep cosmic background — the flagship star card of the set and a major PMG target.

Kobe Bryant #81 card
#81MINT 9

Kobe Bryant

Kobe in his yellow Lakers jersey, passing mid-air in front of a red planetary orb and a metallic grid structure — an important early-career Lakers card with highly sought-after PMG versions.

Allen Iverson #20 card
#20MINT 9

Allen Iverson

Iverson mid-dribble in his Sixers red against the set's gold-bronze metallic finish, with floating globe graphics behind him — a popular early-career card of the future Hall of Famer.

Gary Payton #63 card
#63NM 7

Gary Payton

Payton mid-air in his SuperSonics white and green, with electric metallic veins radiating across a midnight blue background — a Hall of Fame star and one of the set's sought-after PMG names.

Scottie Pippen #83 card
#83GEM MT 10

Scottie Pippen

Pippen dunking in his Bulls red against swirling reddish-brown foil and rocky monoliths — an important Bulls-era card that rarely turns up in a ten.

Shaquille O'Neal #50 card
#50GEM MT 10

Shaquille O'Neal

Shaq dunking over a Blazers defender against a deep purple holographic background — one of the set's best action photographs, and a ten of it is a genuine find.

Antoine Walker #72 card
#72MINT 9

Antoine Walker

Walker mid-layup in Celtics green on the set's cosmic blue backdrop, in a Beckett holder with 9.5 centering and surface sub-grades.

Precious Metal Gems

The parallel that defines the set

Precious Metal Gems are among the most important features of the 1997-98 Metal Universe release. These limited parallels introduced a distinctive color-based rarity system that became one of the most recognizable concepts in basketball card collecting. Each player has 100 PMG copies: the first 10 are Green / Emerald, and copies 11 through 100 are Red.

Michael Jordan #23 card
#23AUTHENTIC

Michael Jordan

The Green PMG — the 1-of-10 tier. Jordan's dunk with a green energy trail across an emerald background, labelled PMG (001 of 100).

Michael Jordan #23 card
#23EX-MT 6

Michael Jordan

A Red PMG example, the 90-copy tier, with the planetary ring etchings and the dark metallic nameplate across the bottom.

Kobe Bryant #81 card
#81NM-MT+ 8.5

Kobe Bryant

Kobe's Emerald PMG in a Beckett holder, with centering, corners, edges and surface sub-grades called out on the label.

Kobe Bryant #81 card
#81AUTHENTIC · AUTO 9

Kobe Bryant

A signed Red PMG, dual-labelled for authenticity and an AUTO 9 signature — autographed PMGs sit in their own market above the unsigned card.

Tim Duncan #66 card
#66NM-MT+ 8

Tim Duncan

Duncan's Emerald PMG in a Beckett holder with sub-grades. The green swirling lines radiating across the surface are the defining look of the 1-of-10 tier.

Tim Duncan #66 card
#66EX-MT 6

Tim Duncan

A Red PMG of the Spurs rookie, with PRECIOUS METAL GEMS stacked in the top-left corner and the metallic badge at the bottom right.

Tim Duncan #66 card
#66GEM MT 10

Tim Duncan

A PMG copy graded GEM MT 10 — the highest grade a collector can realistically hope to find for a foil-heavy 1990s parallel.

Tracy McGrady #42 card
#42AUTHENTIC

Tracy McGrady

A Red PMG of the Raptors rookie, with the metallic green nameplate across the bottom and the gear-shaped Metal Universe badge at the right.

Tracy McGrady #42 card
#42NM-MT 8

Tracy McGrady

McGrady's Emerald PMG in a Beckett holder — centering 9.5, with corners, edges and surface sub-grades on the label.

Dennis Rodman #107 card
#107NM+ 7.5

Dennis Rodman

The Green PMG of Rodman in his Bulls red, dribbling across an emerald finish with the etched radial pattern behind him.

Dennis Rodman #107 card
#107NM 7

Dennis Rodman

The Red PMG of the same card — Rodman holding the ball over a deep metallic red with the geometric ring pattern behind him.

Allen Iverson #20 card
#20EX-MT+ 6.5

Allen Iverson

Iverson's Emerald PMG, with PRECIOUS METAL GEMS stacked at the top right and the green metallic seal at the bottom right.

Allen Iverson #20 card
#20NEAR MINT 7

Allen Iverson

A Red PMG in a Beckett holder — an EDGES 6 sub-grade is the reason a card this clean on the front grades a seven overall.

Gary Payton #63 card
#63NM-MT+ 8.5

Gary Payton

A Red PMG of the Sonics guard mid-leap, with swirling linework across the red foil and the distressed Metal Universe badge below.

Gary Payton #63 card
#63EX 5

Gary Payton

An Emerald PMG showing honest wear along the edges — the kind of card that makes a ten of the same parallel so expensive.

How the 100 copies split

Green / Emerald PMG: serial numbers 1-10, ten copies of each player.

Red PMG: serial numbers 11-100, ninety copies of each player.

PMG versions of Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady are among the most desirable cards associated with the release. Their limited production and distinctive appearance have made them major targets in the high-end sports card market.

Collector appeal

What makes 1997-98 Metal Universe collectible?

An important rookie class, one of the most recognizable designs of the 1990s and the introduction of a parallel format that is still treated as a benchmark today.

Tim Duncan rookie: one of the defining rookie cards in the checklist.

Tracy McGrady rookie: another major rookie from the 1997-98 class.

Michael Jordan: a flagship card with significant collector demand.

Kobe Bryant: an important early-career card from the Lakers years.

Precious Metal Gems: the introduction of a highly recognizable and limited parallel format.

Distinctive artwork: a futuristic design that separates Metal Universe from traditional basketball releases.

Condition sensitivity: metallic surfaces and detailed artwork make high-grade examples challenging.

Condition and grading

Why high grades are hard to find

Metal Universe cards can be difficult to find in high grade. The metallic foil, dark artwork and detailed backgrounds make edge and surface imperfections more noticeable.

Edge and corner wear: the foil edges are where damage shows first on these cards.

Surface scratches and foil damage: dark backgrounds reveal scratches that would go unnoticed on a white-bordered card.

Print quality and background condition: the textured, detailed artwork makes defects easier to spot.

Centering and overall presentation: a poorly centred card loses appeal quickly against such a busy design.

These condition challenges are especially important for collectors pursuing PSA 9 and PSA 10 examples.

For PMG cards, check the serial number on the label as carefully as the grade — the first ten copies of any player are the Green / Emerald tier, and the difference in value is enormous.

Design and card features

Comic-book artwork on a basketball card

Metal Universe cards stand out through their elaborate backgrounds, dramatic player photography and futuristic, comic-book-inspired artwork. Bright colors, planetary imagery and metallic textures combine to create cards that look different from traditional basketball releases of the period.

The visual approach reflects the creative direction associated with Fleer/SkyBox during its ownership under Marvel Entertainment. The result is a set that feels more like a collectible piece of artwork than a conventional player card.

In practice that means a dark bottom nameplate, a metallic Metal Universe badge with 97-98 at the top, and a background that changes player to player — from a seated McGrady in front of planetary orbs to Jordan's dunk with a comet trail behind the ball.

The rest of the checklist

Iverson, Payton and Pippen

Allen Iverson #20: a popular early-career card of the future Hall of Famer from his first seasons in Philadelphia.

Gary Payton #59: a Hall of Fame star and one of the more sought-after PMG cards in the release.

Scottie Pippen #83: an important Bulls-era card and a major collector target for anyone building a 1990s Chicago run.

Together with Jordan and Kobe, those three make up the veteran core of the checklist — and each has PMG versions that carry the set's real high-end demand.

Collecting tips

Building a 1997-98 Metal Universe collection

Start with the two rookies. Duncan #66 and McGrady #42 are the cards that carry the set, and both are reachable in base form before you consider a parallel.

Understand the PMG tiers before you bid. Ten green copies per player, ninety red — the serial number on the label is the single most important detail on the card.

Inspect foil cards in raking light. Surface scratches and edge wear hide in flat photos and on dark backgrounds.

Buy the grade you want rather than grading a raw card later. Foil and dark stock make Gem Mint results genuinely difficult.

Treat autographed PMGs as their own category. A dual label for authenticity and signature grade moves the card into a different market.

Key cards at a glance

The cards worth knowing by number

The players most associated with the release, and why collectors chase them.

1997-98 Metal Universe · key cards

PlayerCard #Why it matters
Michael Jordan#23Flagship star card and major PMG target
Allen Iverson#20Popular early-career card of the future Hall of Famer
Tracy McGrady#42Key rookie card
Gary Payton#59Hall of Fame star and sought-after PMG
Tim Duncan#66Key rookie card and centerpiece of the rookie class
Kobe Bryant#81Important early-career Lakers card
Scottie Pippen#83Hall of Fame star and major Bulls collector target

Card numbers follow the base checklist. Parallel and autographed versions carry their own numbering and market, so check the slab label before comparing prices.

Where performance, legacy and scarcity meet

The 1997-98 Metal Universe Basketball set combines an important rookie class with one of the most recognizable designs of the 1990s. Tim Duncan and Tracy McGrady headline the base checklist, while Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant and Allen Iverson give the set broader star power.

The introduction of Precious Metal Gems takes the release to another level. Their limited production, color variations and connection to some of basketball's biggest names have made them an important part of modern card collecting.

For Players Invest, this is a set where player performance, legacy and scarcity come together. The base cards offer a snapshot of the late-1990s NBA, while the PMGs represent some of the most significant collectibles from the era.

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