AD&D Trading Cards

AD&D Trading Cards or Collector Cards were published by TSR, Inc. between 1991 and 1993. The cards adhered to 2nd edition Advanced Dungeons & Dragons rules, and were released in three separate yearly series.

Description
The AD&D Trading Cards were released in three yearly sets between 1991 and 1993. Each set consisted of two different series, and the 1992 and 1993 sets featured additional promotional and rare cards in addition to the main set.
 * 1991 Trading Cards: 750 cards
 * 1992 Trading Cards: 750 + 11 promotional cards
 * 1993 Collector Cards: 495 + 60 rare cards

Cards
Each individual card has the dimensions 63 x 88mm (2.5 x 3.5 inches), and is printed on cardboard, with the exception of promotional cards included with issues of Dragon magazine.

The front of each card features art, either re-used from other TSR products, or original to the Trading Cards. The art is outlined by a thick, solid-color border, the color of which varies depending on series and/or rarity.

History
The AD&D Trading Cards were first introduced by TSR employee James Ward in issue #160 of Dragon magazine, as an insert of 17 cards. Mostly based on popular characters from various AD&D novels and video games, this insert of "rookie cards" was intended to test the waters for a potential trading card product line. If the Dragon insert proved popular, Ward wanted to release yearly series of cards, featuring both popular TSR artwork and characters, as well as characters and creatures found nowhere else.

These trading cards were followed by a collectible card game (CCG) announced in the August 1994 issue of Dragon magazine (Dragon #207) called Spellfire: Master the Magic. It included cards based on many of TSR's game worlds, including the Forgotten Realms, Dark Sun, and Greyhawk settings.