1996 Leaf Steel
The Steel insert contains 77 subjects printed on steel plates with rounded corners and a peel-away front coating. A Gold Steel parallel is separately cataloged. Steel Power is another insert, with a die-cut lightning-bolt treatment, and should not be substituted for an ordinary Steel card.
Metal inserts need exact names
Steel belongs within 1996 Leaf Preferred, whose ordinary base cards use conventional card stock. Keep those two runs separate when reconciling an opened box or mixed collection. Gold Steel is a parallel of the metal-card program, while Steel Power is a distinct insert with its own shaped design.
A good condition record includes an angled photograph of the metal surface, the back, rounded corners and any remaining protective coating. State whether the coating remains rather than assuming it proves the surface beneath is flawless. If the card is graded, compare the holder's exact set designation with the visible construction; a generic Leaf label is insufficient to distinguish Preferred base, Steel and Steel Power.
Sources & further reading
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