1980 Laughlin Ernie Banks

In 1980 Laughlin released a 30 card set known today as the 300/400/500 set.  The players included either won 300 games, hit .400, or had 500 homers.  Ernie Banks' 512 career homers earned him a place in the set.

The cards are square, 3 1/4" x 3 1/4" and include a Laughlin first, a photograph.  Well, not a complete photograph, but a head shot around which the usual Laughlin cartoon was drawn.

I believe the reason the cards are square is because Laughlin was going with a baseball diamond theme.  You can see the three bases and the card number is on home plate.  This design gets lost when the cards are stored in binders, since you can't see the diamond shape.

I re-scanned the card, this time to give a baseball diamond perspective to the card...

....probably the best way to view it.