Is this card really Rare
 

How rare are these kinds of cards? Rob http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...=STRK:MEWNX:IT

not easy, but not super rare either.

tough
 

They are much tougher than most caramel sets. Think of how many we see for sale? Not really a whole relatively speaking....They are on paper thin stock and usually found in very low condition. A 3 like this one is actually quite high grade. (everyone's least favorite one too boot :)) regards

But what are they and why are they still labeled "proofs"?

to me...
 

Maybe a subsidiary of E97, an "E97-2" ? My thinking is that they are probably just another caramel set. I could be wrong but that is as good of a guess as any I have heard.

They shouldn't be labeled as proofs (in the truest sense) and it's a mistake, with what we know today, to call them that. Again, all just my opinion.

'proof'
 

nice card, Leon.
the one pictured initiallyABOVE that's graded A seems like quite a good deal at a wee bit less than a hundred.
i seldom see these cards and would love to have one for my type collection for a wee bit less than a hundred.
imho they're not rare but pretty close to it.

best,
barry

that psa holder looks terrible.

Are they Briggs Co? How was the distribution determined on this issue?

maybe....
 

They could be Briggs Co but this is still a mystery in the hobby. We don't know how these were issued either but it would seem they were in some kind of hard packaging as they are paper thin.

Nice related items ,Leon.
Does every E97 color card have a known b&W counter part?

yes...