In ’94-’95 basketball trading cards were hot in my school in Papakura, Auckland. For a while we collected these until we discovered the ’95 Fleer Ultra X-MEN cards that you could buy from the new Card Crazy vending machines and stores that were popping up in shopping malls and other places. When I got my first pack of these it was a magical experience. The cards came in a Gold foil package reminiscent of the golden ticket from willy wonka. When you opened it the smell that came out was of newness. Each pack contained 10 cards and you never knew what you were gonna get. Each card had an amazing piece of art with gold foil embossing. And if you were lucky you’d find a rare Suspended Animation card or Sinister Observation. These ones utilised special printing techniques such as chromium, holograms and clear plastic.