You Don't Get Much Less Than The Nine-Card "Legends Of" Data!

The Good: Some truly wonderful images! Limited quality, Cardstock
The Bad: Use of even a few publicity shots, Cost/Value
The Basics: With only nine cards, the "Legends Of Data" is bound to satisfy casual fans and card collectors of Commander Data and Brent Spiner alike!


You don't get a much smaller set of trading cards than the set of "Legends Of Lieutenant Commander Data" cards!

Basics/Set Composition

The Legends of Star Trek set is a series of cards produced by Rittenhouse Archives and released on average twice a year over the last five years. The "Legends Of Data" set is the seventh in the ever-expanding series that is released in nine card, limited edition increments. There are no bonus cards in this set, they come as complete sets of nine cards sealed in a cellophane package. There are three things that make these sets truly special: cardstock, an individual limited edition number, and the images on the cards. The cardstock is a 20pt. (thicker than usual) cardstock with the standard UV resistant coating that all quality trading cards come with these days. To illustrate the truly limited nature of the Legends Of Star Trek cards, every set is strictly limited to 1701 sets and the L9 card (visible at the back of the cellophane pack) is foil stamped with an individual number for the specific "Legends Of" set. So, for example, my personal set is number 0440/1701! This is where it helps to have a dealer that you are loyal to; dealers were able to order all of the same limited edition collector's numbers each time, so every time I get an order in, they are the same limited edition numbers and I - and my customers - are assembling sets with matching numbers, which will presumably hold the value of the overall series better in the long run.

Finally, the Legends Of Star Trek series is characterized by wonderful, uncommon images that are (usually) not the typical shots that have been on 8x10s, t-shirts and collector's plates before. Instead, these cards capitalize on big rare images, vivid color contrast and cards that are uncluttered by pesky text! These cards are for the fans who know the accomplishments of their heroes! No need to write about them, the images speak for themselves!


Common Cards

The "Legends Of Data" set is a nine-card Legends Of Star Trek set that features eighteen images of Lieutenant Commander Data from his first season publicity shot to one of the more dramatic and expressive headshots from Star Trek: Nemesis.

Unlike the prior release, the "Legends Of Picard," the "Legends Of Data" set is a little more imaginative. Only two of the images on the fronts of the cards are clearly recognizable to fans of the series as being simple publicity shots and one of the images on the back is the second season publicity still. Fortunately, only three of the eighteen images are publicity shots as opposed to screen captures that more realistically portray the sense of movement and emotion of the character.

Instead of being overwhelmed with bland publicity shots of Data, the "Legends Of Data" set portrays some of the many looks Data had. While five of the fronts of the cards have images of Data in his uniform, the other four have Data as a Romulan, as Sherlock Holmes, as one of his Western personas and in the sailing ship get up from Star Trek: Generations. And one of the other images has Data with Spot, making for a more intriguing and rare image that actually portrays some of what the character was about. Similarly, the backs of the cards have a good selection of images with six of Data in his uniform (one illustrates his exposed circutry in his head, though and another is a good behind-the-console action shot), but the other three as Data from "All Good Things...," an alternate Western persona (NOT Data in drag) and another detective Data shot.

This is what the Legends Of Star Trek set was intended to be and the only concept image that is truly missing would have been one from Star Trek: First Contact when he had been altered by the Borg Queen.

Overall

There's quite a bit here to satisfy fans of Brent Spiner in his iconic role of the android Data. Shots like those of him painting (the back of card L2) and in alter ego forms, like from the Western episode make this set one that will please anyone who likes Data. But card collectors are likely to be excited about this set as well as the images are largely ones that have not been over-done on the trading cards, giving them a quality that many find appealing as it enhances the overall collection to have new and different images in a set. Fans of the "Legends" series will appreciate that and given the rarity of these cards, any collectors that give up on the Legends Of Star Trek set with the "Legends Of Data" release will likely find that there are Brent Spiner fans all too ready to snatch up the remaining sets.

The nine-card sets tend to sell for $17 - $20 but the cardstock quality - which truly is a professional grade - and the limited edition nature of the set makes it worth it. One suspects in the future, the Legends Of Star Trek sets will be sold in the secondary market almost exclusively as entire series collections, so fans who simply have a favorite character will want to snatch up the releases when they first come out!

For fans of Brent Spiner, this is the "Legends" set for you!

This set culls images from Star Trek: The Next Generation, most recognizably "A Fistful Of Datas"
and "Unification, Part II"
Star Trek: Generations
Star Trek: Nemesis

For other Legends Of Star Trek cards, please be sure to read my reviews of:
Legends Of Captain Kirk
Legends Of Spock
Legends Of Dr. Leonard McCoy
Legends Of Sulu, Scotty And Uhura
Legends Of Chekov, Chapel and Rand
Legends Of Captain Jean-Luc Picard

6/10

For other trading cards, please be sure to visit my index page by clicking here!

© 2012, 2008 W.L. Swarts. May not be reprinted without permission.
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